Markos Moulitsas Warns Obama On Health Reform: 'Public Option Is Our Waterloo' (VIDEO)

"Daily Kos" founder Markos Moulitsas warned President Obama that the netroots were growing tired of the administration's foundering efforts to deliver health care reform, and that the last couple months have left them "not very hopeful" about the White House living up to a major theme of their presidential campaign:

We all, at the end of the day, want Obama to do the right thing, but we're not very hopeful given the last couple months. Given the lack of message discipline from the White House. Given the vast number of Democrats that are willing to compromise against each other. They're not even negotiating with Republicans; they're negotiating against each other. And really when you have a campaign for the presidency that was built on hope and on getting rid of cynicism, there would be no greater return of cynicism than to show that the insurance companies and lobbyists have won this debate.

Moulitsas also warned the administration not to cave on the public option because "at this point it is sort of our Waterloo":

We're not talking what we really wanted - we really wanted single payer - so we already compromised from our position. I think the public option at this point is sort of our Waterloo, This is where we stand and fight.

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Comments

[freshnotbitter]

I don't really read the daily Kos but I would urge them to reconsider how good a public option would be as presently construed. I favor a public option wholeheartedly but you have to wonder about the one now circulating which has the government going into the insurance business on the same terms as private insurers and competing with them to bring down costs. Isn't this just
Blue Cross/Blue Shield 2.0?

In the end, the regulators become the servants of the people they were to regulate. Look at FCC, FDA, FNMA, etc.

I would prefer a public option that delivers medicine to those not covered by private plans. That doesn't mean it has to run anything. It can simply collect and dispense money in return for service. Certainly it could begin its existence in that form. Eventually, it can go beyond that and open clinics, copyright automation products,etc. in pursuit of its mission to: -----------(you fill in the blanks.)

[RecentRetiredVet]

CHECK OUT this link, this is the real truth about HC reform:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/29988909/sick_and_wrong/print

[DK in MS]

Waterloo? Horrible illustration, and good job (once again) of letting the other guys control the language of the debate.

Waterloo was a last ditch, win or cease to exist, battle fought by a usurper who was supported by a minority and opposed by the combined nations of the world.

I consider this more our Normandy. Put up or shut up. Pressured by some allies to do it, and pressured by other allies to wait. But most importantly, the opening salvo in liberating a continent and destroying the remnants of a reactionary, power-hungry empire.

Yes, Health Care Reform is our Normandy, and once again, the eyes of the world are upon us.

[Skygazer]

Indeed, all we have to do for now is land on the beach and get a foothold, and anyone who's seen Saving Private Ryan knows how bloody that will be...once that happens the enemy will fold like a house of cards and whether it's now or next year or years from now, this is the end of the tyranny of the Health Insurance industry in this country. I say we reach Berlin with more ease than Eisenhower did we will have a public option and...eventually a single payer system. It's time for the middle class to let it's roar shake the foundations of the Republic...

BANGALORE'S UP FRONT!!!

[Skygazer]

Frankly, this is why I wish Markos, would've tempered his opinion without sounding like just what the Right want the Dems to sound like. Every Right-wing whackjob suddenly feels like they have a right to get their shots in and make things seem more dire than they really are.

All these knuckle-draggers showing up and saying (Whiny voice) "See we tooooold you so...Obama empty suit blah de blah de blah blah."

This is a family dispute, and we, the Dems are the better party for it, by FAR. Butt the heck out Right-Wing­-nutjobs..­..

[winterthur]

Write to the President TODAY:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

Look up your members of Congress and call them now:
http://my.barackobama.com/callcongress

TWEET Your Senator(s):

http://www.barackobama.com/twitter/tweetyoursenator/

[HeartT]

I love Obama. I think he's a brilliant young man. But I have to agree. The public option is our compromise. Healthcare reform will not be reform without it, thereby, the president will not be a success if he signs a bill without it. I hope you are listening, Mr. President. We worked hard to get at least a Public Option. Healthcare reform. That was your platform. Stick with it.

[jsgaetano]

If Obama wimps out on Health Care, he's going to lose the bulk of his support among Democrats.

We were electing a leader, not a milquetoast Democratic placeholder for "bipartisanship".

[iblogleft]

I don't know if it will be the "bulk", but I know for sure it will be enough to leave him almost useless for any other reforms.

[jsgaetano]

I'd be willing to bet he could lose at least 30% of his support. That's pretty damning... and he'd do well to remember that.

He certainly won't be making up that 30% from conservatives voters, that's for sure.

[repearwo]

Why is anyone still listening to this guy. He states the obvious when it is clear that everyone already knows it. Kos was still supporting the war after even some Republicans were turning against it. He denies it but it is in black and white. He was one of the we broke it we fix it "liberals".

If something is right it is right when it is unpopular also.

[NetLoa]

Without a link your accusations are just slander.

[repearwo]

I think you can find the Kos site and you know years right? What is true is true and not slander.

[texanna]

Mr. Moulitsas, maybe you and your Kosacks should've been more circumspect during the primary campaign. You know, actually asking something of the candidate that you blindly gave your loyalty to maybe? It's an old political tactic, often referred to as quid pro quo, maybe you've heard of it? You give something you get something - not terribly difficult, really. No wonder the Pres and his henchman, Deadfish Emmanuel, think they don't have to do anything to make you happy. Because, really, they don't. So, quit your whining, you got exactly what you bargained for -- nothing!

[NetLoa]

Actually there was quite a diverse set of opinions. Many people recognized that Obama was the most centrist (not in a good way) of the three major Dem candidates, and came around to supporting him with eyes wide open.

However, to anyone other than a dialectical materialist, a centrist Dem is preferable by light years to anyone in the Repiglican party.

[texanna]

On DailyKos, during the primary campaign there was only one candidate as far as they were concerned. Anyone who was the least bit skeptical was berated. Articles there celebrated only one candidate. I don't have to provide a link - you know how to get to the DailyKos blog and when you do, go through their archives.

[hsrk36]

Every company I have ever worked for has given me a company handbook. This handbook contains the health care policy in detail, what it covers, what it does not cover, what the copays are, ect. Why is it so difficult for congress or the president to publish something similar showing what "pulbic option insurance" covers, what it doesn't, copays, ect.

[AllieMD]

Because if they were honest about it everyone would know what a disaster it would be and support would drop through the floor.

[yemaya]

you can read the plans online already. nice try

[AllieMD]

Huge 1000 page bills - I've read big portions - big diff tween that and a concise version like an employer gives you

[ECBA88]

Because there are four bills?

[freshnotbitter]

Maybe O should devise a charter for the public option instead of a handbook and leave the handbook to non political experts elected/appointed pursuant to the charter. By charter I just mean a statement of mission. What is the mission, powers, liberties, duties of the body entrusted with the public option?

I like what Kos says about dems negotiating with themselves instead of with the republicans. If we already had some republicans leaning our way, would the blue dogs and other recalcitrant dems be so opposed?

O could devise an HSA/Retirement product for corporate America that would make them happy along with wall st and insurance cos. It could easily be construed as deficit neutral and returning savings to the system that could be used to fund health care for uninsured/­underinsur­ed.

[SonofLiberty1]

We (democrats) have majorities in both hous and senate and a democratic president in the white house.

If we can't get a public option...

We might as well move overseas...

[repearwo]

Start Packing.

[PaxEterna]

After watching this discussion for several months, and monitoring my own growing cynicism and impatience over what I assumed was perhaps youthful lack of leadership coming from POTUS, I have changed my mind.

POTUS is willfully engineering "reform' without changing anything for the major stakeholders except the American people aka patients.

We will have mandated insurance, folks, that is all, and without it you will be fined.

Will it be affordable for some for the first time? Yes, but at whose expense: the middle class tax payer.

Meanwhile, the sheep will be corralled to slaughter at the hands of insurance cos, pharmaceuticals, and all the layers of greed mismanagement and stupidity that make up our health care system.

No essential feature of this system will be changed that could possibly reign in costs or profits, provide quality care to all, and put the health of our citizenry back on the front burner where it belongs.

In fact, we will now be institutionalizing something that again will be TOO BIG TO FAIL.

Why? Because too much power influence and money has taken over.

I for one will make no further excuses for this President if this is what we get.

[NYCIC]

Yes. Insurance mandated by law. Profit mandated by law. Mandated profit for the insurance industry. Profit for CEO's and shareholders and administrators. I did not vote for this. The Democrats better be prepared to go to war over this, because I am. This is the one issue that caused me to pull the lever for this man. If he caves like a coward I'm out.

[NetLoa]

The irony is, he opposed mandates during the primary.

[freshnotbitter]

The insurance cos. have said they would agree to cover pre-existing if all were insured so a mandate is a good start. The question is what happens next. Is it a mandate to say that anybody without a private insurance plan is taxed 15% of his income and is insured by the public health system which he can use or not use at his discretion?

You could call it a mandate, I suppose, but really it is just a tax that taxes people to ensure there is a public health system. Nobody is mandating you to do anything except pay your fair share of taxes.

[tomster]

The Democratic Party leadership is hopelessly corrupt and terminally weak.

The Senate Democrats are so weak-willed they can't even stop one of their own, Baucus, from negating the results of the elections and elevating the GOP from a minority status to that of an equal partner on his committee. Incredible! This prostitute for the insurance industry betrays his own party and there is no reaction from his fellow Senate Democrats! ???????????!!!!!!!!

Obama and his team are naive amatuers who, after lucking out and running against a weak ticket after Bush's fiasco, have squandered their opportunity for reform of several major sectors of american society by refusing to offend powerful monied interests, political ineptitude and needless, pointless appeasement of a GOP whose members despise him.

What a disaster.

[AllieMD]

Sorry - they are naive amateurs - and we told you all that before the election - but to think that's all they are - and not corrupt too - is - well - naive :)

In the LOBBYING & INFLUENCE tab - only contains lobbying money according to the site - 'individual' refers to individual lobbyists - rather than the lobbying firm that employs them
This is just Pharma – Obama’s take - $1.1 million

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/recips.php?ind=H4300&cycle=2008&recipdetail=P&mem=N&sortorder=U
Congress take from Pharma –
http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/summary.php?ind=H4300&cycle=2008
----------­----------­----------­-
Health Services/HMOs
Presidential Candidates - Obama is #1 with $1.4 million:
http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/recips.php?ind=H03&cycle=2008&recipdetail=P&mem=N&sortorder=U

Congress - Dems took in twice as much as Repubs from health services/HMO lobbying:
http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/summary.php?ind=H03&cycle=2008

[repearwo]

So is its liberal wing. To rule you need 50 plus one. The "liberals" are arrogant and not willing to do a little education of the rest of the public.

[Gotcha54]

Obama was voted in by many people that have been sick of the whole political process. Ones that have given up about this 2 party system of governing. He was like our last hope! This group of people voted and thought he'd be able to make the changes he was proposing. This group of people were not showing up to the vile townhall "debates" or maybe better described as "organized chaos".

The public option should not be negotiated away! The people doing all the shouting at these debates will never be satisfied so President Obama should go with his gut and let the chips fall where they may. I'm tired of all these politicians suddenly getting afraid they made have to fight to keep their political position. The last election hasn't even been a year old - is their memory that short of the groundswell of support the party had?

[twofish]

Given that the corporations involved in health care -- pharma, health insurance, etc -- are dead set against any change that threatens their gravy train, where is the rest of corporate America in this fight? It's in the interests of most companies to have an affordable public option to break the death spiral of medical costs. Hell, they should be stumping for single payer, and have that expense off their books altogether. But we're not hearing from them. Can they never abandon their war on the people, even when they could be making common cause?