If Obama is giving up on the public option, here is what upsets me the most

It's not like the public option is some crazy idea that only a fringe part of American supports.

The public option is popular. It polls anywhere from mid-50s to the mid-70 percent range.

Basically what we're seeing is another example that our government doesn't represent us.

And that really isn't Obama's fault.

But where I do find fault with him is that he said he would fight this. He said the special interests wouldn't rule the day under his administration. But they are. Still. And I don't know what he's doing about that.

I'd rather see him fight and lose than "win" a battle not worth winning.

But he has to push for some legitimate health care reform that includes the equivalent of a public option. If he loses the battle the Rethugs will say they have one and he will be weakened. Clinton lost the reform battle and Dems lost in the midterms. Clinton was never able to attempt liberal policies again...it was all centrist policies (Nafta, welfare reform). He won reelection and kept the economy on track but eventually the country suffered and Bush made it even worse.

In 1994, Democrats stayed home in droves because the Party veered so far right they couldn't support it. Sound familiar?

NAFTA was passed before 1994. Which is one reason Democrats stayed home.

Here's what happened;

Republican voted in almost equal numbers in both the 1990 and the 1994 mid terms.

Democrats voted in much larger numbers in 1990 than they did in 1994. The reason was Clinton backed right wing bullshit, and nobody showed up in 1994 because they wanted more liberal policies.

When this happens again, as I predict it will, in 2010, please please please don't listen to CNN and Fox. Please take a look at who voted and who stayed home.

Then maybe you will figure out that when Dems vote like Repos, they lose.

by the media. If we just decide to let the bill fail, I still worry about what will happen. But I think if we lose liberals we will be much worse off. The question is how does Obama keep both the liberals and the independents who voted for him?

single payer people and actually discuss it like an adult. He doesn't have to embrace or endorse, he just needs to listen and take into account those views.

He needs to call for a very strong and completely accessible public option. He needs to tell the Dems that if they don't pass it, he won't sign a bill that is essentially Romney Care.

And then he needs to stick with that.

The independents who voted for him did so because they are liberal. Why else? Because they are conservative? Nope.

He WANTS it!!

Sry, just...the sky is blue and Obama wants the public option and NOTHING they have said since has been the opposite!!

But will he stick his neck out and fight for it? I don't knows.

That would help.

Except he's said that about a hundred times. Whereas you've found one quote from six weeks ago.

What has he said more recently?



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/16/white-houses-mixed-messag_n_260733.html

reform only in terms of not excluding people with pre-existing conditions, not being able to cancel a policy that was current in payment, etc., we'd be halfway there. To veto a bill that is good in these respects just because it doesn't include a public option is stuipid and harmful to the millions of people that are being denied every single day.

I absolutely want a public option and I think we'll get one, but if we don't that doesn't mean you throw the baby out with the bathwater and end up with nothing. That is stupid and self-destructive.

If Kennedy (by his own admission) had agreed to Nixon's health care compromise, Clinton would have had something to build on in 1994 and we'd have more than we do today. In fact, we might be talking seriously about a single-payer plan today. Saying no because you don't get everything you want is not the answer.

That's how clear he can and should be.

Do you have a problem with that?

Stop reading Politico and amatuerish, half-baked analysis from MSM bobbleheads.

Ugh!!

what he says next week. In the meantime make your calls and write your emails.

those who DO buy that line and those who don't.

That's what the corporatemediawhores want, the dumbshit republicons, and those around here who are the fail pushers.

Too bad they got to you.