Obama Health Reform Efforts Caused Blowback Damaging Liberals and Their Causes

[Joanne98]

For OpEdNews: Rob Kall - Writer


Obama's team is ramming through health reform legislation on the broken backs, hopes and dreams of liberals and progressives.


The health reform efforts of the White house have hurt progressives, liberals Democrats and their causes bigtime. It's not because they attempted to take on health reform. It's because they did such a cowardly, sell-out, backstabbing job.

Let's start with women's rights. Women make up close to two thirds of Democrats, yet one of the most important issues for women, freedom of choice was thrown to the wolves by Nancy Pelosi and Stenny Hoyer and Harry Reid. It's not just the lost ground. This becomes proof that Rahm Emanuel's and others' claims that it is good to bring in pro-life bluedog Democrats to the Democratic party are correct. Expect to see more of them as Emanuel and Obama move the party further to the right.


This tawdry senate episode has cemented the power of small state sold-out and corporate owned senators to control legislation. Something must be changed here-- maybe a rule that fillibusters can only be used so many times in a week, month and year, and then the party runs out, like time-outs in a football game.

On Meet the Press, Joe Scarborough reports that health insurance stocks hit a historic high on Friday. The people are not stupid. They've seen that the Democrats are forcing through a bill that is giving a huge gift to insurers. The Democrat party is going to be decimated in the next two elections and they will deserve it. The leaders of the party and the whitehouse may be bribing or strongarming Democratic legislators. But those legislators will be looking for jobs with Health INsurers, lobbying firms and big Pharma, come 2010 and 2012.

Markos Moulitsas says that the Republicans were completely repudiated in 2006 and 2008, but he's also pissed about where the legislation has gone.

We have good reasons to be angry. The amendment that would have allowed Americans to buy discounted imported drugs was opposed by the Whitehouse, according to Dem Byron Dorgan, who sponsored the amendment. This is betrayal and a broken campaign promise.

At this time, all the progressives I'm talking to are disgusted or worse. Will they show up at the polls? Maybe. Will they vote for Democrats? That's looking less and less likely.
Dailykos polls show that 85% of REpublicans will be showing up to vote, but less than 60% of Democrats, less than 40% of Blacks will be showing up. The numbers are equally bad for under-30s. This is bad news and it is happening because these groups are perceiving the Democrats as being weak, acting in bad faith and betraying their constituents.

There are numerous reports that Obama's inner circle believes that they have the liberals and progressives "covered." Maybe they mean that they've bullied the liberal members of congress into getting on board for the health care legislation. They sure don't have us "covered" when it comes to the next election. Progressives might vote for some Democrats in the next election, but the level of energy they throw into the races-- the volunteer work, the get out the vote, the phone banking, the contribution of funds-- I don't think it's going to be there. The contributions will probably show up in the primaries, in efforts to take out bluedog incumbents.

It's not too late. But it's very unlikely that the right thing-- a two bill health care reform process-- will happen. That would change everything. But it could be done and it could be done this week if the congress was determined to do it. I wrote about it here: Reject Reid's Gift to Insurers; The Two Bill Solution to Health Care

This fight is not over. The enemies of progressives, liberals and populist Democrats have been flushed out-- bluedogs, Rahm Emanuel and others in the Whitehouse, Lieberman, Nelson, Baucus, Landrieu, the senators who backed the Whitehouse opposition to discount pharmaceutical imports. The progressives have grown in power, organization and leadership. Who would have thought that dailykos blogger Markos Moulitsas would be on Meet the Press facing off with a former GOP head?

No this isn't over by a long shot. But it will be a roller coaster ride and there will be casualties. Unfortunately, it looks like the first casualty is the American people.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Obama-Health-Reform-Effort-by-Rob-Kall-091220-570.html

[Skittles]

1. BUT IT'S ALL JUST A START!!!! SO STFU AND GET ON BOARD!!!

:rofl:

[laughingliberal]

3. My fear is that this is just the beginning..nt

[laughingliberal]

2. Yeah... unless they pull a rabbit out of a hat between now and November I think

the Dems are going to take heavy losses. It has occurred to me that the administration would be more comfortable with Republicans in the House and Senate. They seem to be trying to move right and the progressives are an irritation.

[still_one]

4. If the economy starts to improve, and people start getting hired and working the Democrats will win

[eridani]

5. And what if underemployment starts looking like the "new normal"?

This shitty bill will destroy a lot of middle class discretionary spending.

[still_one]

6. The economy will trump everything, including the HCR bill, that is the way it has always been /nt

[laughingliberal]

7. Yeah...a long way to go on that. Guess it could happen

I know unemployment is coming down but, at this rate or just slightly faster than this rate, it's not going to be enough of a change to excite people for a midterm election. As it stands now, one in every three lives in this country is affected by someone who is out of work. A whole buncha them are going to need to see progress before it's a groundswell. . Our state has the 2nd highest unemployment. It's likely Harry Reid is going down here. Not that he's a huge asset but that's one Senate seat we lose. Not sure we have any likely pickups but I haven't broken the numbers down. Would be interesting to look at unemployment numbers by state and see which how many dem senators are up in states where it's very high.

[still_one]

8. I am not saying it will or won't, and it doesn't have to completely recover, but it has to be

significant enough that people notice. Those people being those out of work, and losing their houses

[laughingliberal]

10. right! nt

[still_one]

11. We will know in 6 months, one way or the other /nt

[northernlights]

19. unemployment is not coming down, it's acceleration is slowing

So instead of 600,000 new applicants/month, there's maybe $500,000. And that's probably because of seasonal jobs. And long-term unemployment -- the real numbers that includes those who fall off the rolls, those who return to school because there are no jobs...continues to rise.

[still_one]

20. and of course I am not referring to acceleration slowing, I am referring to actual jobs being

created

[IndianaGreen]

9. as long as we are spending money on Obama's wars

the economy will not get better.

[still_one]

13. Not necessarily, and keep in mind I am against our involvement both in Iraq and Afghanistan

Remember Johnson's guns and butter?

Some believe WWII actually pulled us out of the Great Depression

Of course I am against wars being used for economic recovery

Incidently, Obama inherited those wars, and though technically they are now his wars, theoretically he said we would be out of there in 2011. Am I skeptical? Hell yes, but the actual administration that got us into those wars, never discussed getting us out

[IndianaGreen]

15. Obama is about to start a war in Latin America against progressive governments

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2009/12/20091220172537513179.html

[still_one]

16. If that happens, and if he opens new wars and expansionism, then I agree with you

but I will reserve judgment for the time being to see what happens, since there isn't an election until next November

[sabrina 1]

12. The economy is fine for many of us. That isn't influencing

the rightful anger towards a government that is acting immorally. You seem to believe that Americans are so shallow, that if everything is going well for them, too bad for everyone else. I find that attitude to be, not only wrong, but extremely insulting to the American people. We are not all like Rahm Emanuel and his ilk, thank god.

I don't think you are really getting it. This debate in this era is as important as the Civil Rights debate was in the sixties. Did people forget the rights of Blacks once the 'economy was doing alright'? Or did the issue itself transcend their own selfish needs? I think we know the answer to that.

Why is this debate so serious? Because it is literally about the lives and deaths of Americans. Far more than the phony Wars we are fighting.

To put the lives of Americans in the hands of a for-profit system is not only immoral, it has proven to be deadly for the American people. Nearly 400,000 Americans have died over the past ten years as a result of the immorality and predictable failure of a system whose main concern is their bottom line. Think about that. Most Americans were not aware of how dangerous this for-profit system was, but they are now. To think they will forget it if the 'economy is going well', is just plain unbeleivable.

And if anyone thinks this travesty of as bill is going to stop the dying of Americans, they are wrong.

This bill is a disgrace. It is, like Romney Care, first of all discriminatory. It forces substandard care on the poor and forces them to pay for it, or pay more, or go to jail. Because even when forced to buy the cheapest premiums, they will not be able to use it as their co-pays, will be far beyond their means. In Mass. where this system has already been operating, that is exactly what is happening.

Sure, there will always be those who are doing well and none of this will effect them. But not all of us are so immoral, as you imply, that once we are okay, we will turn a blind eye to what this government is doing to its own people.

If anything, this bail-out of the Insurance Companies, drew attention to the criminal state of our health care system, but mostly to the immorality of being the only developed country who continues to put profits before lives.

One good thing about it is that the light that has been shone on it will only increase the determination of decent Americans to refuse from now on to accept anything other than a National Health Care system where all Americans, rich and poor, receive QUALITY health care.

No more 'compromise'. No Public Option. That's not good enough. We can see where compromise gets us. The people now want a Single Payer System and an end to For-profit health care.

I don't know where you are getting the idea that Americans who are now far more informed than they were a year ago about the sorry state of their health care system, and in shock over what they have leanred, will simply forget about if the government can prop up the economy just in time for the elections. How cynical that is, considering the life and death nature of the issue.

So don't count on the economy or any other shiny object they may pull out of their bag of tricks just to get reelected, to make people forget about this very serious issue. It won't work. The only that will work, and I'm surprised it hasn't occurred to you, is for Democrats to start remembering why they were sent to Washington and to stop making excuses which no one believes anyhow.

[still_one]

14. It isn't what I think or don't think, look at history, when things are economically

good, people will NOT change course.

You think I am insulting the American people? I am expressing an opinion. You don't agree with it fine. I am not saying that YOU are insulting anyone. This is a forum to express opinions. I am not PERSONALLY ATTACKING YOU OR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE!!!

In addition, I am skeptical that an economic recovery will happen, but that wasn't my point. It was simply if the economy improves, and people are back at work, that is what will matter most to them. You don't believe that, fine, that is YOUR opinion

As far as the HCR bill is concerned, I think it is not good, but I also think they can amend it after it becomes law

I also know that there is no way they could have gotten any other bill through. WHY? because they don't have the VOTES. WHY? because a lot of Democrats are too damn conservative

So until Congress becomes more progressive we can either kiss HCR goodbye or have what we have

It is FAR easier to amend a bill later, adding a public option or single payer, than start a bill from scratch in our current environment

Do I like it that we have such a system, and can't get Single payer for everyone, no, I do not like it, but you tell me how else they could get it done?

Tell me how purple and red state representatives will vote for single payer?

People have been voting against their own interest for a long time

[laughingliberal]

17. I'm not disputing that there are a lot of problems more important than the economy and jobs

but I do question, even now, that the average (non-politically-aware) voter sees much more than what is right in their line of vision. I hope you're right. It would be good to have a more informed electorate. I'm surrounded by people who want to know why I worry about, "all that stuff."

I do get it. And I was part of the civil rights fight in the 60's. And we don't know what would have happened back then if the economy had been like it is now. We were doing ok in most of the working and middle classes back then. We had the energy to go and work and organize and fight for those who did not enjoy the same rights we did. Would my parents have been able to withstand the forces that came at us and threatened our lives for our beliefs if they had been worried about feeding us next week as I worry now about food and gas? I don't know. I would like to think so but I find poverty takes its toll on energy levels.

I'm totally opposed to the health insurance giveaway we're about to get. I've been fighting for-profit health care since they took over the industry within the first few years of my graduation from nursing school. And seeing them pass this may be the end of my support for a party to which I have belonged for 36 years and my momma and daddy before me. I appreciate your passion but I question how many of the American people are even tuned in to this right now. And, of those who are, how many are of the idiot variety that sees the problem as 'government taking over my healthcare.' A sad fact is that pocketbooks trump a lot of issues for Americans. One bright spot is that is the ones who understand the connection between this overblown, disastrous system we have now and their declining pocketbooks over more than 2 decades may see it for what it is.

I hope we see a public outcry about the bill and I hope it comes loud enough from the proper side of the debate. I'm just not sure we're going to see it. I fear the backlash will not be seen until the mandates go into effect and people start to see what worthless policies they are getting for their money. We live in a big country and, unfortunately, the uninformed get a vote, too.

peace.

edited spelling

[still_one]

18. One thing is for sure, before this is over we all will be more informed for better or worse /nt

[sabrina 1]

22. There's a lot of truth in your post I know ~

I am sure there are far too many Americans who are unaware of what is going on. And I am sure that even here on DU, once there is a 'victory' people will want to 'move on' to the next issue. My post was probably a little too 'hopeful' regarding the American people. Still, a lot more of us are more informed than we were before. No big changes were effected by a majority of the people. Those changes happened when small, committed groups of people were able to move large enough numbers of people to realize that there things that needed to change.

I think this is one of those issues. I'm not sure if such leadership will emerge to keep up the fight to finally rid this country of a pro-profit health care system. But I do think we've moved a little closer to it.

Thank you for informing me of your previous experiences ~ I was not there in that period of time but am grateful to those who were.

Sorry that you are surrounded by people who don't get your passion for social justice. I am a little luckier in that most of my circle of friends while not aware, are willing to discuss issues, both right and left. Most will not get too involved, but do agree about the basics that everyone should have access to healthcare, regardless of their financial status, health or age.

I am sure the WH is counting on this passing, and the 'opposition' being silenced by 'victory'. Maybe they're right. But I'm not so sure as we are not the ones they have to worry about. Republicans are going to bring this up, even if we all remain silent, so it will not die as an issue and it effects every single American more so than even the Wars we are engaged in.

People prefer positive news, I know that, even if it's not exactly true. The polls have already gone up which is not a surprise. Americans love a 'winner', like Mike Vicks, and don't look too deeply behind the win, until something forces them to do so. We'll see, I suppose, but there really is only one acceptable form of health care regardless of the victory parades. Thanks for your response.

[tomm2thumbs]

21. I believe everyone is hoping there is truly a '3rd Act' to this Bill - in reconciliation

whether it be in 6 months, after the fires have abated or just after the election, no matter what the results are... that will be their window to do what is right before leaving office for any folks that misread their districts and forgot to do more for the people and less for corporations.

[Vidar]

23. K&R.