Bye Bye Public Option

No surprise really, but very disappointing all the same, that owing to the activities of a few extremist nutcases, Obama is signaling he's prepared to accept health care reform that does not include a public option.

Obama does not seem to have a taste for conflict; he seems too keen to secure agreement with those who oppose him. Making a deal with the drug industry that precludes using the purchasing power of the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices was a disaster.

In general though, why is it that the Republicans always seem to win, while the Democrats always cave? Two years ago, after Bush and McConnell hammered and hammered away that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act desperately needed reforming, in order to, in Bush's words, "give our intelligence professionals the tools they need," the Democrats in Congress caved and gave them their victory. The White House's case was built on lies and misrepresentation, but no Democrat had the guts to challenge those lies, so we got a completely redundant law called the Protect America Act, and, six months later, another battle when that law expired.

Now the boot's on the other foot: a Democrat in the White House. But the Republicans are still telling lies, only now the lies and misrepresentation are about health reform. And their lies are being believed once again.

Isn't it interesting that Obama only supported a public option as one among a spectrum of choices, most of which already exist? It's intriguing to speculate on the real reasons behind the venomous opposition the public option has inspired. Are some worried that it might work too well, perhaps?

Now we hear from Republicans and conservative Democrats that health care reform will be too expensive. How is it that a trillion dollars is too much to spend on health care for all, when last fall a trillion dollars was not too much to flush away into the banking system to pay off contracts concluded recklessly and tied to nothing of real value at all?

I'm an English-born immigrant and a Canadian citizen. Oh, yes, and I admit it, I was brainwashed by Orwellian British propaganda into accepting the National Health Service as normal. My mother was able to have surgery because of the NHS, and because of that, my two brothers and I were born. The NHS took care of me, for example when I had an appendectomy at 18 months and after a serious car accident at 26. So did the Canadian system.

It probably won't interest American readers, but to Europeans and Canadians the debate over health care in this country has a stale, fusty, worn and worn-out feeling. Americans still can't agree over an issue that was settled so long ago in so many other democracies.

Comments

[lgillooly]

Your last sentence assumes we are still a Democracy....big assumption!

[LeLoup]

We have to surrender to the evidence: Obama isn't a street fighter. The 20th of January, he had the Republicans on the ropes, knocked down for the count; all he needed to do was to administer the technical K.O., by pushing hard and without respite, the health care reform on his terms, not Congress terms.

Alas, having overlearned from Clinton, he let Congress (especially the chronic compromisers) dictate the terms. Republicans weren't hoping for such reprieve but got it anyway. They regrouped their forces, played their strengths very well, (especially how to bamboozle the useless media) and here we are. Democrats on the defensive, instead of relentlessly attacking the Republicans (not very hard to do with all the stupidities they keep uttering all the time) looking weak and unconvincing, all too ready to compromise ad nauseam until we, the people get NOTHING.

I'm sorry, but the tone and strategy coming from the Democrats will have to change dramatically to get this job done.
Otherwise, we'll be talking about the health care crisis for another 20 years.

[RRundbaken]

he better get some spine and raise his voice. A wishy washy mediocre bill will stain his legacy. It's time to grab the bully pulpit and close this deal. Forget trying to appease this right-wing nuts. They want nothing done. Where's the back bone of this new majority. They are cowering from a party that was all but dead? If the Democrats can't get this done, after the election we just had then I don't know why I bother to vote.

[Prodigal Daughter]

I hate to say it, but Obama is definitely letting me down with this health care issue. I thought he would be able to see a lost cause in the Republican Party when he tried to get bipartisan support with the stimulus bill, but for some reason he is too much of a pragmatist to a fault. I feel like he is more concerned about being liked and about being a centrist rather than making actual changes. I really thought he was going to be a trailblazer much like FDR was, but he is showing himself to be conservative on many issues and he isn't going far enough on health care. In my opinion, Obama was elected with a huge mandate from the country and he needs to use that mandate to pass real reform. He needs to quit concerning himself with what the Republicans think. THEY lost for a reason. America doesn't want their ideas. So he should stop being so pragmatic and pass his own agenda!

[DragonflyChase]

gosh, what would happen if Obama hiccuped? Would we think he was for this or that?

he never backed off from the public option, the media did.

Obama's problem is he worries too much about what others think.

He needs to re focus and remember who's REALLY whom in this battle.

Because all aren't who they appear to be (Americans for Prosperity, FreedomWorks)

[tatataba]

It is no surprise to see how easily Obama compromises under resistance. Though he still has my support but I started to wonder if he really is a man of substance. As a leader, he lacks strength to call the shots when needed. A leader has visions and lead its people to it no matter what stands in the way. That's what Mose did. But Obama seems more indulged in his rhetoric than his actions.

[dancucich]

There MUST be a public option if we want to lower costs for insurance-the companies won't do it voluntarily.

They didn't lower premiums after tort reform was passed. They just thanked the craven legislators for the extra profits.

The policies sole today only pay 70% of your bill, have all kinds of exclusions, co-pays and if that's not bad enough, they also have generous $3,000 deductibles before they pay a dime! Can you say greed??

I'll just continue going tithe ER and paying them $50.00 a month as that's all
I can afford to spend on health care-Total! I make 35 k per year and have a family.
there are lots more families like mine.

Let the affluent republicans with their 100K per year incomes pick up the balance of the tab-since they don't like the public option, and are worried thatt those poor insurance companies won't make enough profit with government competition. boo hoo!.

I hope the GOP loses even more seats in 2010, and never regains the Whitehouse. They say there's no crisis; so let them feel some of the pain!!
8/18/2009 5:16:40 PM

Dan Cucich,
wage earner.