1 corrupt and moribund Senate + 1 weak President

[cali]

spell it out clearly: There is no hope for real reform of our terrible health care system.

Too many in the Senate are clearly "Insurance Senators" as Howard Dean calls them.


The President is a demonstrably weak leader who simply wants to pass... anything titled health care reform.

Here, folks, is the attitude of the White House, neatly summed up in one comment by Emanuel:

"Rahm told us months ago: Everything can be compromised except our ultimate goal of getting something done," said Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va. "Everything else is negotiable."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-tc-nw-health-senate-1215-1216dec16,0,2340901.story

[elleng]

1. The President isn't weak;

Congress and Senate are dysfunctional. The system doesn't work.

[AllentownJake]

2. No he's just as dysfunctional as the Senate nt.

[cali]

3. Alas, he's demonstrating with each passing day, how truly weak he is.

[Bonn1997]

7. I wouldn't call him weak but I would call him a bit naive...

he initially thought that even if he provided no guidance (or very minimal guidance), the House and Congress would not only each pass but would actually put a bill on his desk for HCR by August. My guess is that if he knew then what he knew now, he wouldn't have even tackled HCR in the first half of his first term. He'd have focused on the stimulus package and job creation.

[moondust]

9. I wouldn't call him weak.

You don't defeat the Clinton machine by being weak.

The WH plan from the beginning was to provide some general guidelines and then let Congress do the sausage making. The Clintons tried doing it from the WH end and it didn't work.

[cali]

10. Being a strong candidate and campaigner is quite different from being

a strong leader.

[Hutzpa]

4. ?

:yoiks:

[cali]

5. So? What's your question?

[Hutzpa]

6. What gave you that idea? n/t

[dmosh42]

8. Not much doubt about the leadership, and the corruption...

On the biggest issues, they need to be bold and assertive, and the war and health care are the biggest. No leaders to be found, only deception and payoffs!

[Dennis Donovan]

11. Presdient Obama has a unique chance to be a GREAT President...

Great Presidents are defined by their times - provided they exhibit BOLD and thoughtful leadership. Lincoln and FDR immediately come to mind, and both are consistently in the top 3 when Great President lists are created. Both faced enormous crises after taking office and both executed their agendas with courage.

President Obama hasn't, to me at least, shown such courage. Nor has Reid.

[Vidar]

12. K&R.