If We Do Not Get A Public Option, The Blame Rests With Obama

[WeDidIt]

I know people are going to blame Baucus, Reid, and host of others, but the buck stops with Obama and all of the power in this situation rests with him, too.

There can be no real health reform without a robust public option. Everybody knows that and all that's happening now is a Kabuki dance as to whether there will be real reform or we will simply line the pockets of Insurance Companies.

If Obama is true to his principles and his word, he will declare ANY so-called "Health Care Reform" bill that does not include a robust public option with no strings attached DOA and exercise his Veto power to end a bill that will only benefit insurance and pharmaceutical companies.

ON EDIT: Donning flame retardent suit.

[tekisui]

1. Agreed.

It is time to act like Liberal Democrats are in power!

[nevergiveup]

2. This is BS

The buck stops with you and me and all the others who give a damn. Stop your complaining and get on the phone and grab a pen and piece of paper and start calling your neighbors.

[WeDidIt]

3. Been doing that for weeks now

The power rests with Obama.

[Ganja Ninja]

7. Stop making excuses for them.

If the public option fails it will be for one reason and one reason only, money. No more of the tired old democratic excuses 'we didn't call' or 'Democrats need to grow a pair'. Just admit they've been bought lock, stock and barrel. It's the simple truth and we need to face it.

[WeDidIt]

9. Yep, if there's no public option

It will prove Nader was right in 2000, which sucks because I despise Nader.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

15. Oh really?

So McCain would have nominated a liberal Latina to the Supreme Court?
McCain would have started the process of closing Gitmo?
McCain would have put money for education and other important social programs into a stimulus bill?
McCain would have signed an order providing ANY benefits to same sex partners working for the federal government?
McCain would have pushed for a public option... at all?

I could go on, and on, and on, but I feel that's sufficient to completely and totally disprove any assertion that Nader was ever right.

[WeDidIt]

17. Without healthcare reform, none of that matters

The stimulus will fail.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

32. Single issue voter, eh?

Sorry, but the stimulus will succeed or fail on its own merit. Health care has only a tangential relationship to it. The nation has done quite well economically with the current health care system, and there's no evidence to support the notion that the economy will fail to recover without a public option for health care.

Is it a necessary step to take? Absolutely, but let's not overplay our hand here. I know the issue is important to you - it's a top 3 issue for me as well - but that doesn't give one license to say whatever you want.

[WeDidIt]

36. On this issue, yes

If we do not get a public option, I'll never vote for, work for, or donate to another Democrat as long as I live.

[GCP]

76. Me too

If they fuck this up I'm going Green.

[nevergiveup]

26. So it is nice to know you are throwing in the towel.

Last year we were told over and over again that Obama would never be elected because the corporations, the powerful moneyed interests and the establishment would never let it happen. We the people in huge numbers jumped into the campaign and never looked back. Obama warned us that even in victory the biggest battles were yet to come. Now here we are, facing one of the biggest battles and you are already resigned to defeat. The simple truth is that it can be done if we get organized and want it enough. The Republicans, insurance companies and big pharmaceutical companies are counting on your "it is hopeless" attitude.

[Ganja Ninja]

35. The Republican's don't have anything to do with this.

Stop putting all the blame on them and stop being naive. The Dem's pull this crap every time right before they cave in. The big pharmaceuticals and insurance companies don't give damn about our attitudes. They let their money do their talking and the Dem's are listening. Open your eyes. E-mail and letters have no effect. The only way we're going to get what we want is to take to the streets like the Iranians.

[GCP]

77. +1

:thumbsup:

[Hannah Bell]

57. Then why do we need the democratic party, or our legislators?

let's just skip the expensive sideshows & have direct democracy.

[NashVegas]

4. Nope. Rests With Us

For not marching on Washington and other state capitols and demanding it.

[grahamhgreen]

20. Your blaming the victims - we put him in power to do this, not waffle! EVERY DAY HE SHOULD BE ON TV

pushing single payer.

Your blaming the victims - us.

[NashVegas]

23. I'm Doing No Such Thing

You have a choice. Sit back and bang away at your comp, or call your congressional reps and senators and urge them to pass on anything that doesn't contain a public option.

[WeDidIt]

25. Been doing that daily for weeks now

and it only gets worse.

I'd rather there be no bill masquerading as "reform" than have the piece of shit that Baucus put out.

[NashVegas]

42. Fair Enough

I'm sorry for your disappointment.

[grahamhgreen]

59. Are you one of these guys that gets paid to flame left wing blog sites? How much ddo they pay?

[NashVegas]

75. Are You One of Those Lurkers Who Only Pops Up Every Three Months To Insult Someone?

And offers little to no contribution otherwise?

[grahamhgreen]

58. I call daily. WE elected them to pass single payer - including Obama. It's his job. The Buck stops

where?

[treestar]

73. You do know you have senators and congresspersons

And that together they have equal power with the President?

Oh, vey!

And the citizens are supposed to participate, not sit back like little children waiting for the President to take care of us! that's what Bush and Cheney wanted us to do!

[Pirate Smile]

5. Of course, everything is Obama's fault. I've gotten the memo from DU.

If it isn't perfect, he should veto it and leave the system as it is. :eyes:

[dionysus]

6. veto it, then RESIGN! get with the program

:sarcasm:

[Buzz Clik]

13. True enough! I worked my ass for Obama so that he would do my bidding.

If he strays the course, impeachment is the only option.

And, I'll have to call back all those hundreds of people and apoligize.

[WeDidIt]

8. It won't be reform without a public option

all it will do is mandate people line insurance company CEO's pockets with no guarantees of coverage because the practice of recission will continue.

[Stinky The Clown]

18. Broadbrush much?

The OP is quite focused on one issue.

Instead of you stupid snark answer, how about addressing the OP?

[yodoobo]

69. There is as much Obama bashing here, as there is at FR

Its ridiculous.

This man has already done far more for us in a few months, than most other Presidents do in their entire term.

We should be thanking Obama for the great things he is doing and has done...and he's not finished yet!...not bashing him for what he might not do.

[Buzz Clik]

10. Really? Was the failure of health care reform in the 90s Hillary's failure and her failure alone?

I have no doubt that regardless of the the outcome, Obama will be hailed by some and condemned by others.

Same old shit, different day.

[grahamhgreen]

21. YES - for not pushing for real reform, only a crap, 'we will force you to buy insurance' plan.

[Buzz Clik]

64. Well, there you go. At least you're consistent.

[Lorax7844]

82. if they make insurance mandatory but no public option

people will riot. Freepers and DUers will unite cause we may disagree on how to fix i, but forcing people to buy shit insurance will make people flip out. ME included.

[tekisui]

11. I want a lot more BULLY with our Pulpit!

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

16. You didn't get enough bully from 2000-2008? (nt)

[tekisui]

19. What's wrong a Bully Dem?

That previous bully was able to get the legislation they wanted passed. I just want the same for us.

[IrateCitizen]

27. Obama's been able to get the legislation he wants by the same methods

- Military spending bill
- Money for the IMF

He didn't hesitate to threaten recalcitrant Democrats to get those two passed. I guess it just shows what he's willing to seriously fight for, and what he isn't....

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

33. Is the game over yet?

Funny that you're already doing a post-game analysis midway through the first quarter.

[tekisui]

45. The President gets 18 months to seriously work on his agenda.

Then, we get into the election cycles that make the timid and weak legislators even more timid and weak, and centrists. We are 5 months into that 18 month window, nearly a third of the way through the time to make the serious, big aims.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

53. Okay, so let's shift the analogy a bit then.

It's hockey, it's a tie game, and it's the end of the first period. The question remains - why are you already doing a post-mortem?

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

31. I shouldn't need to remind you, but it wasn't ONLY the legislation that made those years unbearable.

I'm frankly astounded by your hypocrisy.

[tekisui]

46. There is a range. It is not either/or.

I think the American people and the Democratic Party would greatly benefit from a stronger, more hardened leader. He doesn't have to be smug, condescending and rude.

[yodermon]

12. So he *IS* supposed to be the Messiah.

got it.

[kenny blankenship]

61. No, just President of the United States

and Leader of his political party.

[yodoobo]

70. He is not a messiah. Thats just republican talk

And there is no need to further that mockfull talking point here.

He is however, the best thing that has happened to this country in about 60 years. There is no need to run away from this fact.

Its a pity that even some "democrats" are unwilling to see this.

[treestar]

72. I know, geez! All these people really did think Bush was the

Decider! So it follows that Obama should be a left wing decider!

[slipslidingaway]

14. Policy is set from the top, if you exclude the biggest challenger

to health insurance companies from the beginning then they feel less threatened.

P.Obama did not have to stand behind the single-payer system, all he had to do was give them a place at the table.

Imagine if Dr. Marcia Angell had been allowed to speak?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQNphM6xUsE

http://www.pnhp.org/blog/2009/03/09/dr-oliver-fein-reports-on-the-white-house-health-summit/

"Thanks to many grassroots activists and physicians who called the White House and threatened to demonstrate outside its gates, I was at the Health Care Summit at the White House on March 5 along with Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.).

...Besides the lawmakers, it is interesting to note which organizational leaders he called on to make statements. These included Karen Ignagni, president of America’s Health Insurance Plans; Dan Danner, president of the National Federation of Independent Businesses; and Ted Epperly, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. A few other audience members were called on for statements, including Fredette West, president of Racial and Ethnic Disparities Health Coalition, and Irwin Redliner (a recently mentioned candidate for U.S. surgeon general) from National Center for Disaster Preparedness at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

...What was my role in all of this? Despite my best efforts, I was unable to make a public statement at the meeting, although thanks to the PNHP staff in Chicago we were able distribute my prepared remarks to the media while the summit was under way...

...The media took great interest in the successful battle by Rep. Conyers and myself to get into the summit, with stories in the Congressional Quarterly, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times, among other places..."

[grahamhgreen]

22. FURTHERMORE - the Dems will lose in the mid-terms!

[Donnachaidh]

39. hell, ANY incumbent is going to have problems in the mid-terms. n/t

[grahamhgreen]

56. Wrong. Push the progressive agenda and we'll win, push the banksters/war agenda we lose. FDR's mid

terms rocked:

The United States Senate elections of 1934 occurred in the middle of Democratic President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first term. In the middle of the Great Depression, voters strongly backed Roosevelt's New Deal and his allies in the Senate.

The Democrats took nine Republican seats, including an open seat in Maryland and the seats of eight incumbents:

* Frederic C. Walcott (R-CT)
* Arthur Raymond Robinson (R-IN)
* Roscoe C. Patterson (R-MO)
* Hamilton F. Kean (R-NJ)
* Simeon D. Fess (R-OH)
* David A. Reed (R-PA)
* Felix Hebert (R-RI)
* Henry D. Hatfield (R-WV)

Further, Robert M. La Follette, Jr. (R-WI) left the Republican Party to join the Progressive Party.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_elections,_1934

[Donnachaidh]

66. hell, progressive movement is totally out of what the Dems are pushing now

With the healthcare fiasco and Obama backing up torture BS? I guess we should expect them to lose seats in the midterms, because it doesn't look like we have a progressive working for us now.

:shrug:

[OHdem10]

24. As long as you excuse the Senate, nothing will change or improve.

Obama can and should veto any bill that does not contain a Public Option.

However the Senate has had months to work something out. They
have done nothing but look impotent.

How many years have we pushed for HealthCare. No matter who is
President, if the Senate really wanted it we would have it.

They let Clinton take the fall for failure. Now they are
are doing nothing and preparing for Obama to take the fall.

Since the Blue Dogs always manage to screw Democratic Policies,
it is time to call their Elitist arrogant selves to task.
Just like the GOP they mostly come from areas characterized by
a Caste System. They therefore are interested in maintaining
the status quo. They are interested only in pleasing Business
and those voters who earn over 75,000 dollars a year.

I am beginning to wonder why we even try to win the Presidency.
It means nothing.

[sisters6]

28. I agree, Pres. Obama needs to robustly spend his political

capital NOW.

[QC]

29. Oooooo--you're gonna get it now! n/t

[Dawgs]

30. Obama declaring a VETO on any NON-public bill will not GUARANTEE that Congress will listen.

Same as last week, and the week before, Obama is still not king. He can't make the Congress give him what he wants.

I'm not saying he should support a bill that doesn't have a public option. It's just stupid to blame him for not MAKING congress do what he wants.

[kentuck]

34. The Congress is there to represent us...

simply because we all can't fit under that one roof. If they don't represent us, then vote them out - every last one of them. That is the solution. Don't settle for less.

[NYC_SKP]

37. So, you prefer nothing gets passed, nothing at all, he should just veto, veto, veto.

Try this site, you might find yourself in better company:

http://www.progressiveindependent.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_forums

I'm quite serious, lots of past and present DUers there.

:donut:

[Voltaire]

38. No Public Option or Single Payer

is a bill with nothing anyway, and yes he should veto that. Every bill that has no strong public option should be vetoed. Period. Why should we compromise, the insurance companies won't!

TO THE BARRICADES!

I'm an old man now, but I still believe in REVOLUTION!

[NYC_SKP]

41. .

I often think that the system has become so corrupt and entrenched, the bureaucracy so complex that the only hope is for everything to collapse under it's own weight.

Or that some form of revolution must occur.

So, we do not disagree!

[bvar22]

50. No Public Option WILL make things WORSE.

I prefer NOTHING to something that makes things WORSE.
If you were smart, you would too.

[NYC_SKP]

52. To the extent that this is true then, yes, I would too. n/t

[lumberjack_jeff]

55. Repackaging the status quo is worse than doing nothing.

Eventually, the status quo will rot. I'd prefer that "reform" be seen as having never been tried.

[edhopper]

40. K & R

I agree with the OP.

[PHIMG]

43. Where is the VETO threat? Time for leadership OBAMA. n/t

[frazzled]

44. Like Congress would care if we have no health care reform bill?

ThiMk. The very people (Republicans and conservative Dems) who oppose a public plan would welcome a presidential veto of any health care reform. So not a very smart tactical move.

As to the OP's conclusion that Congressional actions are all controllable by Obama ... that's only true if the executive is king and tyrant. Short of putting one of Max Baucus's kids in prison, poisoning the dog, and sitting on Ron Wyden till he cries uncle, the power of persuasion goes only so far in a system that calls for separation of powers.

My two senators are on board for the public plan; are everybody else's? If not, you should be bombarding them now.

[PHIMG]

62. Yes Congress would care.

They will be the baddies who stood in way of President Obama's healthcare plan.

Obama needs to come out and say....there will be no healthcare bill without a public option, and if we don't get the public option, next try is for single payer. You'll see the conservative opposition vanish.

[Orsino]

47. If so, we should demand that he give up his seat in Congress.

If I were convinced that he had the political clout you imagine, I would agree with you. As it is, I think he only gets a share of the blame.

[librechik]

48. If no public option, I doubt he will get re-elected.

Nor should he.

[SOS]

49. Obama wants a public option, the people want a public option

The corrupt Wall Street lackeys in Congress have been bribed to torpedo the public option.

The public option is the cornerstone of Obama's plan.
Without it, the changes are garbage and should be vetoed.

The whole system will collapse by 2018 anyway, when health spending is expected to reach $4.5 trillion a year.
That's $15,000 per person! $60K for a family of four.
Reform it now or wait for the collapse.

Either way, the end is nigh for the parasites.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

51. No argument here

Whatever Obama's virtues, he is a LOUSY negotiator and shares Clinton's weakness of being conciliatory at the beginning of the process instead of at the end and only if absolutely necessary.

He should have started by insisting on the ideal plan: single payer plus a network of primary care clinics with salaried doctors, paid for by ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and cutting back on foreign military involvements in general.

He first needs to get the Congressional Democrats in line, starting with Pelosi and Reid, doing a little horse-trading if necessary, like LBJ.

Then he needs to get on TV, like Reagan, and ask people to call their Congresscritters if they want single payer health care.

Instead of trying to beg and plead, he needs to take lessons from the two presidents in my lifetime who best succeeded, for good or for ill, in getting their agendas through Congress.

[TomCADem]

78. Wednesday Next Week - Obama Is On TV - ABC - There Ya Go

It is kind of weird to blame President Obama when he has been pretty outspoken in his support for a public option.

[lumberjack_jeff]

54. I agree.

If he signs a bill lacking a useful public option, he has missed an opportunity to actually reform health care.

Will his veto be overridden? Who cares.

[malaise]

60. No the blame will lie with citizens who haven't hit the streets

for the most important struggle in their lives.

[Horse with no Name]

63. Yep. n/t

[steelmania75]

65. Obama should veto any health care bill without a public plan

[wroberts189]

67. And if we get one we can thank him , Dean, and a bunch of others. nt

[yodoobo]

68. sigh..more Obama bashing

The man has only been President for a short time and has 8 years of mess to fix.

At the same time, he has Republicans putting up road blocks at every turn, and Limbaugh stalking him on the Radio.

Lets cut him slack...thats the least that we owe him.

[treestar]

74. Not to mention all those conservative Democratic Senators and

Congressmen!

Not a one of those is ever bashed on DU!

[treestar]

71. congress is a separate branch. It is meant to have separate

powers. It is equal to the Presidency.

It is the intent in the constitution that both branches agree for a law to be passed!

[bamacrat]

79. I agree.

There was a reason we could blame Bush for things he did because he did it his way. Obama seems too preoccupied with appearing bipartisan. Forget bipartisanship, it doesnt work, the people on the right wouldnt agree with Obama if he wanted to replace god wiht ronald regan in the pledge of alliegence.

[tan guera]

80. People are still talking as if we have two parties.

I agree with what Bill Maher said tonight. We have the bat-shit party and the dems, who are the new repugs.

The democratic party is dead, folks. Even most of the new progressives caved and voted for more war.

Time for a new party.

[Dragonfli]

81. Correct that the buck on this stops at his veto power

I will say however that the blame will be a weight on many shoulders. Republicans, Republidems (DLC/blue dog), and any others that stand in the way of needed reform for the sake of corporate greed.

I will not argue with your main point however - he could and should stop faux reform that enriches the greedy (unless they have the numbers to override a veto), if he does not veto such a sham, he will surely be to blame for it's final passage.