Dear Mr. President:

Amen (0.00 / 0)

If Obama goes all bipartisan and Max Baucus, the blow-back will be monumental.

A voter base scorned will be far more damaging to his ability to govern that an army of wing-nuts who hated him anyway.

Not as smart as I think I am, but not as dumb as I look.

---

by: epm @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 03:01:09 AM UTC

Something is better than nothing... (0.00 / 0)

Here we go again. While I do 'want it all,' I have to say once again that some improvements are better than nothing.

If Liberals join the Republicans to defeat President Obama's health care reforms, it will be a disaster - you will lose, the Dems will lose, and the nation will lose. As I've said before, it will take decades for new changes to be discussed.

Pundits including Charlie Cook and Nate Silver are already talking about double digit Democratic losses in Congress because of the health care debates. Nate Silver said "If you pass a health care bill it doesn't make you popular, but if you don't sign any legislation it makes things even worse." http://www.politico.com/news/s...

---

by: Putney Swope @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 04:10:36 AM UTC

It's not HIS plan. It's our government, our money and our (0.00 / 0)

representatives who are supposed to draw up a plan.

That said, requiring individuals to give something of value to another private entity against their will would be un-Constitutional.  Of course, we've had involuntary servitude before and it was legal, but I have to assume Obama knows better.

Under our system, when we want something done on a community-wide basis, we hire agents of government (us) and pay them with taxes, which are fairly assessed according to an agreed-upon process.  The Medicare tax is a good example.  The only thing wrong with it is that it violates the equal protection clause by being an exclusive program.

---

by: hannah @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 08:46:48 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

If Obama cherishes (4.00 / 4)

the fetish of bi-partisanship over meaningful reform, that will be a disaster.

Requiring more Americans to join the private health insurance oligrachy will spell major trouble for 2010.  As well as being policy worse than the broken system we have now.

There's nothing radical or leftist about a public option.  It's supported by a majority of Americans, and it's nowhere near single payer, which in a just world would actually be the goal.

Social Media Director for Jackie Cilley for Governor. Follow her on Twitter & Facebook!

---

by: Dean Barker @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 10:05:02 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

This was the logic (4.00 / 1)

that gave us a corrupt, overly complicated Medicare Part D outlawing government bulk purchasing.

---

by: elwood @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 10:32:37 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

True and false (4.00 / 1)

It's true that politically the Dems need to get a bill passed. But we have the votes to make sure it is a good bill. Why would we miss the opportunity? Because Republicans might get their feelings hurt? They will be against any plan because that's who they are. They will offer us the false promise of compromise and then screw us at the last minute. They have literally no incentive to cooperate.

Let's go back to the days when Democrats would actually fight for what they believed in.

---

by: michael57 @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 16:18:34 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

it's not as if the other side if going to stop (4.00 / 1)

The wingnuts are going to say Obama is a socialist no matter what he does. So he may as well do the right thing: no one is going to reward him for doing the wrong thing.


sitting state rep: running for re-election in 2012.

---

by: TimothyHorrigan @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 04:52:15 AM UTC

Did you see Bill Bradley's NY Times article about a possible compromise? (0.00 / 0)

Bill Bradley is a saint, IMHO:

"Tax Reform's Lesson for Health Care Reform" http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08...

A compromise is still possible that will get some Republicans on board.

---

by: Putney Swope @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 05:03:45 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yes, I saw that ignorant piece of fantasy (4.00 / 2)

Yes, it's just like the Reagan years. Yes, Republicans are just as likely to compromise as the spineless Dems are.

Yes, the tooth fairy can provide national dental care.

---

by: elwood @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 10:18:37 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Bill Bradley (0.00 / 0)

has his head somewhere he can't see.  There is no compromise with the Rs, their base will finish them off with far right primary challengers, who will win  primaries because the Republican party now consists of people like Jack Kimball.  And they know that.

If there is no STRONG mechanism to promote competition and keep costs down, a mandate would be dreadful for us all.  We would have to buy insurance or be fined, and if taxpayers had to subsidize what we pay now and even worse, what we will have to pay as the costs go up and up, there would be a revolt against the Democrats and we would lose not only any progress on this issue, but also any hope of fixing the mess any time soon.  

We need the public option.  If we don't have it, or by some miracle something else that does the same thing, which I haven't heard of yet, and we don't get a mandate as well, we will end up with a very weak program which won't really help much, and be in the same old boat.


We believe in prosperity & opportunity, strong communities, healthy families, great schools, investing in our future and leading the world by example. We are Democrats; we are the change you're looking for.

---

by: bloomingpol @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 10:01:14 AM UTC

He won't get that specific (0.00 / 0)

Like I said in the other thread, I think he'll speak in broad themes.

But no matter, because nothing will get done this year.

I could be teary starry-eyed from last week, but I'm trying to cheer myself with the Kennedy view. What we don't get now, we can get later.

Which is not to say it won't be an epic fail of the caucus, especially the Senate caucus, but at least we have started the conversation. The status quo is unacceptable; I think that has been heard.

---

by: JimC @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 11:19:11 AM UTC

Be careful what you wish for (0.00 / 0)

Democratic Edge in Party Affiliation Shrink

Gallup: "In August, an average of 45% of Americans identified as Democrats or leaned to the Democratic Party, while 40% identified as Republicans or leaned to the Republican Party. This 5-point advantage represents a decided narrowing of the gap between the parties from the 17-point Democratic advantage in January." http://www.gallup.com/poll/122...

   

---

by: Putney Swope @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 11:43:13 AM UTC

Anticipatory Rejection (4.00 / 1)

Perhaps we may want to hear what the President actually says before rejecting it?  He s a smart man, he will figure out what is right and what is possible, and what can be done without destroying his opportunity to carry out the rest of his agenda.

Dorothy had to follow the yellow brick road and overcome a number of obstacles before climbing into the hot air balloon to go home. And even then she had to climb back out, find Toto, and click her ruby slippers before ending back in Kansas.



"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

---

by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 12:15:53 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thank you! (0.00 / 0)

---

by: Putney Swope @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 13:07:56 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

You're Welcome! (0.00 / 0)

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

---

by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 15:55:17 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

And thank you (0.00 / 0)

For all your concern.

---

by: michael57 @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 16:19:50 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Whoa (4.00 / 2)

Putney is one of the most progressive people in the state of NH; we usually disagree because I am the pragmatic one and he is the full speed ahead no matter the cost guys.  He also knows more about the issue of health care from the front lines than anyone here.  So, please don't be dismissive of Putney or his comments.  



"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

---

by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 16:31:34 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I had the same thought (4.00 / 4)

And agree totally: "we usually disagree because I am the pragmatic one and he is the full speed ahead no matter the cost guys"

---

by: Putney Swope @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 18:04:14 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

My head is spinnning... n/t (4.00 / 1)

Have you told a stranger today about Bill O'Brien and his Tea Party agenda? The people of NH deserve to hear about O'Brien  and his majority committed to destroying New Hampshire and remaking it into a armed survivalist preserve.  

---

by: Ray Buckley @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 18:10:24 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Inside baseball (0.00 / 0)

Sorry I didn't know he was a local fellow who was so knowledgable, I thought he was a film by Robert Downey Sr. But if he has special knowledge, he is not bringing it to bear in these comments. He mentions the Bradley article, where Bradley says we can reach compromise just as we did with responsible Republican partners in the 1980s. But who are the responsible Republicans today? Who in the Republican leadership is going to give Obama a victory, just so they can go back to their base and say they did tort reform? Frankly, I don't even think today's Republicans are truly interested in real tort reform, because if they got it, they would have one less hot-button topic to raise money with. I just don't trust them to bring anything to the table except bad faith. I say let's push for a good bill and get it done. We have the votes. Americans don't care if a bill is bipartisan, they care if it helps them out. The public option is key to helping the people, and I think we have to go for it, through reconciliation.

---

by: michael57 @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 20:50:36 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

While I agree in the abstract, but... (4.00 / 2)

First of all, we've been walking down the yellow brick road for two or three generations now. That's the problem... the opposition keeps kicking the can down the road and we're too willing to chase after it.

Secondly, and personally, I feel any so-called reform that doesn't include an immediate, universally available, Medicare-like, public option, is no reform at all. "Reform" that legistatively perpetuates a private-only insurance market will probably make things worse.

For me, negotiating away a strong, universal private option is like debating how frequently someone should beat their kid. We should try to abolish it all at once. If they cut back to every other week, that'll be good enough. After all, we gotta respect the anti-government, parental rights people too, right?

I know I'm being hyperbolic here -- and by no means should my comments be taken personally. I'm merely getting on my soap box about an issue...  

Not as smart as I think I am, but not as dumb as I look.

---

by: epm @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 16:26:47 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Adding to my comment above (0.00 / 0)

In all the hoopla about Ted Kennedy's ability to compromise, the important point to remember is, he knew what to compromise on. He would make small concessions, but he would not compromise on principles. He was willing to vote against bad bills.

---

by: JimC @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 15:06:57 PM UTC

Sign the Petition (0.00 / 0)

Here.

because who is to doubt the American Way is not the way?

---

by: peacekeeper @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 18:38:37 PM UTC

MYBO look alike (0.00 / 0)

Check out the look of MYBO.

I don't like the way the petition you are promoting is trying to pass themselves off as something they are not.

Paid for by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee PAC (www.boldprogressives.org) and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. Contributions to the PCCC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.

Lazy Jedi. Bad Lazy Jedi!

"Ill writers are usually the sharpest censors." - John Dryden

---

by: Jack Mitchell @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 19:20:16 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

That's a pretty common tactic (4.00 / 1)

And anyway, they're doing a lot of good on working for the public option. Didn't you just post the video for their new commercial a few days ago?

because who is to doubt the American Way is not the way?

---

by: peacekeeper @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 20:23:41 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

That ad was great (0.00 / 0)

I know it is a common tactic, but it dupes people. Duping is naughty, even for a great cause.

They do put an ID on the masthead, so they aren't trying to be wicked tricky.

Love the cause, will sign the petition!

"Ill writers are usually the sharpest censors." - John Dryden

---

by: Jack Mitchell @ Thu Sep 03, 2009 at 21:25:19 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Mandates without (0.00 / 0)

strict controls will make things worse. The reason mandates work in Germany is because the government sets very strict guidelines for the major insurance company. It can't just do what it wants to increase profits. There are no deductibles or co-pays that I am aware of. And dental is covered as well.  

---

by: Jennifer Daler @ Fri Sep 04, 2009 at 02:11:22 AM UTC