Obama to Progressives: 31 Million People--And My Presidency--Are On The Line

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Obama to Progressives: 31 Million People--And My Presidency--Are On The Line If Health Care Fails
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/03/obama-to-progressives-31-million-people--and-my-presidency--are-on-the-line-if-health-care-fails.php

President Obama's message to progressives who are dissatisfied with the Senate health care bill is two fold: First: Don't forget about the uninsured. Second: Don't forget what failure to pass this bill would do to the party and my presidency.

In a meeting with House progressives today, Obama made the pitch.

Speaking to reporters in the Speaker's lobby off the House floor, Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chair Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) said the President reminded them that "If this opportunity passes, much of our agenda, on the progressive side...it would be difficult, if not impossible for a generation to get back to this issue."

I asked if the message was convincing to those in attendance.

"It's pretty compelling," Grijalva said.

[Larkspur]

1. I'd believe Obama was serious about solving the health care crisis

if he support a robust public option or Medicare buy-in with the senate HCR bill.

[Eric J in MN]

3. Has Obama ever discussed the Medicare-at-55 idea...

...which may have passed the Senate if not for Joe Lieberman?

[inna]

2. Where did the number 31 million come from? I thought it was 47 million.

[Eric J in MN]

6. They have been saying that about 30 million additional people would have health insurance...

...if the bill passes for months.

[AllentownJake]

7. It will be two kids and a leper in a month nt.

[frazzled]

26. 47 million includes undocumented workers (i.e, illegal immigrants), I believe

And these people will not be covered (alas) in the bill. That was too hot a political football for anyone.

My assumption is that there were about 16 million undocumented people included in the total of uninsureds. 31 million citizens and legal immigrants will be covered. I could be wrong.

[AllentownJake]

4. Wonder why that pitch wasn't made to so called moderates

In concern of the public option....btw Barack, I could give a fuck about your Presidency if it doesn't mean good policy. You are not too big to fail.

[HBravo]

30. Yup

Do the right thing and your legacy will take care of itself.

[niyad]

5. I thought it was about 45 mil without insurance. and, what happened to single-payer? a real public

option?

I am sorry, but when I heard him say, months ago, that we can't let the insurance companies go out of business--because, after all, they are our neighbors and friends, I was completely disgusted, figured we were going to get totally screwed.

caving in to the repukes again and again and again isn't going to get us anywhere,.

[Eric J in MN]

9. The number of Americans who lack health insurance is different than...

...the number of Americans who would get health insurance as a result of this bill passing.

[niyad]

15. so, 17 million would still be without insurance--and the bills completely suck anyway.

[kctim]

18. So true

Not all who lack health insurance are prevented from getting it. President Obama, being smart enough to take this into account, used the larger number to help sell his point.
Brilliant move.

[Trey9007]

19. I consider myself a Democrat

and I agree with the notion that we don't want insurance companies going out of business. I want them to stay in business, and I want them to continue to make profits. I want them to continue to employ Americans. I just want them to do all these things in a more ethical manner.

[niyad]

31. please tell me exactly what good you think the insurance companies are providing?

these merchants of death provide no benefit to society that I can see.

perhaps the people currently employed in this blood-sucking parasite industry could find more useful employment elsewhere--like rebuilding our broken infrastructure, as a start.

[Tailormyst]

44. They could employ people without making a profit.

No one should profit from the misery of others. No one should become a billionaire by denying coverage to sick people.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

8. That takes some fucking nerve.

Really. After shitting in progressives faces on HCR, it's just more "shut up and get in line".

If Obama had done this right from the beginning and gotten the Blue Dogs in line, amybe he wouldn't be looking at a threat to his Presidencey and the Democratic Party. :mad:

[Individualist]

11. Hear, hear!

[AllentownJake]

12. + 2012 Primary nt.

[emilyg]

33. +1

[MisterP]

48. it's the old David Koresh defense nt

[rudy23]

10. The blame has been aimed, just like we said it would.

Don't blame obstructionist Blue Dogs if the bill fails, blame progressives. We knew this would happen. If they do end up blaming "the left of the left", the gloves come off.

[glitch]

16. +19 million family, friends and neighbors. An as far as the gloves go -- why wait? nt

[maxsolomon]

13. throw us a bone

sign an executive order suspending DADT. or suspend DEA raids on MM providers.

the natives are restless over here on the actual left.

[w4rma]

14. NO! Not without a public option. The hell with Rahm and his BS. (nt)

[mmonk]

17. It should be about the people, not the party.

I see few cost containment measures and Americans still without access.

[Libertas1776]

20. No, what he really means is his re-election is on the line...

everything else is ancillary.

[Coyote_Bandit]

21. Well, well, well

Mr. Obama you have to serve to advance and protect my needs and interests if you want my vote. To date, you haven't done that. You fallen far short on several matters. And, no I will not vote for you just because you might be the best of two bad but nonetheless major party candidates. If the Dem primaries were today and there was a progressive opposing you they's get my vote. If the general election were today and there was a progressive third party candidate they'd get my vote.

How fucking arrogant of you to assume that I should give a shit about your Presidency. I care about whether you serve my needs and interests. That's why I voted for you. If you fail to advance and protect my needs and interests then don't be surprised when I fail to vote for you to retain your position.

Time to deliver the goods Mr. President. You said there would be change. Where the fuck is it?

[David Zephyr]

22. Wow! His political ambition is "on the line".

Sad.

[niyad]

23. there is an old t-shirt that reads, "it will be a great day when the schools have all the money they

need, and the air force has to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber"

perhaps one of our many talented DU'ers could create one along the lines of "it will be a great day when americans have all the health CARE they need, and the death merchants of the insurance cartels have to hold a bake sale to buy their private jets"

[Oregone]

24. 31 million people are now a political football

Come on...if they were cared about, handing them over to private corporations to cover wouldn't be on the table

[sendero]

25. Just what I thought..

... the bill is for "saving my presidency".

As for the party, some of us think this bill, if passed, will be a disaster for Dems.

Personally, I think the midterms are going to be a disaster no matter what.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

32. That is one of my objectiosn to the bill.

I truly believe it is a bad bill and that it will take down the Democrats. The GOP are going to ahve a fucking FIELD DAY with add pointing out how the Democrats are FORCING you to purchase insurance, even if you can't afford it, even if you don't want it, etc. They already have the "ram it down your throat" meme in place, ready to go for the midterms.

The polls clearly show American do not like a mandate, let alone a mandate without a public option.

[ProSense]

27. CPC chairman indicates liberals will support health bill

CPC chairman indicates liberals will support health bill

By Jordan Fabian - 03/04/10

The chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) suggested that Thursday that House liberals are

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) spoke to reporters in the Capitol after returning from a meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House. Representatives of other Democratic constituencies also met with the president Thursday as the party is starting to whip votes for the final proposal.

The support of House liberals is not guaranteed due to their support for the public health insurance option, which was not included in the president's fixes to the bill released last week. CPC members have also expressed concern with voting for the Senate bill before the package of fixes because it contains measures they oppose, such as the so-called "Cornhusker Kickback" Medicaid funds for Nebraska.

Asked if members of his caucus, by-and-large, will support the healthcare proposal, Grijalva said "It's becoming that way, yes."

more

But Woolsey says she’s now a definite Yes on the Senate bill, provided the reconciliation fix is adequate, even if it lacks a public option.

[Goldstein1984]

28. Dear Mr. President...

It isn't about your presidency, and it isn't about the party, it's about the people.

Assigning blame for your failures in advance on progressives, rather than your numerous failures to keep your progressive promises, isn't going to fool anyone.

[jgraz]

36. + a brazillion

[jonathon]

29. If this includes the Stupak amendment, there is going to be HELL to pay

HELL

[EFerrari]

34. If that amendment is made law, it needs to be challenged immediately.

This fight will never be over.

[mvd]

35. Yes, I think at this point we have to pass something

We need a starting point. The last thing I want is for the Repukes to successfully obstruct it. There's enough good in the bill to be a starting point. But it's not even close to where we should stop. We shall see if the President is willing to take up the public option and other important changes after it passes.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

37. CYA politics. When all else fails, blame the progressives.

“He reminds one of the man who murdered both his parents, and then pleaded for mercy on the grounds that he was an orphan.” - Abraham Lincoln

[MzNov]

38. Tell that to your buds the ConservaDems

P.S. Health Care has already failed.

This is the biggest pile of BS yet. Sigh. But expected. Blame the progressives, instead of listening to their ideas in the first place.

[amborin]

39. progressives owe it to the base to vote NO on this cruel HCR bill

[Kablooie]

40. So this bill is more damaging to the country than a Republican govt in 2012?

If this doesn't go through we will see a slew of new Republicans take over Democratic seats and very likely a Republican president in 2012.

That's what you will get if it doesn't go through.

[amborin]

there wouldn't be

that much difference, at this point

but aside from that, are you saying it's ok to foist a cruel bill on Americans, for political reasons?

[amborin]

41. there wouldn't be

that much difference, at this point

but aside from that, are you saying it's ok to foist a cruel bill on Americans, for political reasons?

[Kablooie]

47. I do think there would be a difference.

Granted the Dems have shifted right farther than ever before and this is not a good thing.

They may even be near where the GOP was in the past.

But the GOP has also shifted farther right so that now they are somewhere in Hooterville with pink elephants and swirling eyeballs.

They have lost all contact with sentience.

I believe a GOP government would be even worse, as is evidenced in the economic maelstrom we are attempting to navigate today.

[anonymous171]

42. Me to Obama: That's not how American politics works. nt

[Tailormyst]

43. Progressives to Obama: Stop moving to the right every time we look at you.

[LWolf]

45. That message leaves me cold.

If he wanted my support, he shouldn't have thrown me under the bus.

[MadHound]

46. And tens of millions more middle and working class people's lives are on the line as well,

And frankly I don't care about your presidency. Passing a bill that is going to mandate a monopoly for the insurance industry, tax union members, and expose us all to ever increasing insurance rates without any sort of public option is something I'm not willing for this country to take a hit on for so little in return.

As far as Obama's presidency, I don't care. It is increasingly unlikely that I will vote for him given his actions in everything from the wars to education. This bill is just one more weight in the balance against him as far as I'm concerned.