Senate Dems, YOU have 1 bargaining chip left, use it to WIN a strong PO or Single Payer.

[Union Yes]

President Obama has already committed us to an escalation of the Afghan war through an Executive Order. As disgusting as that fact is to those of us who HATE war, there is little or nothing we can do to stop it.

The US House passed a war appropriations bill yesterday authorizing funding for the Afghan war.

The bill now requires approval from the US Senate. It can be filibustered or voted down or passed with a simple majority.

The war funding bill is the LAST remaining bargaining chip that the Democratic party has left regarding meaningful HC reform.

The Senate is fully poised and expected to pass this war bill soon. Hate that fact all we want. Protest, call em and say vote 'no' all we want, it won't stop passage. Not this year anyway. I dislike that fact as much as any DU'er but it's a reality we must face.

THE US SENATE WILL PASS THIS WAR FUNDING BILL. As much as we despise that fact, we need to deal with that reality.

If it's a done deal then the least we can do is get meaningful health care reform(PO or SP) out of the deal.

If Senate Dems are going to give Rethugs their war which seems unstoppable, then Rethugs must give us support for a PO or SP or NO WAR FUNDING BILL.

I wrote a thread recently on DU suggesting the House do this before voting for the war funding bill and was called 'evil' by certain DU'ers. I'm a vet who despises war. Perhaps more so than anyone on this site. But I also understand the reality of the fact that war funding is going to pass and our Prez has ordered troop escalation in Afghanistan.

We the people, are utterly powerless to stop it.

I know, I know "STOP ALL WAR FUNDING!" I agree wholeheartedly and it's a great sentiment but it falls on deaf ears in the House and Senate.

Since we cannot stop it then why not demand strong HC reform as a compromise?

As stated earlier, I suggested the House do this first and was told by a few DU'ers it would be 'political suicide' for Dems to force this debate and force compromise from Rethugs using the war funding bill as a bargaining chip.

I wholeheartedly disagree.

Failing to pass meaningful HC reform will be political suicide for the Dems, not forcing a debate.

Harry Reid, Invoke the "Master of the Senate" LBJ if you have to. Grow a fucking pair and learn the word leverage.

You have the leverage, the bargaining chip to win a PO or SP.

If you only had a spine.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. If only he had a spine...

Or a pair of balls.

I honestly don't think he does.

You have a GREAT idea.

K&R

[Union Yes]

4. Thanks for the kind words Peggy!

:hi: :fistbump:

[RevCheesehead]

22. Wasn't that the original song for the Cowardly Lion?

spine/balls/the noive...

:hi:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

23. My dear RevCheesehead!

Now, that could be!

Noive!

:hi:

[Wapsie B]

2. Holding up war funding is about the only bargaining chip Dems have

with the HC reform debate. I just have to wonder what will the Democrats go to the mat for? If not HCR then what?

[Union Yes]

9. In my 39 year lifetime, I can't remember a time when a party squandered it's political capital..

like this current class of Dems has.

F'n sad.


Peace

:hi:

[Wardoc]

28. Agreed! (nt)

[Union Yes]

30. Welcome to DU.

:hi:

[Wapsie B]

31. Yes it is sad. The Chamber of Commerce/DLC has taken over the Democratic Party.

I'm 53 and can't recall a time when a party intercourse'd up this badly. I say that as a former UFCW member and Teamster.

[Union Yes]

32. Here, Here. UAW member here,

The Dems are becoming an embarrassment.

I like your comment 'intercourse'd up'. Clever, and cleaner. I'm trying to clean up my language a tad here on DU. Nice!

Peace and Solidarity!

UY

[LakeSamish706]

3. Another great post... And once again, not holding my breath. We have accomplished

a few things with this Administration vs the bush administration (mis administration actually). I am in no way holding my breath that anything will change in any way that will benefit we the little guy.

[Union Yes]

6. Thanks. I know how frustrating it is. Not holding my breath here either..

my foolish hope is what keeps me going.

Hope is all I got left.

:hi:

[Mojambo]

5. The Republicans would do it in a heartbeat.

The Democrats? NO FUCKING WAY.

[Waiting For Everyman]

7. I don't understand why this isn't/wasn't done too.

All of this scenario could've been foreseen from the gitgo, and planned for. What was the strategy for getting HRC passed? It looks as if it was only "concede".

Well, the result of lowest common demonimator conceding, and more conceding, could've been foreseen too. This is it. Was there really NO STRATEGY AT ALL for getting a decent bill passed? Why bother doing it, then?

If the Dems haven't figured out any way to get any non-RW bill passed, they need to put their heads together now and come up with a way. They know who and what the obstacles are. Why is this a surprise to them? It certainly isn't to me. If it was me, I would've had it planned since last year, to do just as you said.

It looks to me like they came to a gunfight with no bullets. And just expected us the public to take the hit for it. They're surprised that we're complaining about it? Damn! That's some major incompetence.

What's worse, they probably don't even now, have the guts and intelligence to do as you said. We'll end up paying for a war we don't want, and getting absolutely nothing good for us in return.

[Union Yes]

8. I'd have a hard time saying it any better..

Dems have done nothing but bend over and grab ankles.

:fistbump:

[Waiting For Everyman]

13. ...

A kick for the night crowd.

I sure hope the Congress is thinking about your approach right now.

:fistbump:

[Grey]

10. What Union Yes said.....

repeat.

[Union Yes]

11. ..

:fistbump: :hi:

[FLyellowdog]

12. This is wrong on so many levels.

The Republicans are already threatening a filibuster against the defense funding tonight and I am furious at them. How dare they presume to play politics with the wellbeing of our military? Without funding,our soldiers won't get the pay and protection they deserve. I am against the war but dammit if we've got men and women over there doing what I'm not willing to do, by damn then we ought to be keeping our part of the bargain to see that their monies are fully funded and funded on time. I would be ashamed of any Democratic Senator who put HCR above what we've already undertaken with our military. Think this through people. HCR may look like a game being played on tv, but our military certainly isn't a part of it.

[Waiting For Everyman]

14. Do you really think that it won't get funded?

I don't see that happening, no matter what.

And we're really through the looking glass if Repubs are going to filibuster the war... that's their "baby". It would be a show worth watching, for them to filibuster it. Heck, I'd save videos of that! Just how would they explain or justify that to their base?

I'll believe it when I see it.


ps I'm the recent widow of a 100% disabled VN combat vet. Fought for his VA claims, and those of other vets for 25 years. I think I know something about repecting and supporting our vets.

[Union Yes]

17. There is nothing you can say that will ever convince me that 'Thugs will shoot down a warpiggin bill

You're wasting your time.

[ThomWV]

15. You act like Afghanistan was the Republican's war, its not, its Obama's war.

[Union Yes]

16. And now that we've both faced that reality lets use Obama's war to get real HC reform..

An exectutive order has been given. War funding passed the House and is fully expected to pass the Senate.

That is unless Dems choose to use the war funding bill as leverage.

That leverage could bring us single payer. But I'm not holding my breath.

[hfojvt]

18. it's kinda sad that people think this is a good idea

As if Republicans would not love to go on TV and say "Democrats are playing politics with the lives of the troops" and then add the caveat, "they want to force us to allow a GOVERNMENT TAKE OVER of health care." (Hint: the public option and the whole healthcare bill are not overwhelmingly popular at this time and single payer never was.)

[Union Yes]

20. I'd relish that fight... Dems will commit political suicide by failing to reform HC.

Rethugs have always said that Dems play politics with the lives of our troops. They've cried wolf on that one for so long that it falls on deaf ears regarding the voting public.

And you're dead wrong about the public not supporting single payer.

[Desertrose]

19. If only they had the courage.....

to actually do their jobs for the people who elect them rather than the corporate ones who make their lives cushy.

If only......

[Toasterlad]

21. Um...the Republicans Aren't the Reason We Can't Get Decent Healthcare.

The fucking DEMOCRATS are the reason we can't get decent healthcare. And the Democrats are not going to hold up giving Obama all the fucking money he wants to make his oil pipeline friends happy.

[LooseWilly]

24. It would be fun to watch... but the Democrats would never have the nerve. Alas.

It would probably work too, if only...

[Union Yes]

25. I'd be proud of Dems if they'd at least die trying. Shake up the F'n hive abit. Show some fight.

But even that seams like too much to ask.

It's frustrating. Thanks for checkin in though.

:fistbump:

[Union Yes]

26. Last point.. I know it would work if Dems showed solidarity and resolve.

Those 2 words seam foreign to Harry and Co.

[LooseWilly]

27. I keep thinking that putting PO and medicare buy in back in, and threatening full medicare buy in...

through reconciliation as a response if filibuster continued, would win one way or another... but solidarity &/or resolve seem to be anathema to the Dems... it's beyond frustrating. Even just putting the both back in and forcing a filibuster seems like it would show some fight, and renew a little spirit in the base... and some renewed interest in a move to reconciliation process and full medicare buy in by that route. And I also think it would help Reid in his own re election bid in Nevada... but even that he seems unwilling to do. At the bidding of the White House, no less... or so the rumor goes. Un-friggin-believable.... well, almost.
:shrug:

[Union Yes]

29. I love the Medicare for all buy in through reconciliation idea, but the F'n cowardice of the Dems..

to ever show some spine and force an issue is nothing short of pathetic.

It's like they have a bad case of ADD, like their not paying attention to how bad they're fucking up by losing on the entire HC debate.

Especially when they have leverage. The fact that they won't use leverage to force an issue is what's most frustrating. The utter lack of spine.

What to do..
:shrug: