What It All Boils Down To

[andyrowe]

Obama ran against the idea of a mandate.
Bill with mandate? Yea

Obama ran supporting the public option (in spite of what you might hear from your Democratic Senator).
Bill with Public option? No

I've not budged one nanometer when faced with criticism of my main man, Barack. What can I say? The guy had me ever since Kerry's keynote address. But before Obama, I heard the voice of a politician named Howard Dean. This man, time and time again, has proven he can and will say what needs to be said on behalf of our party, even if he is the only one. Here is a man who really means it when he says he's, "here to represent the democratic wing of the Democratic party."

Doubt him not when he says this bill does more harm than good.

This bill is and will be a boon to an industry who for decades has reaped unreal benefits standing on the throats of the ill and unrepresented. Supremely tragic.

But what really gets my goat is that I will go to sleep tonight knowing that this sorry bill will pass. And our most important politician will smile and sign it. And I will feel the familiar sting that comes with being fucked over by a President. However, this time it will be one for whom I worked tirelessly. One whom I supported financially even though it meant eating more ramen noodles than anyone should consume. A man whom I would have followed to the ends of the earth. And it will sting.

[Subdivisions]

1. If he signs that bill without a public option and with a mandate, he will

not get my vote in 2012. Period.

[andyrowe]

17. I'm with you.

Let's (not) roll (over).

[rockymountaindem]

2. I'm sorry you feel that way. For me

it's just the feeling that my hopes I'd be pleasantly surprised are gone. I never held out much hope for Obama, and I was disappointed that he was the best we could come up with (although he was the best candidate running in 2008). I just hoped we'd get eight years of normalcy after the Bush debacle, and then get into some real reform with our 2016 candidate. Unfortunately it looks like that's just what we're going to get, but the cost is higher than I thought.

[eleny]

3. Here's a link to Obama soundbites where he was against the mandate

He was so convincing.

http://www.prx.org/pieces/23963-obama-advocates-against-clinton-s-mandated-health

Obama soundbite suggesting mandated coverage will be too expensive (Interview by the Keene Sentinel 11/25/07)
Obama and Clinton back and forth over mandated coverage at CNN Austin debate
Soundbite of Obama and Clinton back and forth over mandated coverage at CNN Austin debate
Soundbite of how mandated coverage will make outlaws out of those without insurance (from NHPR's The Exchange, 11/27/07)
Lengthy attack against mandated coverage from CNN Austin debate
Obama distinguishing Clinton-Obama differences on issue of mandate (on NHPR's The Exchange 11/27/07)
Obama describing why mandates don't work (Interview by the Keene Sentinel 11/25/07)
Obama soundbite against Clinton's mandated health plan from CNN Austin debate
And another Obama soundbite against Clinton's mandated health plan (on NHPR's The Exchange, 11/27/07)
Another Obama soundbite against Clinton's mandated health plan from CNN Austin deb

[andyrowe]

10. Thanks for the link...

It's sad the memories seem so short even within our party.

[eleny]

11. Yes and he was so convincing

[napi21]

4. I'm really torn on this bill. I really want those 30 million people covered by SOMETHING,

it would help hospitals cut costs because it would reduce the # of people having to go to the ER, it would help college students by letting them stay on their parent's ins., and even though it would actually hurt ME because we are on a Medicare Advantage Plan I think it would inprove Medicare. I hate seeing the gift to the ins co's, and I HATE Leiberman winning, but I'm just not convinced that my anger is worth blowing the bill up over.

[Parker CA]

7. Great post, Napi!!!

[patrice]

5. Why do you think it will pass?

[andyrowe]

8. Because...

The 60 and Obama have what they want. A shiny bill that doesn't screw over their big pharma donors.

[patrice]

9. I don't think that will help them in 2010 & 2012.They know that. It won't pass.

[andyrowe]

12. I wish you were right...

But I have yet to hear Obama say he will veto a bill that lacks a public option. And he's not going to.

[grantcart]

6. completely understandable feelings

[Digit]

13. I feel betrayed

Betrayed by a man I so believed in.
I volunteered in the phone banks at my local headquarters.
I never had this much emotion invested in a presidential candidate.
I believed him and I believed IN him.

I notice now that the healthcare stocks are increasing while I contemplate what I will do. I am older, cannot find a job and I am already cut to barebones.
They say they are giving us a wonderful gift but it turned out to be a knife in the back.

[andyrowe]

14. Gets ya thinkin'...

Why do we keep thinking a politician's going to do what they should?

[Subdivisions]

15. Well, it's simple really...those of us who can't afford it will just have to die.

If we have or develop a serious, maybe life-threatening, illness, we will just have to live with it or, if life-threatening, we will simply just have to die. Those who can pay get health care and get to live. Those who can't pay will die.

Nothing hard to understand about that.

[andyrowe]

16. Most rocking handle ever.

Rush!