Jezreel's Comments (848)

“Great interview April. Thanks for sharing.”

“Good points, Box. I would add one more. If the public option argument is merely ideological with no real ability to impact health care reform, why did the insurance industry fight against it so hard?

And why did an Politico publish this?:

'We win'

With the Senate shifting sharply away from a "pure public option," an insurance industry insider who has been deeply involved in the health care fight emails to declare victory.

"We WIN," the insider writes. "Administered by private insurance companies. No government funding. No government insurance competitor.”

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1209/Insurance_industry_insider_We_win.html”

“"The public option was important, because a majority of the American people wanted it."

Exactly.”

“"From the looks of things so far, I doubt they ever intended to."

Agreed. Totally. And faved.”

“Cenk, thank you for your efforts to include the public option in the health care bill. I cannot in all honesty call it health care reform because it isn't. It is an insurance expansion bill that literally aims to coral millions of captive consumers into the clutches of a profit driven, inhumane industry that has proven time and again that its only concern is not health care but its bottom line.

In my view, the process that led to the current Bill, the back room deals with corporate lobbyists, the pressure imposed on Congress not to pass the Dorgan Amendment and the President's decision early on to dump any and all government run competitors to the insurance industry serves as a warning to Progressives who may be hoping for real change from Washington.”

“"Perhaps if you keep repeating the phrase "real reform" more often than simply the seven consecutive paragraphs in this piece, we'll start to believe you.

But at this moment, Howard Dean speaks for us."

Co-signed.”

“Co-signed!”

“Gosh, I hope that's true, Rion.”

“Amen to that, Firbolg.”

“Well said, Awake-and-Sing.”

“Co-signed; New York. Also, fanned and faved.

BTW, Glenn Greenwald provides the most reasoned, nuanced and undistorted explanation of the philosophical, ideological and practical tensions underlying the health care debate among Progressives.

In a nut shell, Cenk and you and me and many other disappointed Progressives are coming into the realization that Mr. Obama and the Obama administration are corporatists at heart.

We are witnessing a reinvigorated version of the Third Way - a Clintonian Triangulation just repackaged with sleeker, updated marketing in the form of a beautiful, brilliant, extremely charismatic biracial man - but a corporatist none-the-less.

The health care debate has revealed the willful use of government power to regulate against the benefit and will of the American people and to the benefit and will of corporate interests.

The individual mandate portion of the insurance reform bill represents the most robust form of corporatism we've seen to date. In this new manifestation of corporatism, our government is merging with its corporate benefactors to ensure an IRS enforced, perpetual flow of taxpayer dollars to the insurance industry and a perpetual flow of campaign donations to the Democratic Party. This latest quid pro quo transaction between the government, the insurance industry and big Pharma will virtually guarantee a perpetual flow of campaign finances, perpetuity of political power and progressively watered down legislation favorable to corporate overlords. ,

http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/”

“Co-signed. According to David Plouffe, millions of us helped to garner support for health care reform. Like many others, I too called and visited my Representatives offices, wrote letters, signed petitions and advocated for health care reform.

Also, like others I decreased my advocacy work because Mr. Obama, himself never assertedly advocated for his own health care policy which he said must include a public option. Mr. Obama consistently sent out mixed messages and remained noncommittal throughout this process. He refused to take a firm stand even when Mr. Reid and members of the House publicly asked him to join the struggle for his signature policy effort.

As it turns out, I and others were right to question Mr. Obama's committment to the agenda he set forth during the election.”

“Mr. Mogulescu, thank you for saying what has been obvious to the rest of us for 2 days.

Even MSNBC's Mark Murray wrote that Mr. Obama made was wrong to conspicously snub Dr. Dean on several occassions since the beginning of his presidency.

I have never met Dr. Dean personally, but I have tremendous respect for his professionalism and his knowledge of health care delivery and reform. I was shocked by Mr. Gibbs personal attack on Howard Dean, especially in light of the administration's embrace and defense of Joe Lieberman'.

I hoped that Mr. Obama would realize the impact of Mr. Gibbs comments on the Progressive base of the Democratic Party. But when I heard David Axelrod use the same messaging strategy this morning on Morning Joe and on PBS Newshour last evening, I realized that this was an agreed upon effort by the administration to discredit Dr. Dean regardless of the effect that would have on the millions of Americans who comprise the Progressive base of the Democratic Party.

Mr. Obama has lost my support - not because of anything said or done by any Progressive activist, but because of his seeming disdain for the people who elected him and his apparent willingness to discard their trust and confidence in his candidacy and the Democratic platform.”

“Taylor, unfortunately, I agree with you. So does the largest unions in the country, Glenn Greenwald, Jane Hampsher, Dr. Howard Dean and numerous other Progressives.”

“Amen to that; standforpeace and jcwtts1 too. You are both fanned and faved.”

“Amen, indc, Jay Man and you too; natturnerx for your comments.

This President is either unable or unwilling to address the the profound effects of the housing crisis and joblessness on African Americans. We have the highest unemployment rates of all socioeconomic groups. And several, recent reports have pointed out that having a college degree has not helped to stem the tide of job losses among our people.

Besides taking ev ery opportunity to tell us how to raise our children and strengthen our family structure, Mr. Obama should focus on improving our employment prospects.”

“FTA:

"For these reasons, I stand with the AARP, the American Medical Association, and the American Nurses Association in strong support of this crucial, fiscally responsible and long-overdue legislation."

Good work, Rep. Murphy. Thanks for standing up for the expansion of health care access. There is still a lot of work to do beginning with getting a Bill through the Senate.

Neither the House or Senate Bills as they currently stand represent true reform of the health care system. Both Bills simply enable more Americans to access the health care system. After we pass a health care expansion Bill, we must begin working to reform our health care delivery system.

Thanks again for your efforts in this very important issue.”

“No. Just a faulty keyboard on an aging computer. But thanks for pointing out the mistake anyway.”

“The two are 'not' necessarily mutually exclusive.”

“Thoughtful. Well said.”

“Great article R. J. You raised important points, especially these:

"Which leads us to the next question: Is the President's Big Tent big enough to include his supporters?"

And: "Mr. Plouffe, the base's disappointment with the President is not based on "frustration with the pace of change." It's based on their fear that the President may not really be interested in fundamental change. If that is anyone's fault, then to a large extent the blame lies with the President - and his advisors and communicators."

And finally this:

"But it's more than that. The campaign made implicit promises of trustworthiness and new-style politics, as well as some explicit promises that have been jettisoned without explanation. He reversed himself on key health care pledges without explaining to his supporters why..."”

“The two are neccessarily mutually exclusive. Most people who pray also act.”

“Great article, Mr. Loewenstein. Very thoughtful and informative. At the news of J Street's inception, I became a supporter. I too was a bit cynical at first. Hopeful. But also cynical. Now, like you, I am also skeptical especially since Jeremy Ben-Ami declared last week that J Street is more like Kadima than other political Parties in Israel. Kadima! A far-right, hawkish political party whose leader Tippi Livni spent all of Operation Cast Lead jockeying with Bibi over who could be the most brutal against unarmed Palestinians.

Then, yesterday JB announced that while it does not agree with the wording of Congress's Resolution to smear and damage Dr. Goldstone, it does however, urge the Obama Admin. to "make clear that it will use its veto to prevent any referral of this matter to the International Criminal Court."

Sadly, it seems that J Street's writing is on the wall and in its essays Gaza is under the proverbial bus.”

“Well said, alysheba 3 and correct on all points.”

“"Coult (sic) your problem with AIPAC be who it represents rather than the power it may hold?"

Honestly, this effort by nearly all pro-Zionist, pro-Israel, apologists to disparage anyone who criticizes the policies of Israel's government or AIPAC by calling them anti-Semites has grown very old and extremely tired.

The use of such divisive and inflammatory rhetoric has only one objective; to silence opponents.

Fortunately, this tactic is rapidly losing its effectiveness.

I will not be silenced. I do not believe that Israel is the victim in this ongoing struggle. I believe in the right of every human being to live free and fulfill their innate potential. I believe that every person has a right to live without the constant threat of oppression, injury and abuse. Palestinians do not have such freedom.

As for AIPAC, you do not understand the essence of this discussion. The other lobbying groups are not focused on ensuring America's blind allegiance to Israel. AIPAC is. AIPAC and its network of supporters is the largest pro-Israel lobby in Washington.”