Obama is not FDR and he DID support a public option until......$$$$$$ arrived

[bajamary]

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/12/22/obama-repeatedly-touted-public/

FLASHBACK: Obama Repeatedly Touted Public Option Before Refusing To Push For It In The Final Hours

In recent days, there has been an uproar in the progressive community over the Senate’s decision to drop the public option from its health care bill in order to reach the crucial 60 votes needed to break a filibuster. Given that many liberals backed a single-payer, Medicare-for-all system, the public option was seen as a political compromise.

“I didn’t campaign on the public option,” President Obama told the Washington Post. But he touted the public option on his campaign website and spoke frequently in support of it during the first year of his presidency, citing its essential value in holding the private insurance industry accountable and providing competition:

– In the 2008 Obama-Biden health care plan on the campaign’s website, candidate Obama promised that “any American will have the opportunity to enroll in new public plan.” <2008>

– During a speech at the American Medical Association, President Obama told thousands of doctors that one of the plans included in the new health insurance exchanges “needs to be a public option that will give people a broader range of choices and inject competition into the health care market.” <6/15/09>

– While speaking to the nation during his weekly address, the President said that “any plan” he signs “must include…a public option.” <7/17/09>

– During a conference call with progressive bloggers, the President said he continues “to believe that a robust public option would be the best way to go.” <7/20/09>

– Obama told NBC’s David Gregory that a public option “should be a part of this ,” while rebuking claims that the plan was “dead.” <9/20/09>

Despite all this overt advocacy for the public option, it appears that Obama was reticent to apply the political pressure necessary to get the plan in the final hours of congressional negotiation. Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) — who threatened to filibuster the creation of any new public plan or expansion of Medicare — told the Huffington Post that he “didn’t really have direct input from the White House” on the public option and was never specifically asked to support it.

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), one of the most ardent backers of public insurance, blamed the demise of the public option on a “lack of support from the administration.” Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) — perhaps the most visible defender of the public option in the entire health care debate — went even further, saying that Obama’s lack of support for congressional progressives amounted to him being “half-pregnant” with the health insurance and drug industries.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. My Dad, another Green, was absolutely freaked when I told him I was going to vote for Obama. But

I told him I just couldn't deal with a potential President Palin. I just couldn't.

[Bolo Boffin]

3. He did not "campaign" on it.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/12/22/818132/-Fact-Check:-Obama-DIDNT-Campaign-on-the-Public-Option

[bajamary]

6. Fact Check: Obama DID Campaign on the "Public Plan" (UPDATED)

Fact Check: Obama DID Campaign on the "Public Plan" (UPDATED)

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/12/22/818174/-Fact-Check:-Obama-DID-Campaign-on-the-Public-Plan-(UPDATED)

[Bolo Boffin]

9. A couple of references in a two-year campaign.

I certainly think this is a lot of weaseling by Obama we are seeing. But his statement that he didn't campaign on a public option is quite defensible.

[Individualist]

11. I disagree,

and I'm not the only one who does. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7300576&mesg_id=7300576

[Bolo Boffin]

13. Yay. n/t

[JDPriestly]

14. If Obama sometimes campaigned on a public option

and sometimes did not, it makes me question why? Here's my theory. Edwards was campaigning on a Medicare buy-in for all. Obama did not want to be bettered by Edwards and Edwards' excellent plan (in that and many other areas), so Obama pretended he was in favor of a public option. Obama was, in this respect, just flippantly making a promise. He did not really mean it. Who knows what else he didn't mean that we remember him saying?

At this point, I have seen enough of Obama to be persuaded that he is an opportunist.

[freddie mertz]

21. No, it is pure sleaze. Even if he had not campaigned on it, he touted it in office.

And said any bill he would sign "must" have it.

He is dissembling, and it's not pretty, and it's not good governance.

[Fire1]

4. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

:boring:

[cliffordu]

5. Same shit, different day.

you should find a hobby.

[bajamary]

8. why the personal attack?

cliffordu,

Why the personal attack?

I've not done anything to you.

Try being civil

[cliffordu]

12. Try sliming a republican for a change.

maybe that would be a fine hobby.

Or you can keep on sliming the President for being a politician...

:shrug:

I really don't give a fuck, actually.

[JDPriestly]

15. Slime a Republican

Obama (and Clinton) are what used to be called Republicans. It's kind of hard for us real Democrats now that the Republicans have ceded their party to the Fascists and taken over ours.

[glitch]

16. Most succinct post on the reality of the situation ever.

I am going to try to add this to my sig line.

[cliffordu]

17. Real Democrats. Do tell....

:rofl:

[bajamary]

20. FU

FU

[msongs]

7. anything said since the election is NOT campaigning....technically speaking nt

[bajamary]

10. Watch and read this as Obama does pledge his support on 7/17/07

http://lauraetch.googlepages.com/barackobamabeforeplannedparenthoodaction

The above link is to Obama's campaign speech in which he says:

"In my mind, reproductive care is essential care, it is basic care . . it is at the center and the heart of the plan that I propose. Essentially . . we're going to set up a public plan that all persons and all women can access if they don't have health insurance. It will be a plan that will provide all essential services, including reproductive services." (7/17/07)

Watch the video clip here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDtVnPBKMRc&feature=player_embedded#

[Igel]

18. I'm fairly sure Obama supports a public option now.

Exactly what it would look like might be open to debate, but it's a safe claim that he'd support one. It's also open to debate exact how strongly he'd support one now.

That he'd require one, that he'd actually veto any bill that didn't include one? That's a bit beyond supporting one.

Support =/= require.

We could also debate gradualism vs catastrophism in legislation. And exactly how strong the public option needs to be before it meets what he'd like to see.

Lots of room for debate. That he doesn't jump up and down and hold his breath until he passes out in this particular bill might show other priorities in general (i.e., his support's wimpy) or other priorities right now (he takes the long view).

Look, I have a fairly cynical view of Obama in many respects. This strikes me as something that simple cynicism has a hard time finding much purchase on.

[GeorgeGist]

19. Symbolman has revealed himself ...