Hey, remember when Tom Daschle’s little tax problem forced him to withdraw his nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services, and I said good riddance to spineless corrupt rubbish? Looks like I had something there:
While I feel very strongly that consumers should have the choice of a national, Medicare-like plan, my colleagues do not. . . But we were concerned that the ongoing health reform debate is beginning to show signs of fracture on the public plan issue, so in order to advance the process of developing bipartisan legislation and to move it forward, it’s time to find consensus here.
A Daschle spokeswoman later explained that Daschle is totally for the public option. . . as long as it doesn’t "derail" healthcare reform. Which he must think it does, since he just floated a plan (PDF) that replaces it with optional state-level "insurance exchanges."
Back in February, I pointed out that Daschle received close to $2.5 million from the healthcare industry and its lobbyists over two years, and he’s still on Alston & Bird’s payroll. But despite that glaringly obvious fact, Daschle is treated as a Serious Statesman with A Serious Plan instead of just the latest healthcare industry shill trying to kill off the public option with a half-assed substitute. Even the White House made appreciative and respectful noises about the dream team of Daschle, Bob Dole, and Howard Baker:
"With this report, they have demonstrated what can be achieved with bipartisan effort. The Bipartisan Policy Center has produced a significant report, and the White House applauds their efforts," added [White House Press Secretary Robert] Gibbs.
"Bipartisan" apparently now means Democrats and Republicans working together to do the bidding of the healthcare industry, and the Obama Administration views it as worthy of applause.
Related posts:
- So-Called “Bipartisan” Daschle-Dole-Baker-Mitchell Health Compromise: Exactly What the Insurance Companies Wanted
- Pulling Back the Curtain on Tom Daschle, WH & Industry Front Man
- WTF Does Bipartisan Mean, Anyway?
- Jim Cooper, Avowed Supporter of Public Option, to Move to Stall Progress Toward Healthcare Reform
- Healthcare: Hagan, Bingaman Holding Up Public Plan in HELP Committee
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Eli to the rescue
Yesterday there was a suggestion that pictures of congresscritters be Photoshopped with the logos of the companies that are buying them.
I was wondering about pictures of the congressional chambers with corporate logos on the desk fronts and the walls, like they do at stadiums and around racetracks. It would do for the companies that buy several congresscritters at a time.
stupid me. i was so sure that obamaco was going to come to the “rescue” with some crappy “public plan” that didn’t address adverse selection, underfunding, etc and sell it to us as if it was better than our current effed up system (or even better than single payer).
but never did i suspect they weren’t even going to pretend. once again, i’m just not cynical enough.
There’s a single payer rally on June 25th. Part of it will be a work-stoppage action across the country. Part of it will be calling into representatives offices, and part of it will be in D.C. as a demonstration.
Here’s a link for more information: http://www.1payer.net/
Just sent this little note to the white house.
Why would you take Tom Daschle seriously about the public option issue when he has made 2.5 million dollars from the health care industry in the last two years and is still on the Alston & Bird payroll? When will the American public start to count? Believe it or not, The United States is not supposed to be run by corporations.
“I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country.”
Thomas Jefferson, 1812
They should have to actually wear the corporate logos on their suits, just like the NASCAR drivers.
Daschle is bought. These people have no concept of ethics. None whatsoever.
What amazes me is all the people who lamented Daschle bowing out, like he was healthcare reform’s only hope.
Although, I guess it *is* true that he would have gotten it passed – it just would have sucked worse than no reform at all.
Yeah. Those silly looking red glOOses.
Healthcare-NOW! is Not Mobilizing for June 25th Rally in DC
Years ago, the great journalist in Montana, Chuck Johnson, suggested that all congress critters wear NASCAR jackets with their sponsors. Max would have Shering-Plough, Goldmans Sachs, Blue Cross, etc. Imagine all of them entering the Halls of Congress with those jackets instead of suits….would the visual finally get to the American people?
We don’t need health care reform! We just need the same health care coverage as every member of congress and all federal government employees! We’re paying for their coverage, let’s just expand the coverage to include us.
Good point! So less cancel THEIRS until they reciprocate and make their plan OURS!
With every passing day I am increasingly convinced the only possible win in this situation is if we can stop this congress/senate/president from doing anything at all.
Hey I’ve got a question. Is there ANYONE on OUR side? Wouldn’t it be swell if the media could interview these people?
Frankly I’m sick and tired of everyone working against my best interests ALL THE TIME.
Who is FOR a public option? Who is for Single Payer? It would be nice to have someone we can support not just the people we have to point out are insurance company stooges.
Is it wrong for me to assume that Obama and Daschle MIGHT have discussed healthcare reform around the time the latter was nominated for HHS, including whether or not it should include a public option? I’m pretty confident Daschle has always opposed the concept, at least in private, which leads me to the unsettling conclusion that he and Obama must have been simpatico on the subject.
The Daschle’s, another Village Power Couple who sell out to the highest bidder. They profited from 9/11 in a big way.
Linda is a beautiful, former Miss Kansas and she has now become a powerful corporate prostitute.
Od course, her husband Tom is one the most accomplished village trolls. (The Politico, is of course the website of village trolls everywhere.)
But even more funny, is Melanie Sloan. Melanie was loving her some corporate lobbyists as early as last November. She just gushes over how wonderful Linda is as a corporate lobbyist. I think Melanie has become an Official Villager.
Some things never change, regardless of catchy campaign slogans.
When they finally screw up the hope of decent health care for Americans we need to make sure they don’t pat themselves on the back for it.
I’ve been wondering whether Daschle is freelancing, or if he’s acting as an informal/covert Obama operative. “I’m sorry you can’t be HHS, but here’s something you can do to help…”
I’m beginning to think I need to change my voter registration to a party that’s a bit more honest about its goals. Or just simply one that’s more radical. I’d like to belong to one that values its members at more than 1/20 of a cent (the legal value of a grocery coupon).
Single-payer would of course be ideal, but with the amount of money our congresscritters get from the insurance, pharma, & healthcare industries, we’d probably be fortunate to even get a majority of Democrats to vote for it.
The public option is the only thing that doesn’t turn healthcare “reform” into an undeserved captive-customerbase windfall for the healthcare and insurance industry. Without it, I say we’re better off with no reform at all.
I can totally blogwhore on my own thread.
I think change is almost assured on this heath mandate train wreck.. And the big part of it will be.. We the people are forced by law to purchase private health insurance.
I don’t see any other possible result and I can’t think of anything worse.
I think that AHIP and the crooks and liars in DC got together and decided that mandating health insurance for every American was a good enough “solution” for health care reform and now they are just working out the details. It is a win-win-win after all. The insurance industry wins, the health care providers (AMA, AHA) win and Congress keeps its coffers full/win. IMO, it has never truly been about health care reform.
bernie sanders, who’s single payer bill is s. 703, just put up a petition: A PETITION TO CONGRESS Supporting Single-Payer Health Care
and in the house there are 83 cosponsors for conyer’s hr 676, with 5 more additions in the last few days (thanks to all for the phone calls, etc):
Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16] – 6/9/2009
Rep Hare, Phil [IL-17] – 6/11/2009
Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12] – 6/12/2009
Rep Markey, Edward J. [MA-7] – 6/12/2009
Rep Dicks, Norman D. [WA-6] – 6/15/2009
info on the single payer bills now in congress:
http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/diary/4557
and for public option fans, here is info on stark’s hr 193 (which looks like possibly semi-decent even to this single payer extremist):
http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/diary/5749
Hold the bandwagon, hold the bandwagon… Sam Stein is now covering what you wrote about in February.
Daschle’s Firm And Group Have Ties To Private Health Care Industry
I just wrote that Obama person again.
“There is a big chance that my husband could die in the next year if he doesn’t get health care. He has no health insurance because he had the audacity to get sick. If there is no public option then I will blame President Obama. I don’t see him putting any pressure on any politician to get this done. My heart is broken.”
Fuckery.
Rings true to me.
Although, in fairness, I just reported what Mother Jones reported the NYT reported…
Nobody borrowed it better.:-)
This is what pisses me off the most. There’s stuff that Obama pays lip service to (public option, DADT repeal, Dawn Johnsen nomination), and there’s stuff that he leans on people to vote for (the Iraq/IMF supplemental).
I’m not going to take him at his word on any issue where he doesn’t bother to apply any actual pressure.
Well, yeah. I’ve read that here before. Several times. Like, recently by Christy. Just saying, you’d seem less pompous if you would acknowledge recent history of that concept. *g*
Exactly. Thank you… sorry it didn’t make the FDL front page..)
Obama is a wimp.
I think it’s up to us netrootians to figure out a first defense against passing the “Insurance Company CEO Bailout Plan” and then once congress and Obama pass it over our outrage and objections have a Plan B.
Like burning checks and contracts and the like in front of those major national insurance carriers, with lots of media protesting thusly:
“Why should we pay and enrich these companies for health care that when we need it for our cancer or other serious condition will be denied? This is InsCo CEO Welfare, nothing more, and bad faith to boot. REFUSE TO PAY!”
(Needless to say, the stuff that he leans on people to vote for tends to be much much crappier than the stuff where he says the right thinga and then lets everyone vote however they feel like. But hey, it works so well for Harry Reid…)
Yes. I am afraid this is what is will take. Imagine if we could get a big chunk of people to do that!
I actually don’t think he’s all that wimpy. I think he just doesn’t give a shit about what we give a shit about.
but a decent public plan would get just as much push back from the insurance companies and the republicans (and conservadems). so why not fight for policy that can actually work?
anything that keeps insurance companies in the mix, means that we have to fight them over every bit of regulation — regulation that would be key to having a chance to make a public plan in a multipayer system have a chance of working. you think the insurance company lobbyists aren’t going to be writing that regulation? with this congress? with a republican congress (it can happen)?
the fact of the matter is that the only semi-decent public plan i’m aware of is stark’s bill — which has gotten NO attention from public plan advocates. all we’ve gotten so far is campaign slogans. i call bullshit.
show me a bill, even a tentative one and i’ll reconsider.
Reach across, reach around, whatever. Just so long as everybody is happy… except the people who elected him.
Did you have lunch with Dana Rohrbacher today? He called O a cream puff. Same page?
welcome to the massachusetts model of reform.
news flash! it doesn’t work!
http://www.niemanwatchdog.org/…..isid=00416
They aren’t buying those congressfucktards for nothing! To an outsider, it’s astonishingly plain that not only is this the plan but President Obama is leading the push towards it.
Eli !
I would just like to reiterate my earlier comment – Daschle is a f*cking douchbag !
We need to be saying NO, very loud, right now, to everything currently on the table.
Since true public plans, much less single payer is off the table. (unless i am missing something)
Stop, don’t do anything at all, or start over from scratch.
Even if single-payer can’t pass, I am still in favor of pushing hard for it, because that makes the public option look like a compromise. Which it is.
Believe me, there’s nothing I want more than single-payer, and if there’s the slightest chance that it could pass, I want to see Obama push for it. But I don’t just can’t see it happening. It’s waaaay too radical and populist for the cautious corporate bunch in charge of our government.
Petro!
It actually did take some willpower not to refer to him as “Douschle”.
Because insurance giveaways will never work as health care reform.
Excellent … Tom Douchele !
demi !
cautiousrapacious corporate bunch in charge of our government.There, fixed that for ya. :)
Well, I want him to push for it either way. It’s just that he won’t. Single payer will get no help from Obama.
You musta missed comment @#27, asking a question like that.
Sorry, my 51 was @ Eli, not marymc.
[slinks off to remedial blogging school…]
After the dust has cleared, you will get a public option … whether it is a good one or bad one will depend on how well the Progressive caucus can push this cause.
I’d like to think that Conyers will see single payer on the table but from past experience, Conyers blows a lot of hot air.
And what Daschle is trying to do is push something that looks *just* enough like a public option that the Democrats can pass it and claim victory. Same with the co-op deal.
I am all for single payer, but if it’s not on the table at all… won’t organizing for it at this time just feed the rush to pass something (even mandated privateering), anything, and call it a win?
just wondering what’s the best strategy? If big insurance gains a few million more customers and a trillion dollars a year.. won’t it just be a larger monster in ten or twenty years?
i don’t expect obama to push for it (although it would be fabulous if he did). i think it’s up to us.
No. I didn’t.
silly me. i bought the “mandates bring down costs” line. but you are right, and now we have some empirical evidence to back you up.
btw, i live in MA. so i’m pretty pissed at how the reform has gone here… turns out it cost so much more than expected that they’ve ended up taking a ton of money out of care for the destitute.
I had on a Montana physician from Physicians for a National Health Care Program (pnhp.org) on my radio show. Single payer works. What the Senate will want to pass is worse than nothing. You are right.
This is so screwed up. Where do we get the money for ads?
I want to see a public option that’s scalable enough to handle the volume if *everyone* decides that the private insurance sucks.
But you’re right, the insurance industry is going to come out ahead no matter what.
I have a short post scheduled to go up at my place tomorrow morning, on the two competing views of the healthcare situation:
Progressives: There are 45 million people without health insurance in this country! It’s an outrage!
Insurance Industry: There are 45 million people without health insurance in this country! It’s an outrage!
I wouldn’t call you silly; you are a great advocate and I really appreciate your perspective and the liveblogging and oxdowns you have been doing. Great job at keeping certain activists honest, too.
What about the issue of implementing single payer … how long will it take to do so ?
And thanks for your input and work on this issue !
Selise if you’re still here, could you link to answer(s) to the above ? Many thanks !
I don’t know, but the ad can be very short and cheap. Big crowd saying – “No, Mr. President! That’s not it!”
i love love love pnhp!
one of the co-founders, dr. david himmelstein, is coauthor with elizabeth warren on the recent bankruptcy studies, and was on bill moyers a couple of weeks ago.
thanks
As posted in a similar thread at Digby’s place….
Frankly, it’s time to start doing what the LGBT community is starting to do: De-fund The Democratic Party.
I don’t want to hear any more about PACs and crap that I can donate to, or how one senator or congressman who is reasonable will change this. The only thing these people understand is money, so let’s hit em where they live.
If the progressive community still thinks that they can work the system and fails to realize that the system is only working us, then Americans are going to get bent over a splintered pole and we’re the ones to blame for funding these scumbags in congress.
I for one will not open my pocketbook any longer to and Democratic Party affiliated organization or politician again, until we get the legislation we need. I would encourage others to do the same.
And that goes double for Barack the Cowardly Lion.
This guy is everything wrong with the Dem party. He’s a shill. To think he could have been at HHS. The uproar over his taxes was nothing. The real reason to sink his nomination was he was a corporate toady earning millions to screw us.
Why do I think now that health care reform will make the insurance companies even richer and average Americans even poorer? Are there enough Americans smart enough to see through the junk that will likely come out of Congress?
Great idea! No money for Democrats and trashing Barack Obama. Get ready for President Palin, or Romney. Bet you will feel great then won’t you.
The abject stupidity of some people just astounds me.
Really, so getting everything that the Rethugs would give us, but with the label “democrat” is just dandy by you? Seriously? The abject lap-dog behaviour of some people just astounds me.
Frankly on Civil Rights, the Rule of Law, Health Care, Transparency we have already gotten what a Romney or Palin would give us. I fail to see any substantive difference.
My approach is to only donate to specific Democrats who are actually progressive. However, the counterargument to defunding the Democratic Party is not that they will lose elections, but rather that corporate money will make up a larger percentage of their campaign funds, and they will feel even less beholden to us than they are now.
And if they *do* lose elections, it will be because they’re corporate asshats, not because progressives sat on their checkbooks.
Something I do not understand. Vulture insurance cos. capture $.30 out of every insurance dollar. There are additional costs at doctors offices, hospitals, etc in putting up with insurance co. bs. if this money were applied to insuring the uninsured and avoiding all of the vulture expense were is the extra expense.
oh gosh, i’m not sure… i’ll hunt around for some info (it’s been discussed alot, but i don’t know the details, or have a formed opinion)
If you really think that an Obama administration would be the same as a Gingrich administration — then there is not point in trying to have a dialogue with you.
Do you think President Gingrich would have signed that executive order yesterday extending health care and other benefits to the partners of gay federal workers? Hmmmm? Do you think President Gingrich would have announced the closing of Guantanamo? Hmmmm? Do you think President Gingrich would have appointed Sotomayor to the Supreme Court? Hmmm? Do you think President Gingrich would have outlawed torture? Do you think President Gingrich would have had as reasoned an approach to Iran and North Korea? Hmmm?
Obama has been President for 5 months. Just because he isn’t as far left as you are does not warrant this relentless, disgusting , shortsighted attack from the far-left.
I absolutely and categorically reject the assumption that there is a factual quid-pro-quo between donations and legislative decisions in favor of donors. That is crap.
I really appreciate this, Selise. Being in Canookistan, I don’t know which sources are truthful … I think the cost of implementation will be the lynchpin for pushing single payer.
Wow.
Hey, every night is comedy night at FDL..)
no problem. it’s something i should know more about anyway…. but i’m running out of steam tonight, so it might not be until tomorrow.
Wow is right. Why don’t you answer my questions. President Obama knows that he cannot force legislation down Congresses throats. Even with sixty votes in the Senate. You really think Blue Dogs are going to go single payer? Get real.
When did I say I thought the Blue Dogs would go single payer? I said it would be a miracle if even half the Democrats voted for it. But I still like the idea of pushing for it to make the public option look Reasonable & Moderate.
Thanks, you’re amazing ! Get some rest and recharge, this one will be the toughest fight .
What makes this comedy night is not answering my questions. The willingness to throw Obama under the bus, fracture the Democratic party and threaten Democratic politicians that don’t pull the Code Pink lever in the voting booth will only mean a GOP majority in 2010 and a Gop President in 2012. That would be great right? Losing a woman’s right to choose forever? No climate change initiatives? I could go on for a page.
That is reasonable. But it’s not going to happen and everyone knows it so why waste political capital on that and make Democrats look bad. There will be a public option — but not single payer.
Jack Abramoff? Tom Delay and K-Street Project? Off the Record Club? The Boehner passing out Lobbyist checks in Congress…
There you go quoting facts again, as if they mean anything ! /s
Pushing the far-right envelope never hurt Bush or the Republicans – not until all their policies failed. So why can’t Democrats do the same thing?
They won’t, because they don’t actually *want* to – but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t or shouldn’t.
Except of course, he didn’t really.
Sure, and then just like Obama, he wouldn’t have actually closed it, and just like Obama would have continued to operate the same type of facility at Bagram Air Base.
An appointment that is substantively meaningless given the current balance of the Supreme Court. Obama could have appointed Dennis Kucinich, for all the substantive change it would entail.
Torture is already illegal, so Obama has done no such thing and his proclamation (not a law in any way) can be reversed by him or his successor at will and doesn’t really ban it anyway. So, would Gingrich, like Obama refuse to prosecute the criminals in his midst, all the while retaining the ability to violate the law as he pleases while speaking pretty words? You betch’a
As far as Obama goes, his actions clearly indicate he is not “left” at all, and certainly not progressive in any meaningful sense of the word. Why do you insist that he is?
But, this far more about the Democratic Party machine as a whole, and their capitulation to corporate interests, rather than Obama’s sleight of hand on just about every campaign promise, which is a side-show where the issue off effective action to achieve progressive goals is concerned.
I admit it, it makes me angry to see Liberals, Progressives, Democrats, call yourselves what you will, bail on this President after 5 months. He does not have a filibuster proof majority, he was handed the worse mess any President has ever been handed, he has to deal with lunatic right-wing reactionaries and he just got started. Yet, if you read the blogs here, you would think Barack Obama was Dick Cheney incarnate!
I think the alternative to a Democratic majority and second Obama term are so much worse it’s unimaginable. I cannot believe that people do not see this and are blind to how important loyalty and unity are. Even if you don’t get all you want.
Oh where to start with your whirling centrist dervish routine? Quit changing the subjects so quickly..and rejecting factual criticism of your holier than thou President who can do no wrong.. Along with paralyzing fear of all things right of Obama.. you should be happy, but it’s clear you are not.
Why are you here?
I am talking about Democrats and Daschle in particular. Theer is no public financing of elections as there should be so everyone takes money. To assume that means they are beholden to the donors is I believe just not true. Some politicians actually have a moral center.
Concern troll in our midst.
Good question and I will answer. I am here because I resent what is said here. I am here hoping that I will make one person reconsider. I am here because keeping Democratic control of Congress and the Presidency is important to me and my family. It’s important to me that we have Liberal Supreme Court Justices etc.
I am here because I think the attacks on Obama after five months by the left is utterly misguided and it makes me angry. That’s why.
And I never said Obama was perfect. He is far, far better than the alternative. I have a news bulletin for you. Dennis Kucinich is never going to be President. You will never ever ever get someone as far to the left as Barack Obama.
The problem is not that Obama hasn’t done enough, the problem is the priorities and policies that Obama has signaled that he’s willing to fight for.
His economic approach is pro-corporate, his social approach is lip-service-only to gay rights, his governance approach is to continue the Bush administration’s lack of transparency and accountability, and his foreign policy shows no urgency to close Gitmo or leave Iraq (why omit a withdrawal timeline from the supplemental when he knew it would make it harder for progressive Dems to vote for?).
Sure, he’s a hell of a lot better than Bush or McCain, but that’s not enough.
Honest disagreement because I care about this country does not make me a troll. But you saying so does reflect poorly on you. No tolerance for opposing ideas?
Have I mentioned the chemical industry lobbyists? They cannot find any scientists to endorse Bis Phenols. So the well paid lobbyists are trying to find a pregnant woman to testify the BPA’s are safer than milk.
Very, very few. And they’re generally the ones who *don’t* rake in tons of corporate cash.
Thank you for sticking to issues and not calling me a troll. I appreciate that. Let me start with your comment on gay rights. Why do you say after five months it is lip service? Clinton found out with DADT and Health Care that moving too fast and too hard is no way to win. I believe that Barack Obama does support comprehensive gay rights initiatives and what he did yesterday was a great first step. It has been five months and the world is coming apart — give the guy some time!
Sorry you waited so long.. some of us were attacking Obama long before election day.
Good luck recruiting around here.. I hope you keep a running tally of your success and share the results with us.
LOL … ES !
I don’t expect anyone to admit it – why would anyone want to subject themselves to the vulgarity that has been thrown my way. I do believe though it will give reasonable people pause.
North Korea is getting ready to fire a long range missile towards Hawaii next month — I don’t think this is the time to batter Barack Obama.
I suppose it’s possible, but I suspect that at best the LGBT community is going to be put off indefinitely with a line very much like that. “Gay rights are very important to this administration, but there are more pressing matters that we must resolve first.”
I hope to be proven wrong, but the DOJ’s insulting pro-DOMA brief was not an encouraging sign. I’m okay with the idea that DOJ has to defend even shitty laws, but comparing gay marriage to incest and child brides is beyond the pale.
I thought we were battering that stealth neo-con Tom Daschle, and his new world order corporate wife.
I agree with you on the DOJ action — can’t fathom why. I do think that over time Obama will prove to be the biggest friend the LGBT community ahs ever had in the White House. Perfect no. But what is? Who else has a shot at winning the Presidency that would do better? I am all about pragmatism and realizing that the good we will all get when it is all said and done from an Obama administration — is exponentially a hundred times better than what we would get from a GOP President – take your pick.
Obama needs to say forcefully and without doubt “I want a bill with a public option, or I will veto it.”, and stick to it.
This is getting to be a mess. Either the president starts carrying a bit of stick about (a British expression), or he says “screw the public option”.
During the campaign Obama said make me do it. He understands the dynamics. If the dems are all saying public option and the rethugs are saying status quo what is the compromise. If the left is saying single payer and the right is saying status quo ya think public option might be a compromise.
Think – it aint illegal yet.
Exactly. That was something Bush was very good at, and it worked very well for him. To the point where he would actually accuse the Democrats of obstructionism for passing bills he promised to veto (i.e., the timeline supplemental).
“GREEN BAY, Wis. — President Barack Obama, taking his case for a health care overhaul directly to the American people, on Thursday vigorously defended his call for a government-sponsored health plan to compete with private insurers”.
That is as plain as can be!
The fault in that logic is that any mention of single payer will and already has been met with absolute no’s from many moderate and conservative Democrats. Obama and Rahm know what the deal is, they talk to Pelosi and Reid daily, they understand what’s going on and how to get things done.
But it does leave unanswered the question of what he will do if Congress sends him a bill *without* a public option.
What worries me is his desire to sacrifice the good in seeking the perfect. The question becomes what is the good.
And how many rethugs does it take to get Reid shittin in his pants?
I think the health care debate initiative is just getting started. There is plenty of time for Obama to threaten a veto, etc. Timing is everything and I think it’s too early to do that. Emanuel, Pelosi, Kennedy, they are savvy. They are aware of all of this.
There is very liberal legislation with a public option being drafted by Kennedy’s HELP Committee. There is also very liberal legislation with a public option being driven through the House of Representatives by Pelosi.
Give it time.
The Senate worries me. The House will be okay because it’s Nancy’s baby and they don’t have the filibuster. But Harry Reid is incompetent and weak, and thus much more likely to water down Kennedy’s bill than to play any kind of hardball (i.e., forcing it through via the filibuster-proof reconciliation process).
It’s not going to be Reid’s choice. I assure you that Rahm and Obama will get Reid to do exactly what they want him to.
ah, a troll, run out of ew’s place by freep.
You really think they can hit anything that far away? They haven’t succeeded at any of their other missile projects.
Trillion to protect the oil interests is America, via WAR Billion to protect the banks and scammers who have raped America of vast quantities Liberty. We as American have, public schools, public libraries, public transportation. But no public single payer public plan for Americans???
Tom Daaschle. You are a piece of “”Fucking Shit.”" Protect corporations and their way of stealing from Americans and extracting Life itself from the citizens of America. Again TOm D. Unequivocally FUCK YOU!!!
The compromise will be mandated healthcare> A corporations wet dream.
The United State Congress is not representing nor protecting Americans. They are protecting corporations and will deliver to the same corporation Americans bound in corporate servitude. What we fail to understand is that both government and business interest have aligned to rape America.
Slavery, Corporate Servitude or Liberty……
I am not a troll I am a Democrat that doesn’t happen to be extreme as you are. What’s wrong — can’t handle another’s opinion?
Who said anything about hitting Hawaii? Is it ok with you that a nuclear power run my a certifiable madman fires a missile towards the United States? Surely you are kidding.