This isn't what we were promised

[FourScore]

This isn't what we were promised
by John Aravosis (DC) on 12/14/2009 10:12:00 PM

I'm sorry, but this sounds to me like a White House talking point to try to assuage Democrats who thought the President was going to fight for what he promised, not cave at the start and then cave at the middle and then cave at the end. It's great that the health care bill "may" save 22,000 people a year who otherwise would have died without insurance (and let's face it, no one should believe that number until this albatross has been around for a few years and we see just how the insurance companies react). But helping 22,000 poor people a year is not what we were promised. We were promised health care reform that would help all 304 million people living in our country, not simply half the population of the small town where I grew up.

It's an effective tactic to play on liberal guilt, arguing "don't you want to save all those poor people who are going to die?" But the fact remains that we the people handed this President and this Congress control of the White House, the US House of Representatives, and filibuster-proof control of the US Senate. We handed them a GOP that was in tatters, and a populace that desperately wanted change. And they blew it. They gave us weakness and cowardice and fear in return. The President went back on his promises from almost day one, and then stayed out of the entire debate until - well - he's still not really involved in the debate, other than to occasionally have his staff secretly try undercut his own campaign promises.

It's not a success when you could have had an A, and instead get a D+, strive for a D+, and then have the nerve to say "look mom!" It's really getting tiring hearing Democrats suggest that because their bill does more than George Bush would have done, but otherwise they've gutted their most important campaign promises, we should suck it up and be happy. I voted for change, not pennies.

You had the best chance in decades to make a difference in all of our lives, and you chose to blow it. You don't deserve our praise. Or our votes.

And finally, a word about moral hazard. If we let them get away with it this time, on the supposed "most important issue" of Obama's presidency, then forget about any other issue you care about. The Democrats in Congress and the White House will use the same "hey, at least you got 1/100th of a loaf" strategy on climate change, gay rights, immigration, and more. Past is prelude. And the future is looking mighty bleak if you thought the next three years were going to be about change...

http://www.americablog.com/2009/12/this-isnt-what-we-were-promised.html

[snagglepuss]

1. K & R nt

[tonysam]

2. Why should Aravosis be surprised?

The truth about Obama's ideas and record were always out there if people didn't fall prey to the media hype of the campaign.

[regnaD kciN]

3. And it won't "save 22,000 lives a year," either...

...because no lives will be saved by private insurance they can't afford. It will only mean those 22,000, in the years before they die, will have to pay fines for the "privilege" of not buying private insurance they can't afford anyway.

[Faryn Balyncd]

4. K&R...Is it about time real Democrats rise up & STOP this farce of a "reform"?

[stray cat]

5. We can team up with the GOP!