A field report from the dark side: I went to a company picnic with my husband.

The people he works with are nice enough people, but tend to be Republicans who listen to Fox and Limbaugh, so I just don't discuss politics. Imagine my shock when overheard my husband and his friends discussing the health care proposals and one of my husband's co-workers expressed tentative approval. He said something to the effect that what Obama is saying sounds good, and he wishes all the noise would die down long enough for him to figure out what's really in the plan. In other words, he realizes he's being handed a lot of lies and he's halfway sold on the plan despite all the lying. These are people who've been drinking the Kool Aid so long they're bright cherry red head to toe!

I've witnessed the same on a couple of financial blogs I frequent. Die hard republicans defending the need for health care reform. Who woulda thunk it?

Michael Moore's "Sicko" came out. They went and saw it and were converted.

It helps if the RW person is over 45 years old - they know they will lose their health insurance if they lose their job, as pre-existing conditions will be used to knock them out of the insurance industry's favor.

Even Republicans whose sole purpose in seeing "Sicko" was so they could effectively talk against it ended up converted.

... so many thousands of them showing up on TeeVee, as if they're the majority opinion in America. Which we know they're not (but they're getting all the media attention, so it's deceptive).

so it still appears to be wishful thinking.

Seriously, I know congress has a bunch of bills in the works with different elements of an overall plan, but there is no Obama detailed plan as far as I know. I think that is part of the problem, that no one really knows where he stands on the details - I mean a point by point explanation of the plan and its financial ramifications.

instead they gave specific criteria that have to be met, and now it is up to Congress to tweak the existing bills so that eventually, after a long and frustrating process, they will (hopefully) meet these criteria.

I don't know whether you asked seriously or as sarcasm, but that's what the situation is. You are not going to see a detailed "Obama plan".

I just don't trust Congress at this point. I mean look at the ridiculous bailout legislation they have written. Even the "cash for clunkers" bill was a semi-joke (although I took advantage). I know the political calculation was to avoid what happened to the Clintons plan, but still this is too important to leave to a bunch of lobbyists to write the bill.

But at this point, after all the work that already happened both in the House and in the Senate, to say "forget it! we are starting from scratch with my ideas" would be wrong in too many ways to list.

thus alienating a Democratic Congress to the point where no bill was passed.

Congress writes and passes the legislation. The executive branch uses the bully pulpit to shape that legislation and then either signs or vetoes it.

I wonder whether during a 'reconciliation' process (when 2 Houses' representatives meet to work out deal marrying 2 bills) WH's wishes can/will be incorporated.

...are really a PR nightmare for the party.

They look like old angry coots...parodies of those old men in the balcony on the Muppet Show.

They are inarticulate, ignorant, hateful and full of rage. None of this sells on camera and most
decent, average Americans are turned off.

I have talked with so many Independents and Republicans who are for the public option.

These lunatic town hollers may provide some sort of misguided hope to the wing-nut faction of the Republican
party--but most of America are rolling their eyes in disgust.

It's like...Ok, step aside and let's let the grown ups get down to business and make some adult decisions.

Those tea-bag protester, town-holler types look like giant toddlers having tantrums.

and that there is in fact a sentient majority out there....

like the two elderly women sitting on a park bench as I was walking by, I overheard one say to the other "Those Democrats just won't compromise"

I have hope and the polls show, this dog and pony show the Republicans are passing off isn't working, and then there are these two elderly women...and I know they aren't alone thinking this way.