Comments on: Early Morning Swim http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/ Firedoglake weblog Fri, 17 Feb 2012 07:21:56 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Indie http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/#comment-1958322 Indie Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:28:05 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/#comment-1958322 <p>The public option has never been seriously considered by Obama. He made a politically calculated move to align himself more with progressives in order to get nominated. Now that he is in the WH he is doing what any good machine pol would do…strike backroom ‘pay for play’ deals with big business(TARP II, Big Pharma), pay off political supporters (see ’stimulus’ bill) and offer them protection(GM takeover to protect unions). He is looking to consolidate power for himself and his cronies.</p> <p>I have no doubt that he shares far left views of this country, but his pragmatism and talent lie in exploiting or abandoning those views for personal gain. He is a political opportunist par excellance. </p> <p>Bill Clinton, another narcissist, recognizes this when he noted that once Dems pass something, Obama’s approval ratings will rise.</p> The public option has never been seriously considered by Obama. He made a politically calculated move to align himself more with progressives in order to get nominated. Now that he is in the WH he is doing what any good machine pol would do…strike backroom ‘pay for play’ deals with big business(TARP II, Big Pharma), pay off political supporters (see ’stimulus’ bill) and offer them protection(GM takeover to protect unions). He is looking to consolidate power for himself and his cronies.

I have no doubt that he shares far left views of this country, but his pragmatism and talent lie in exploiting or abandoning those views for personal gain. He is a political opportunist par excellance.

Bill Clinton, another narcissist, recognizes this when he noted that once Dems pass something, Obama’s approval ratings will rise.

]]> By: Marion in Savannah http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/#comment-1958321 Marion in Savannah Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:27:27 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/#comment-1958321 <p>I actually watched Press the Meat yesterday, and I found their rundown to be spot on. A hell of a lot funnier than the show itself, but spot on to what went on.</p> I actually watched Press the Meat yesterday, and I found their rundown to be spot on. A hell of a lot funnier than the show itself, but spot on to what went on.

]]> By: msmolly http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/#comment-1958320 msmolly Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:22:36 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/#comment-1958320 <p>Hysterical, Marion! And unfortunately only partly satire.</p> Hysterical, Marion! And unfortunately only partly satire.

]]> By: Marion in Savannah http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/#comment-1958319 Marion in Savannah Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:18:55 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/#comment-1958319 <p>Deep down in EPU land, but this seems to fit here. <a href="http://moonshinepatriot.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Here is probably the best rundown of the Sunday morning shows I’ve ever seen</a>. I laughed, I cried, I gnashed my teeth…</p> Deep down in EPU land, but this seems to fit here. Here is probably the best rundown of the Sunday morning shows I’ve ever seen. I laughed, I cried, I gnashed my teeth…

]]> By: maximus7 http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/#comment-1958318 maximus7 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:10:06 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/#comment-1958318 <p>Any activists here? Please get as many people as you can to sign these health care petitions.</p> <p><a href="http://bit.ly/HR676" rel="nofollow">http://bit.ly/HR676</a></p> <p><a href="http://bit.ly/single_payer_ross" rel="nofollow">http://bit.ly/single_payer_ross</a></p> <p><a href="http://bit.ly/drug_benefit" rel="nofollow">http://bit.ly/drug_benefit</a></p> Any activists here? Please get as many people as you can to sign these health care petitions.

http://bit.ly/HR676

http://bit.ly/single_payer_ross

http://bit.ly/drug_benefit

]]> By: klynn http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/#comment-1958317 klynn Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:06:53 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/#comment-1958317 <p>Here is another great <a href="http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/7272" rel="nofollow">diary </a>on health care.</p> Here is another great diary on health care.

]]> By: KnotIookin http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/#comment-1958316 KnotIookin Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:05:06 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/#comment-1958316 <p>WHY is it so hard for Pundits to understand that the fall in our presidents approval on the issue of HEALTHCARE does NOT indicate that people do not approval of a PUBLIC OPTION, it can also indicate that many of his heretofore supporters are PISSED OFF that he is willing to throw away a PUBLIC OPTION to make republicans happy.</p> WHY is it so hard for Pundits to understand that the fall in our presidents approval on the issue of HEALTHCARE does NOT indicate that people do not approval of a PUBLIC OPTION, it can also indicate that many of his heretofore supporters are PISSED OFF that he is willing to throw away a PUBLIC OPTION to make republicans happy.

]]> By: Indie http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/#comment-1958315 Indie Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:03:31 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/#comment-1958315 <p>Dream on. Single payer cannot be stuffed down the throats of the American people. Why do you think the ‘public option’ is in peril? Because American KNOW that it is a transition to single payer that will result in a system that is as competitive and efficient as the USPS! </p> <p>Try reading the excellent op-ed by Whole Foods CEO John Mackey instead of running off half-cocked and hysterical. He has some serious ideas.</p> <p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052970204251404574342170072865070.html" rel="nofollow">http://online.wsj.com/article/.....65070.html</a></p> Dream on. Single payer cannot be stuffed down the throats of the American people. Why do you think the ‘public option’ is in peril? Because American KNOW that it is a transition to single payer that will result in a system that is as competitive and efficient as the USPS!

Try reading the excellent op-ed by Whole Foods CEO John Mackey instead of running off half-cocked and hysterical. He has some serious ideas.

http://online.wsj.com/article/…..65070.html

]]> By: maximus7 http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/#comment-1958314 maximus7 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:48:56 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/#comment-1958314 <p>I called the President this morning at 202 456 1111 and told the operator that unless he enacts single payer HR676 into law and also enacts a real fix for the prescription drug benefit into law according to <a href="http://bit.ly/drug_benefit" rel="nofollow">http://bit.ly/drug_benefit</a> I will abstain from voting for President and my 2 democratic senators from NY in 2012. I will vote for the Democratic candidate for the house in 2012.</p> <p>Read our blog <a href="http://blog.democratz.org" rel="nofollow">http://blog.democratz.org</a></p> <p>Join our new progressive political party <a href="http://democratz.org" rel="nofollow">http://democratz.org</a> and still remain a democrat also.</p> I called the President this morning at 202 456 1111 and told the operator that unless he enacts single payer HR676 into law and also enacts a real fix for the prescription drug benefit into law according to http://bit.ly/drug_benefit I will abstain from voting for President and my 2 democratic senators from NY in 2012. I will vote for the Democratic candidate for the house in 2012.

Read our blog http://blog.democratz.org

Join our new progressive political party http://democratz.org and still remain a democrat also.

]]> By: Indie http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/#comment-1958312 Indie Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:43:47 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/08/17/early-morning-swim-183/#comment-1958312 <p>It is not Republican pressure that is killing the public option. Further, Americans understand that other government run agencies, ala the Post Office, Medicare and Public Education offer neither choice, nor competition. These programs operate at a loss and the only thing keeping them going is their government mandate.</p> <p>The Post Office is looking at cutting services in order to save money, namely, reducing delivery days from six to five and closing a significant number of its locations. Government administered health insurance will do the same thing when it also costs a lot more money than predicted.</p> <p>The public is not gullible, but rather imbued with common sense. The President has yet to make clear exactly what HIS plan will or will not include. He is consistently vague and contradictory.</p> <p>How can Americans support a plan when we do not know what the administration has in mind? Right or wrong there is a growing sense that the President is not leveling with the American people.</p> It is not Republican pressure that is killing the public option. Further, Americans understand that other government run agencies, ala the Post Office, Medicare and Public Education offer neither choice, nor competition. These programs operate at a loss and the only thing keeping them going is their government mandate.

The Post Office is looking at cutting services in order to save money, namely, reducing delivery days from six to five and closing a significant number of its locations. Government administered health insurance will do the same thing when it also costs a lot more money than predicted.

The public is not gullible, but rather imbued with common sense. The President has yet to make clear exactly what HIS plan will or will not include. He is consistently vague and contradictory.

How can Americans support a plan when we do not know what the administration has in mind? Right or wrong there is a growing sense that the President is not leveling with the American people.

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