The funny thing is that this Republican HCR bill will pass & Dems STILL get beat in '10

[Vinnie From Indy]

An argument could be made that many Dems in the House & Senate have an easier time and prefer to be in the minority rather than in the majority. Being in the minority certainly makes the fundraisers back home with progressive constituents MUCH easier to handle. In the minority Representatives can passionately make speeches in steadfast support of progressive ideas. They can bellow 24/7 about the need for more money and more volunteers to get them re-elected and take back this country from the evil Republicans and powerful corporate interests. Now that they have a majority, they simply look inept and dishonest.

The idea that NOT passing this bill will somehow empower the GOP and put in danger the prospects of Democrats across the board is laughable and complete nonsense. The fact is that it would be hard to get anymore hyperbolic on the right than they are now. Passing a public option would not make the GOP attack machine any more outrageous, paranoid or vitriolic. What could they possibly say if Dems would pass a PO in the HCR legislation - that Obama is not just a socialist, but a "Mega" socialist? A super, duper, double secret probation socialist? This whole argument that this bill is needed to get Dems re-elected is nonsense. In fact, it could also be argued that Dems have gone out of their way to provide ample ammunition to the GOP for attacks leading up to the 2010 elections. This sprawling, messy legislation has given the GOP plenty of things to pound home to their idiot followers. The reconciliation pathway, the Ben Nelson foolishness and the rest will resonate with Americans. Add the mandate to that mix and the GOP will have a hard time choosing which club to wield because there are so many in the bag.

Obama will get his insurance dream bill passed and honor his secret backroom deals, Democrats will get defeated across the board in the 2010 elections and many members can go back to comfortably bleating endlessly about the need for more money to fight for progressive ideas should they ever get back in the majority. At least in the minority, they can always claim they WOULD do the things people want if only they had the power.

[scheming daemons]

They'll get beat a lot worse if it doesn't pass....

...that's a fact.

[SoFlaJet]

1. Keep hoping for that dude

who will YOU be voting for in November?

[lamp_shade]

2. Give it up, Vinnie.

[Ozymanithrax]

3. The funny thing is the phrase "Republican HCR Bill"

100% of republicans vote against it, so that statement has a very high inaccuracy quotient.

[Tippy]

15. Says a lot....I missed it thanks..

[RaleighNCDUer]

17. the funny thing is, this bill is to the RIGHT of the one proposed by

Nixon.

How's THAT work?

[gratuitous]

4. Betcha a $10 donation to DU

The Democrats will be the majority party in both the House and the Senate in 2011-2012.

[RKP5637]

9. Oh I hope so, Oh I hope so... this past year has been so frustrating... n/t

[monmouth]

12. I'm with you on that one...n/t

[RaleighNCDUer]

18. Possibly the House, but the Senate is toast.

And that is why passing a bill now with the intention of 'fixing' it later is pure delusion.

[gratuitous]

22. Ten bucks?

Goes to a good cause.

[RaleighNCDUer]

23. I will happily donate that if I am wrong.

Of course, I expect I will donate if I am right, too, but if I'm wrong I'll donate an extra $10.

EDIT: I should have the money for it, because I'm no longer donating to to the party - only to progressive organizations and candidates - I don't want my donations going to put Blue Dogs and DLCers in who oppose a progressive agenda.

[gratuitous]

25. You're on

I'll make a note on my calendar now.

[JVS]

28. It would be hard to lose that many senate and house seats. The real issue...

is having a large enough majority to control congress effectively.

[Romulox]

5. If "bipartisanship" is the thing, then why should I be alarmed if a Republican wins?

Triangulation gives credibility to the rightwing frames, obviously.

[Tippy]

6. Passing this that will be improved upon is the right thing to do...

It's right for all of us...GOP will continue their lies no matter what..Obama and congress made their misteps for sure but we ended up with a decent bill.A bill we can build on.

[county worker]

7. You are wrong and time will show that to you.

I really don't understand a post like this. What good are you doing?

[Vinnie From Indy]

13. Venting frustration

Rest assured that my post will do no harm. It isn't as though progressives are listened to in America whether they are on DU or anywhere else it seems.

I should have been a bit more to the point in my OP and simply offered that Dems would have done no worse had they included the PO than by eliminating it.

[county worker]

24. I understand your frustration. I am one of those who would like to see a much more progressive

agenda implemented. It is my feeling that we need to encourage people to work to bring about the day when we will see the kind of health care bill we really need being signed into law.

We can say that again we are taking our licks and again we are disappointed and lied to and all of that but again we have to get back up and fight all the more harder. There is no place for senseless resignation. Remember the civil rights movement saying, "keep your eye on the prize."

[Cleita]

8. Yes, but not because Democrats will be voting for Republicans but

because they will not vote at all or will vote for a third party candidate and we might as well welcome President Sarah Palin in 2012. Then when the crash occurs, there will be revolution on account of large groups of people losing everything and becoming homeless. No doubt we will have a few extra wars too. Democrats have to stick to their principles and change the direction of this country or we will become a nation that disintegrates into war mongering and third world chaos.

[RKP5637]

10. Sad, but I think there is a lot of truth to what you've said! n/t

[RaleighNCDUer]

19. Yes! Let's fight for our drift to the right,

to avoid a headlong rush to the right.

:eyes:

[Cleita]

20. Don't shoot me I'm just the messenger and what I'm hearing is that

people are so disgusted that they aren't going to vote or may vote for a third party.

[Dr.Phool]

21. Not Palin. Too stupid, and not evil enough.

I think Jeb is laying in the weeds, like the snake he is.

[CBR]

11. Yeah, that would be hilarious

:eyes:

[BurtWorm]

14. Just going on history, the last time the Dems screwed up a chance to pass health care was in 1993.

I don't know if you remember what happened the next election. It wasn't pretty. We haven't fully recovered from that disaster.

PS: By "we," I mean "we Americans," as well as "we Democrats."

[RKP5637]

16. Yep, remember it well... my worst fear is a repeat, but even worse this time. The

RW in this country for lack of a better word has become damn freaky.

[applegrove]

26. I think dems and the obama WH will be able to make the arguement

that the GOP is the party of NO: no for jobs, hcr and financial regulation bills. No No NO No No. Or Nein Nein Nein Nein Nein!!!

[madville]

27. That arguement doesn't make any sense

We have a huge majority on the House, have 3/5 of the Senate and the White House. We could have done whatever we wanted. The Republicans could shout NO all day long but it was/is our ball and we didn't act. Remember when the Democrats were the party of NO for years? It got them a majority, it can work the other way also. Most people believe the government screws up everything it touches and for good reason, the party of NO, whichever party that happens to be, appeals to independents and whatever side is in the minority. In other words, we're screwed come November, deadlock 2011-12 here we come.