Does Obama know where the health care debate is going and where

[Raven]

it will end up? I was one of the early ones here who said that Obama was a chess player in a checkers world. As I watch this debate, I am trying to hold firmly to that belief. Do you think he's in the driver's seat on this?

[John Q. Citizen]

1. According to the constitution, he can sign or veto a bill. He made the decision not to put his own

bill into the hopper and to let congress write and pass a bill.

So he isn't playing chess. He's kibitzing. but he also has the ear of some of the players, just as any good kibitzer does.

[movonne]

2. I hope so...but I just don't know...

[panader0]

3. Yeah, Obama is smarter than most of the rest

but he's up against BIG money. I don't think he has any control over where this is going. Even if he did, we'll have to wait until 2013 to get any of the benefits, from what I understand. I'm pretty sure I could need health care before then. I' 58, and I haven't been to a doctor for over 20 years when I needed some stitches, but who knows? (Knocking on wood)

[damntexdem]

4. Where am I going, and how did I get into this handbasket?

;-)

[Raven]

5. God, I hope he knows more than you do! :-)

[alcibiades_mystery]

6. I like the guideline approach

Here's a set of guidelines. Let's see if you can craft something that fits.

That's all the direction I think the executive should exert.

Too many folks here still want a daddy, just so long as it's a democratic daddy.

It's Fuhrerprinzip, and I don't like it. democracy is for grown ups, and grown ups don't need a daddy.

[Raven]

8. That's pretty much what I think...he laid out the structure and now he's

herding the kittens. Hope he's good at it!

[BlooInBloo]

7. (shrug) Even Kasparov loses some games when playing simul.

No idea how this will turn out. We'll see.

[rucky]

9. He left it to Congress

so any policy he's touting is just wishful thinking.

Maybe the "chess" is that he didn't want to own the inevitable failure.

[valerief]

10. Obama is waiting for us to burn cities, I think. That's the kind of violence

that gets things done.