Is Obama "caving" to the Republicans or to the Blue Dogs?

I personally find the whole "capitulation" regarding the PO to be BS because, at least at the moment, Obama has continued to voice support for it and has stated that he wants it. It's true he hasn't waved his pen like Bill Clinton and said that he would refuse to sign any legislation that didn't include it (how did THAT turn out?), so I suppose his commitment could be called into question on those grounds.
However, assuming that the corporate media whores are really telling *the truth* and Obama has really "caved" on the idea of the PO, the question I have is WHO he has "caved" to. A lot of the people whom maintain that he has "caved" already claim that he is caving to the Republicans. My personal opinion is that if he does eventually "cave" on the PO, it will NOT be the Republicans to whom he is "caving" but rather the Blue Dogs in our own party. Why? Because Obama is almost virtually guaranteed to receive NO Republican votes on ANY plan that comes out of a Democratic-controlled Congress. The answer to why this is case should be plainly self-evident but the Republicans are essentially irrelevant at this point but for the Blue Dogs. True, Obama is TRYING to get something bipartisan passed but the Republicans are clearly far more interested in defeating health care reform just to bloody him. Obama's not dumb, however. IMHO he knows this but he is trying to at least give the appearance of trying to reach out to the other side for right now. When push comes to shove, he has indicated that he will work around the Republicans to get something through in the end and I believe him.
The REAL challenge that he is facing seems to be from members of his own party, the *celebrated* Blue Dogs like Baucus, Conrad, etc. whom are trying to prevent PO from being part of any legislation and are are trying to push their own alternatives like, in Conrad's case, the Co-ops. However, they seem to generally support health care reform and would be hard-pressed to vote against something in the end. So far, the Senate is where things are currently stymied and need to move forward. As another poster pointed out earlier today, what is most important right now is moving a bill out of the Senate, with or without a PO, and into conference committee where the real fight over the PO or anything else can begin. If, in the end, Obama gives up on the PO, I don't think that it will be because of the Republicans but rather the Blue Dogs IMHO.
:shrug:

It seems more like a labeling issue when we look at what they actually do.

The Republicans, aside from maybe Snowe and Collins, will NOT no matter what it's in the final legislation.

They will probably not vote for anything that actually reforms the system. Instead, they will support something weak and ineffectual, if not outright damaging, like taxpayer subsidies for the insurance companies, and then crow about how they have saved the world.

The Republicans, while vile, are at least honest.

And anything else would be downright bad game theory! More Money, More Power, More Corruption!

They will do what their masters want them to do.

... it was launched clumsily last Saturday... Rest assured it's back in the shop now, and it will rise again I fear, with less controversy and more success in the coming weeks.

It will largely depend on what comes out of the conference committee. However it emerges, I defy a single one of them to vote against it. Obama put Baucus on the spot last week and I don't think it will help his career nor image to vote against a health care reform package even if it includes the dreaded (to him) PO.

Let's let Baucus et. al come up with a plan and get it through the Senate and see what ultimately emerges from committee first before we all start freaking out and accusing Obama of "caving" to anybody. It already sounds like Conrad's plan is starting to get more scrutiny and NOT in a positive way. The guy just admitted that it wouldn't really help with costs, which is one of the big reasons that we're doing all of this. It would be nice if Baucus and his "Gang of Five" would have to reveal THEIR *superior* plan and explain to us how it's going to be better than PO since they are clearly NOT on board with it?

This is a marathon not a sprint. Until the final bill is divulged all of this is posturing. Make sure that you have voiced your position to your reps and the prez. That is the only way to be counted. Encouraging like minds to check in with their reps will increase your chances of getting the legislation that you want. Obama is not stupid. If the peeps really did put him in office with personal contributions then he will not be foolish. If that was all a ruse then our boat was sunk ten months ago.

For all the good he's not doing.

the same corporations from which he's selected most of his cabinet & advisors.

I'm disgusted by this.

:shrug:

We all know Emanuel is a DLC'er, but I thought Pres Obama hired him because he could push through his agenda.


:shrug:



Otherwise, why did he hire a DLC'er?


:shrug: