Progressivism Means Make Progress

[RBInMaine]

Progressives are right to say that the health bill, even with a P.O., is imperfect. I for one support a single payer bill. But the only way to get that is with a HUGE national movement for it. That's not there now, even according to Kucinich. This health bill though is a long-awaited and much needed START that we can improve upon with time. Progressivism is about PROGRESS. Yeah, I know there are holdouts who will say that this bill is even worse than doing nothing, but that simply ignores all of the positives in the bill which is utterly foolish and frankly ignorant. If you are "progressive" you need to be for actually making some PROGRESS even if it is a small and imperfect step. You have to start somewhere. If this effort fails, then we get to wait maybe another decade or so before another chance comes along. In the meantime, hundreds of thousands more Americans die. I am with Grayson, Boxer, Whitehouse, Sanders, Sherrod Brown, Krugman, Big Ed, and now, it appears, even KUCINICH who see the obvious light and support this as a START. Michael Moore and Jane Hamsher are simply outside the realms of reality and practicality on this. Progressive means PROGRESS. It's very imperfect, but it IS progress. It is a needed START. SUPPORT IT! MAKE CALLS TODAY! TIME TO BRING IT OVER THE FINISH LINE!

[ShortnFiery]

1. The legislators you listed have been MIS-led. This bill, as is, is a Trojan horse.

We will all RUE the day this bill is passed. Moore and Hamsher are "the canary in the coal mine." LISTEN TO THEM AND DON'T PUT YOU FAITH IN CORPORATE LEGISLATORS. Please, don't do it? :(

[RBInMaine]

9. Yeah right. Hamsher over Bernie Sanders. Don't think so. Kindly take your meds.

[MadHound]

2. As a liberal, a progressive, a compassionate human being, I can't support legislation

That actually does greater harm to our society. That is what this so called "reform" is doing, it is going to bankrupt the middle and working class because there are loopholes the size of trucks running through it, allowing the insurance industry to continue to raise rates through the roof. Meanwhile, sure, it does away with the outright ban on pre-existing conditions, but it doesn't mean that rates on such conditions can't be raised to the point where they are simply unaffordable.

Progressives vote for actual progress, not regression. That's what this "reform" is, regression.

[zipplewrath]

3. I'm ambivelant

I think this is an embarrassment to the party. It certainly is no progressive accomplishment. And like you, at best it is a finger in the dike. There is nothing in this bill to change the rate of health care cost increases. It only address health INSURANCE costs, and it isn't even definitive on that.

So in the end, pass it, don't pass it, the democratic party is screwed either way, and within 10 years the population will be screaming for a major "fix". My only concern then is that it will be unavoidably tied to the existence (and profits) of insurance companies by then.

[RBInMaine]

10. Please, get back on your meds today.

[Hello_Kitty]

11. Make fun of mentally ill people. Classy. eom

[Mass]

4. It is a hard call. Personally, I think that it should be passed because there are immediate help

to some groups of people (tell the kid's parents whose kid has cancer and cannot be treated because they cant afford treatment, tell the 22 year old who has no insurance because he has a preexisting condition and must leave his parents's insurance, that they dont matter because you dont get all you want in the bill).

This said, it is important to recognize that this bill is an embarrassment, not a victory. We need to draw conclusions on this, and the first one is to primary every person who is not supporting a STRONG public option. These are the same people who are blocking progress on everything. This embarrassment is of the party's own making. For years, they have refused to define what a strong health policy should be and accepted the RW premises. So, there is no surprise that people have no strong feeling concerning progressive healthcare solutions.

[Clio the Leo]

5. I know this is not an easy concession for many....

.... but I'm glad most of the party is finally coming together on this.

[ShortnFiery]

6. We're NOT. Not by a long shot. This is a major fault line along with the Occupations. eom

[Clio the Leo]

8. lol, well I know YOU aren't....

.... but at least we got Dennis, Sherrod, Gov Dean and Rep Grayson.

If you and Jane want to continue to hold out, that's on you.

[lunatica]

7. I'm a Progressive and I agree with you

It's not easy to keep the faith when that rock we've been pushing up the hill slides back down but as long as steps are made in the correct direction then it's progress. I would consider Obama a raging success if he just starts moving the country in the right direction. It's exactly the same thing the Republicans have done for the last 30 years only they were moving in the wrong direction. Success is measured in increments, and sometimes just holding your ground while working against a trending negative is progress.

To be Progressive for me means hoping for the miracle to happen of what you believe deep in your soul, but keeping up the fight when the miracle doesn't happen because you know that success is also measured in increments.