Obama sold us down the river on health care today

[Generator]

IF we get a public option it will be due to the real leadership in the House and have nothing to do with the president.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hITfom2rwHxvzXH9fMrN4pOUGrqQD9BDJFEG1

Senior adviser Valerie Jarrett said Obama believes the public plan is still the "best possible choice," but she said he's not demanding it. David Axelrod, Obama's top adviser, said Senate opposition in both parties means "we have to work through these issues."

White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, who is deeply involved with congressional Democrats in trying to merge the various committee proposals, also appeared to set aside the public option.

"It's not the defining piece of health care. It's whether we achieve both cost control, coverage, as well as the choice," Emanuel said.

What choice is that? Nice way to talk out of both sides of your mouth at once, Rahm.

Imagine the power if Obama actually stood with progressives. Instead the only thing he ever "demands" is that we take a seat at the back of the bus.

[Pab Sungenis]

1. Sorry again to say, but I TOLD YOU SO.

We needed to kill the Baucus Bill in committee. Now it's too late and the situation will probably get worse.

[Generator]

4. Oh I am not surprised

But how anyone can continue to defend Obama on this when he could have shown leadership is beyond me. Again, if we get a public option it's not something that matters all that much to him. It shows his true colors-the most important thing is to get a W in the win column. Who cares what the win consist of?

[Cleita]

25. Yep, just exactly like you and I told them that to not demand single payer would

eventually lead to us not having a public option either. That's how they play the game and the uninformed played right into their hands. There is still time to write letters, emails and faxes, not to mention telephone calls. This time we need to jam Rahm Emmanuels office with them. He needs to be reminded about that the responsibility for those 45,000 people a year who die because they don't have access to health care will rest squarely on his his shoulders. Let's hope that unlike the health insurance executives, he still has a conscience. He needs to be told that one sixth of the economy is not going to be in shambles. It's a myth. You and I know that the insurance industry isn't going to die. They will find new ways of selling insurance to the gullible for coverage that they don't need. But I suspect they know that. The truth is that they are worried about those fat campaign contributions that will dry up.

[Name removed]

100. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AllentownJake]

2. President Obama will never put himself out there to be defeated

Everything must be put in the context of a success. If there was support for a Public Option in the Senate he'd be for a Public Option.

[Generator]

8. Yes, indeed it's all about Obama's political Carreer

Has nothing to do with people that need health care at all. Support for a public option by the people-well they do support it. Especially his base. One wonders why we are his "base" when he seems to represent something else than them. I know he doesn't have the votes! Wha. Maybe a real leader manages to get the votes.

[Frank Booth]

11. You've got to remember that we're not his base.

His base is Goldman-Sachs. Evidently, they don't care about a public option.

[tsuki]

95. His chief of staff is Rahm Emmanuel. All things are filtered through

Pres. Emmanuel. We are the loony left.

Now, go out there Barack and make a speech.

[peacebird]

3. If there is no good solid HONEST public option then this health "reform" will be nothing

NOTHING but a huge "gimme" to the insurance industry. Without the reform that a true public option can bring to the industry - this "reform" will only push the problem down the road. Even the CBO has come out and stated that the only way to bring down costs of insurance and health care is with a public option...

If they settle for less then it is an empty "victory" indeed.

[G_j]

5. choice

without a public option?


does not compute...

[MarjorieG]

6. Still not sure this isn't to move along at least resistance, when Rockefeller reassures that Obama's

is an inside game. Less of a target than he already is on socialist nonsense. If we find too many delays in relief, etc, after reforms through, we always have ability to lower Medicare age on the budget-since the GOP have a new found defense of Medicare.

[glitch]

42. That would be better than any of the proposals anyway.

Especially if we lower it to prenatal.

[EndElectoral]

7. Damn, I've got to vote for an actual Progressive next election Very disheartening.

[Frank Booth]

9. Obama's too weak-willed to take a stand on anything.

He's afraid of offending anyone (except the supposed base of his party, of course).

[FLAprogressive]

12. He gets away with it because the "base" is still stuck on their idea of Obama.

[placton]

53. shhhh - the unreccers will hear you! n/t

[quiet.american]

88. That's horse hockey. nt

[patrice]

10. COST CONTROL, coverage, choice. A public option that succeeds solely

by slashing ins co jobs, will still be limited, limiting coverage and probably NOT able to create the financial opportunities for covering complementary and preventative services that many of us are REALLY hoping for. If there is to be REAL choice, i.e. public & private, we have to get ins co to the table too; THAT means creating significant cost controls that lure/allow them to ante-up with their own cost controls.

Cost Controls are the KEY to the formula.

[FreakinDJ]

13. This will be squashed as it was last time

Complete reversal by Monday evening News Cycle

CNN analyst for 7 days following

just like last time

[backscatter712]

21. That's what I'm thinking.

It keeps going back and forth.

Which is why we must keep pushing

Don't pay attention to the whiners.

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

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[Parker CA]

32. Cheering on the hope for failure when nothing has been decided yet. Agree, disgusting.

[Bonn1997]

50. I'm personally giving Obama the benefit of the doubt UNTIL he proves me wrong. So now I'll give...

slight approval of the job he's doing (even though I personally believe he should have led much more strongly). If we get a bill without a strong public option or if we get no bill by the end of this calendar year (4 months after Obama's initial deadline), then my support will be over.

The problem is, though, that once I see how wacko the 2012 Republican candidate is, I'm sure I'd still vote for Obama even if he highly disappoints me over the next 3+ years. I'm sure he realizes this too. Hopefully it will not come to that and Obama will be a President we here can be proud of. I haven't rule that possibility out by any means.

[Name removed]

54. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[placton]

55. sooooo sorrry

we just need to shut up and let you smart folks comment, is that it? Obama uber alles? Not for me.

[tridim]

35. Same thing has happened at least once a week for the last 3 months.

And the Chicken Littles have a nice "told you so" moment only to be disappointed a few days later. It's the definition of insanity BTW.

Rinse, lather, repeat. Again and again and again and again...

[FreakinDJ]

49. AP's Dis-information artist never used to sign their work

it used to always be "AP Staff Writer" until I started complaining to AP by email.

Now at least the Hacks are being required to sign their work so they can earn the reputation of most "un-Reliable Source"

[merh]

14. I read this to be the administration defining the purpose of the

legislation.

The right tries to define HCR as a means to socialized medicine and they focus on the public option as proof of that. The WH is defining the legislation to be about "cost control, coverage, as well as the choice" taking the focus from public option which has been painted by the right as evidence of the socialistic purpose.

The statements do not mean that the WH no longer wants a public option, they just don't want HCR to be defined by the public option definition put forth by the right.

The entire problem with this debate, with the legislation, is that it has been improperly labeled.

This issue is not about health care reform - it is about health insurance reform.

The administration and congress would have been better off had they tackled the problem as insurance reform and passed legislation that reformed all insurance (to regulate the insurance corporations and to subject them to anti-trust laws). Most every citizen in the USofA has been screwed by their insurance companies at one point or another.

There are plenty of blue dogs and republicans in congress that would be on board if the proposed legislation involved all insurance.

Of course, this is just my opinion.

[Me.]

15. Very Disappointing Performance By Ms. Jarrett

Especially as we've been told they are very close and she has his ear.

[Generator]

20. Exactly, either she or Obama has some explaiining to do

He said this. But did he really mean it?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/07/obama-demands-the-bill-i-sign-must-include-public-option.php

ny plan I sign must include an insurance exchange: a one-stop shopping marketplace where you can compare the benefits, cost and track records of a variety of plans - including a public option to increase competition and keep insurance companies honest - and choose what's best for your family.

So as much as he wants to play it both ways-he's on record. Of course that was back in July-maybe he's changed his mind. It would nice if he told us.

[HughMoran]

16. You can't have cost control without a public option

Obama said it himself - what the fuck are his aids talking about?

[patrice]

34. RIGHT and you can't have a VIABLE PO without appropriate Cost Controls and

ins co has an inherent role to play in what's cut and how much.

[eridani]

105. You don't have cost control even with it--not with only 5% of the population enrolled

The original version of public option involved half the population. That would DEFINITELY have helped with cost control.

[mvd]

17. Well, I don't know about Rahm. But..

the President is supposedly fighting behind the scenes. I've learned to not take all the quotes from advisers as policy.

I'll make up my mind when the final bill is made.

[debbierlus]

18. Obama has been horrible on health care reform. His speech was atrocious

If you remember, his 'public option' was one that covered about 5% of the population...

The rest of his plan was mandates for the insurance companies and huge subsidies to the leeches.

His backroom meetings with big pharm basically allow them to keep running pharmaceuticals as a mafia scheme.

Why would anybody be surprised?

[Name removed]

38. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mvd]

47. I strongly want single payer. If we don't get the compromise..

public option, then I'll consider it a big Party letdown - that includes the President, but also Congress and Party activism.

I consider myself, using an example that includes singers/actors/politicians, a Sean Penn/Kay Hanley/Dennis Kucinich type mixed with some of Obama's pragmatism. I think it's the best way to make progress.

[patrice]

19. The point is not to create a public option just tocreate a public option, but to create one that CAN

do the things we want it to do: expand coverage, expand services, and compete with ins co. Without ESSENCE - tial cost controls, a public option is nothing but a shot in the dark and what cost controls are possible depends upon what's in ins co's hand. Think poker.

[Jamastiene]

22. There is plenty of room left under the bus.

We thought during the primaries that the space under the bus would run out, but it never did. I think President Obama has big monster truck wheels on his bus, because more and more of us are able to fit under here. Pretty soon, the entire Democratic Party will be under here and the Republicans will all be so happy. :( *sigh*

[patrice]

23. I take the man at his word. And from the looks of this thread, hoping he fails isn't limited

to the followers of the Simian One.

[GrantDem]

24. "Nice way to talk out of both sides of your mouth at once, Rahm."

Has he ever done anything but???

[stray cat]

26. It would be stupid of any president to demand something the dems won't give him

[Generator]

29. And how many Democrats is that?

Four? How many of us own party that he can't convince? There are a hell of a lot more Democrats in the House than in the Senate and they outnumber the anti-public crowd by a hell of a lot.But apparently Olympia Snow not a Democrat or Max Bauccus or Conrad or some other "Democrat" really runs this country.

Certainly the president has no influence in his own party. That's crazy talk.

[Generator]

30. And how many Democrats is that?

Four? How many of us own party that he can't convince? There are a hell of a lot more Democrats in the House than in the Senate and they outnumber the anti-public crowd by a hell of a lot.But apparently Olympia Snow not a Democrat or Max Bauccus or Conrad or some other "Democrat" really runs this country.

Certainly the president has no influence in his own party. That's crazy talk.

[Karmadillo]

27. He's only been in office eight months.

Think how effectively he'll be able to sell us down the river on other issues once he gets some experience.

[patrice]

31. You all need to think this thing out a little more. At this point, COST CONTROLS are the key.

How do you get cost controls? Just start saying something like, "We're cutting this, and this, and that"? and, then, what happens? Ins Co says, "We're enhancing coverage of this, and this, and that." What happens to your Public Option then?

It CAN'T compete.

No matter how cheap you make it, if it doesn't do what people want done, they'll go elsewhere, especially if elsewhere isn't that far off the $$$$.

When a cannibal facing starvation is holding a gun on you, do you unilaterally disarm?

Get a clue, you all.

[Doremus]

109. In what parallel universe do you reside? (nodding to Barney Franks)

A TRUE public option, aka Medicare, can not only survive and compete, it can beat the shit out of private insurance.

A little hint for you: private jets and shareholder dividends are verrrrrry expensive.

[glitch]

33. It starting to look like he really doesn't want that kind of power. Probably thinks it's too risky.

Or maybe his heart was never in it.

"Imagine the power if Obama actually stood with progressives."

[patrice]

36. SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY!!!

[waiting for hope]

101. A little "courage" .... that's all it would take.

Humm, who else said that?

[asdjrocky]

37. The argument has always been about money.

Our President said, "If you like your insurance, you'll be able to keep it." To his credit, he has never said, "If you're one of the 45,000 slated to die in the next year, we will save you."

No one says that.

No one ever talked about anything else. It's about an imaginary cost control, for an imaginary middle class. No one has talked about covering everyone as the main objective. It makes me sick.

But then, I guess it's making a lot of people sick.

Single payer doesn't get a seat a the table. Public option is "not a defining piece of health care."

If it's not clear to you by now, then you'll never get it.

[glitch]

39. Sadly, well said. nt

[Name removed]

40. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[asdjrocky]

41. Have a nice day.

[glitch]

43. That took forever! nt

[cliffordu]

44. AGAIN?????

He just sold us out the other day, din't he????

[tridim]

48. At last count he has sold us out 34% more than Bush!!!!11

Stay tuned, he'll "sell us out" again in about 6-7 days, and all the usual players will be here on DU with their statements of disgust and concern. After that, it will happen again.

After we get the PO, some other issue will replace it and the whole cycle will start again.

[cliffordu]

56. Yep.

[Freddie Stubbs]

45. This has been Obama's position for some time now

Nothing changed today.

[juajen]

98. I love Rodrigue and his blue dogs, but are you saying something

political?

[nightrain]

46. more grim-ness from Rahm. :(((

[opihimoimoi]

51. With them asshole REPUBLICANS DOING THEIR NO THING How in World is Obama at fault? This is BS CRAP

Fuck it all up by saying NO to everything and get to blame Obama??? Is that it??

Asshole Republicans gonna pay with lost votes by taking this Loser Strat...acting like Bullies who lost the election and now reduced to licking their wounds and plotting bad shit...poor losers they are

They went and made Bushies their Hero...not us...

[Matariki]

52. But I bet we're getting the MANDATE.

Fuckers.

[Generator]

59. I understand the rationale

of it-everyone pays so costs are lower for everyone. IF that was what it was going to bring about. And of course most of us feel mandated anyway-we buy WHATEVER plan our employer gives us at whatever cost because we don't want to go bankrupt. (ours just went up to $755 a month - for the family) Yeah, I'm lucky we can afford that.

But I think that it will be political suicide for the dems to fine anyone for not getting health care. They will never ever stop talking about it if that goes into affect. It's easy to understand- A FINE. Bad, bad idea. A better idea would be to charge more if you opted out of health care and then signed up later. Thus giving incentive to sign up immediately.

[Matariki]

108. That worked so well when auto insurance was mandated.

Don't get me wrong, if you drive a car you should have insurance because of the liability to other people's health and property - but rates went up, not down.

I'm very concerned that the penalty for not having insurance will be handled by the IRS. That means that people who can't afford the fine will have property and bank accounts seized, wages garnished, and possibly face jail time.

You have to wonder what our legislators are thinking - if someone can't afford insurance, they can't afford a fine either. They seem to live in some sort of idyllic wonderland where everyone has money and consequently believe that if someone doesn't buy insurance it's out of arrogance, not financial lack.

[lovuian]

57. Obama's actions speak louder than words

He caved

[jeffbr]

58. This is fucking bullshit

Very disappointing. AGAIN!

[tridim]

61. You're correct, the OP is fucking bullshit.

Same fucking bullshit we see at least once a week on DU.

Same fucking bullshit that will be debunked by tomorrow afternoon.

Same fucking bullshit.

[Fire1]

70. And they fall for it every time. n/t

[PopSixSquish]

60. Sometimes President Obama Thinks More like a Legislator Rather Than a President.

But the WH has been very careful to not get into an "it's this or nothing" situation. That was a big mistake the last time around with President Clinton's attempts to reform HC.

Speaker Pelosi and Senators Kerry, Rockefeller and Schumer have led on this issue as they should. Four of the five bills have the PO...

[ecstatic]

62. I think the insurance companies should have competition

in the form of a public option. I don't think a public option will be the heavenly thing all of us are expecting though. Many of the better doctors/surgeons won't even accept the public option (just like they don't accept Medicare / Medicaid). It took me a while to see it, but the only way for everyone to have access to the best healthcare would be single payer. In the meantime, public option or not, I will be happy if the following are addressed: 1) Costs, 2) Discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions, 3) Insurance companies who just outright deny claims for life saving treatments

[Orsino]

63. Imagine that. Congress' actions are actually Congress' responsibility.

Let me suggest another picture: if Congress fails to keep a public option alive, it will also be our fault, for mustering in insufficient numbers.

[Neecy]

66. That's total crap

Many, many people have phoned or written their Senators and Representatives. Support for the public option is over 60% in almost every area of the country. What more are we supposed to do? This is money talking in a highly corrupted system. They really don't give two shits what we think and they prove it constantly.

[Orsino]

68. That is not quite sufficient as an excuse.

Our "representatives" have hardly been overwhelmed by feedback from We The People. Their office staff have so far been able to keep the bosses from being inconvenienced.

Acknowledging the nearly complete corruption of the system doesn't give us a pass. Too many of us are too apathetic, or too ignorant, to push for the right action.

[Ardent15]

64. DLC has far too much control. nt

[gateley]

65. I'm hopeful that they're saying this publicy, but are loaded for

bear privately.

IF it comes down to us not getting what we need (and what we want!) THEN I'll be really pissed.

It's just that I've gotten mad at Obama before for what "they" were saying about his approach on this or that, only to find out we (or the press or both) had misinterpreted the point.

I'm CAUTIOUSLY hopeful.

[Bonobo]

67. Unrec.

Why? Because nothing is clear at this point.

For that reason and that reason alone, your OP is stupid and pathetic.

It is SUCH an over-the-top statement, and entirely without substance or credibility at this point because things are still so up in the air,

[rhett o rick]

72. I agree. See 71 below. nt

[Thickasabrick]

69. Rahm is the reason McAuliffe has been saying there probably won't

be a public option. He's trying to get the party ready for the big disappointment coming.

[rhett o rick]

71. I agree with Bonobo above. Pres Obama mite well hurt the chances of a good bill if he

would align with progressives. He may be holding back forcing the HOR to lead. Then it would be harder for the hate mongers to fight the bill.

Posts like this are inflammatory and divisive.

[Generator]

75. You just stated

it hurts Obama to align with progressives. If true, what a tremendously sad thing. It of course is never true for the other side, they don't walk away from their base and embrace Dems as the answer.

And what you say makes no sense-it's not factual. The House has been leading. The hate mongers that Obama needs to negate are in the Senate. He appears to be willing to throw out the house progressives for the most conservative in the party and for the precious Snowe vote.

So if Obama and a majority of the Dems in the House and in the public want a public option (and it's even what Obama wants!) but Obama sides with them he suddenly has NO power? How weak of a leader is he? He is playing to the weakest-the Republicans. I thought we had some power but you are telling me it's still 2006. Or maybe it's 1995. Whatever. Let's move forward and be Democrats. Apparently you and Obama think it's something to hide if you are progressive. Apparently it's just better to be more Republican.

[rhett o rick]

89. Apparently I did a terrible job of making my case.

Approx 85% of the American public want a public option. Only about 60% favor Pres Obama. So if the president came out strongly in favor of the PO, it might lose some of it's public support. Seems to me like he is telling the HOR that he will support what ever the public wants as reflected thru the HOR. He is challenging the HOR to give him a bill that reflects what the public wants.

I think it is a little early to start bad mouthing him.

[rucky]

85. Are we getting a good bill out of this?

[rhett o rick]

91. I believe the HOR and the President are on board. I don't think the Senate is. It will be close. nt

[debbierlus]

73. The public option was a small and pathetic gesture to stave off the single payer movement

[TheWebHead]

74. well I thought that was already established w/ the elevation of Snowe

If you talk her up as much as Obama did, they have to have her vote and they'll give her what she wants. Being that I'm one of the very few on DU not in favor of a public option for both political and fiscal reasons, I don't have a problem with that.

[earth mom]

76. Rahm told us all to shut up didn't he? Which given his position, could have come from Obama himself

Sold us down the river is EXACTLY right. :grr:

[AntiFascist]

77. But what about Balloon Boy?....

never mind that young children die every week because their families can't afford healthcare.

[ProSense]

78. Actually, Jarrett made some great

points.

[ipaint]

79. He sold us down the river when he met with Tauzin this past summer

"Looking back at Obama’s campaign health care plan, it is shocking how many promises he broke without a fight. Obama promised:

A new national health exchange open to all Americans

A new public plan available to all Americans to compete with private insurance

An employer mandate to provide health insurance

A minimum medical loss ratio for insurance companies

To allow people to import cheaper drugs from Canada or Europe

To repeal the ban that prevents the government from directly negotiating with drug companies

Note none of these promise are part of the Senate Finance Committee bill. Obama has made no effort to fight for the inclusion of some of these (public option, employer mandate, minimum medical loss ratio) and months ago even made secret deals vowing to actively work to kill drug re-importation and direct drug price negotiation.

During the election Obama actively campaigned against two policies. One was the individual mandate favored by Hillary Clinton (and the health insurance industry) and the other was a tax on employer-provided health insurance which was also supported by John McCain. These two issues are now part of the Baucus bill. Since taking office, Obama has spent dramatically more time and political capital fighting hard to include these two provisions that he opposed than he has spent trying to include top progressive/labor union priorities that he supported, like the public option.

And in a double whammy, during a series of secret back room deals (breaking his promise for complete and open transparency) he has promised different industries he will actively oppose the very ideas he once claimed to champion, drug re-importation, and direct drug price negotiation."

http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/10/18/white-house-official-bad-mouths-labor-leader-for-expecting-obama-to-keep-his-promises/

[Laelth]

80. +1 Sad but true. Let us never ignore the ugly truth.

Even about one of our own.

:dem:

-Laelth

[SmileyRose]

81. Speak for yourself - you have no ability to speak for me or anyone else.

He's not selling me down the river. I expected him to come out fighting to the whole shebang and then settle for what he can get. It's what politicians do. The brunt of this bill is going to involve saving Medicare itself from bankruptcy and giving those in America who pay for medical insurance a better chance at actually getting access to medical care when they need it. I see this as a good start and something there's no chance in hell we'd get from McGrandpa.

If you honestly thought after 2 decades of fucking over the bottom 95% the rich and powerful were just going to lay down and give up all their medical care profits you are stark raving nuts. They'll murder every politician in Washington before they let that happen.

There was a lot of bitching around here when Nancy Pelosi took over claiming she threw us all under the bus and was totally ineffective because she didn't twist enough arms to get something or another passed. Despite the fact she got working people their first raise in 15 years and got various other legislation through that made life just a little easier for millions of American in the bottom 10%.

I have no idea what some of you expect, and maybe you think I'm wrong to be grateful for what has already been accomplished, but quite honestly, while I appreciate the idealists amongst us who dream of bigger things and are not happy with the realities, I think a few on DU either are just not in touch with the realities of what has happened to people over the last 20-30 years or else they are netvocates posting bullshit.

[patrice]

83. Ding! Ding! Ding! The Answer, Right here. People who tell you what you think are FASCISTS.

Anyone who falls for STUPID self-fulfilling mind-fuck is too stupid to breed.

People who tell you what you think and feel are oppressors.

...................................

Thanks SmileyRose!

:hi:

[Generator]

107. Sorry but when the legislation that comes out of the Senate

is quoted by many as a "Gift to the insurance industry" and the "worst piece of health care legislation in 30 years" and Obama spends a week promoting that on t.v. but then when that piece of shit legislation can't come up with even a weak watered down public option and the president contradicts his own words-some call that lying-or I know he CHANGED HIS MIND-great he changed his mind on the one thing that I have heard everyone say is the only thing that will keep health care cost down-I am to RESPECT that? What kind of leader is that? I don't expect miracles. But I expected a real progressive leader.
If his excuse is that Bush was president for eight years and now he can't do anything, well I'm glad you found an excuse.


But wait-the president can't do anything or they will murder him. Well you got me there. His hands are tied. Who can argue with that?

Also-this is another damn time someone said this was bullshit. What is bullshit is Obama caving. Not people like me daring to say so. Your view is I should shut up and take it.

[mariawr]

82. Here you all go again...

..getting all het up about how The Prez goes about his business. It's like a LT investment.
The incremental changes will drive you batty.
It will all work out.

[EFerrari]

84. He says something like this about once a week. n/t

[merh]

87. and then there are like 4 threads started because he said something

sometimes coming to DU is like being a character in Ground Hog Day :crazy:

[EFerrari]

94. LOL. Yup.

:hi:

[Generator]

106. Yes well, he is in direct contradiction

with his own quote out of his own lips from the July radio address that he WOULD demand a public option. (it's posted a couple times on this thread) Now his mouthpieces say he won't. I actually thought that was news. Yeah, maybe he said it last week too-sorry I missed that. I kinda think NOW is crunch time on the health care and the public option. And our president is only lukewarmly in our corner. I feel like we are back in 2006-the only ones really on our side are a few brave honest souls in the House. I can't believe we don't have an advocate in the White House.

And as all these other posts say-they are waiting for the final bill-well yes of course-but the POINT is if we have the public option it won't be because of Obama. It will be because of those in the House that didn't back down and give in like he did.

[rucky]

86. If I were the President, I wouldn't stick my neck out, politically...

for something that's being decided by THIS Congress, either. They stink - and it's smart for Obama to distance himself from these buffoons. They're already corrupted. The White House can not sway these votes through public pressure.

[dysfunctional press]

90. nbc nightly news had a VERY discouraging piece-

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/#33370276

"...top presidential aides signaled that in the end, it may be the the left that loses this battle...rank and file democrats will see there's too much at stake, and ultimately go along with the president."

:grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

[L0oniX]

92. This is why it was always about single payer health care ...because anything else will be bull shit.

[mzmolly]

93. I'm sorry but is reconciliation over?

I think the Prez just wants to get a vote to the floor. We've talked about that for a while now...

[johnaries]

96. Here we go again.

:eyes:

[alarimer]

97. I could have told you this last summer

when everyone was all a-flutter over Obama, I knew he was nothing special, just another corporate sellout who says the right things to get elected and, then, reneges immediately. Of course almost every single politician is like that, so it wasn't like I was going out on a limb.

[Name removed]

99. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[eridani]

102. Cost control? There IS no fucking cost control anywhere--except

--in the area of fucking over average people by giving them less for more.

[Javaman]

103. huh, call me crazy, but until there is a final bill, I don't believe anything. nt

[Hepburn]

104. No public option? No support from me of any nature for Obama next election.

He NEEDS to hear from the progressives who put him where he is. If he does NOT see to it that there is a public option ~~ he is not getting one red cent, one hour of campaigning from me.