What's Done Is Done on HCR

[Yavin4]

I still think that it's a bad bill, and it will haunt the Democrats in future elections. However, what's done is done, and incessant arguing is not going to change anything.

I still support Obama and the Democrats, but my expectations of real change have been lowered considerably. The current generation of Washington politicians have forever been branded with Reaganism, which is the belief that the federal government should never help people directly, rather the govt should help the rich and the powerful and in return they will provide for the people. The only way we're going to see change is when these baby boomer pols retire.

I still think that it's worth voting for Democrats if only to keep Sarah Palin and other Republican lunatics out of of power. There's a wide gulf between being disappointed in your president and being horrified by what your president does.

[xchrom]

1. I think your assesment of the effect of

Reaganism is good.

I'll survive -- and I will be much stingier
with my vote -- in another gore scenario babylong French cats who are wild
will have hurt feelings .

Don't care -- so
e things I will not do again.

[Armstead]

2. You are correct -- It's done in more ways than one

HCR has enshrined Democrats as the party of Reaganism. And what is so discouraging is that so many have embraced that as the only "pragmatic" course of action.

Jeeze, this could have been a crowning achievement. Instead we have advanced the corporate CONservative agenda and the GOP didn't have to lift a finger.

I guess it's better than Sarah Palin. But by how much? Even they wouldn't have had the nerve to force Americans to buy a product from a private corporation.

[Yavin4]

3. This Is Not The First Time That Dems Caved Into Reaganism

Remember that the Glass-Stengall Act was thrown out under Clinton, and he reformed welfare. What we're seeing in Washington is generational arrogance. The Baby Boomer pols think they have all the answers. They're elitist at heart, whether Repub or Dem. Their entire lives have revolved around getting into elite schools and mingling with power. They have disdain for working class Americans. To them, we're dullards who couldn't get into the good schools.

So, when it comes to making public policy, they favor the rich and the powerful. Dems of the 20th century, Truman, LBJ, heck even the Kennedys, came from working class stock. Sure, the Kennedys had money, but they never forgot their roots. They never looked down on the working class.

[Armstead]

10. I know --is really and what is really annoying is that they are usually recognized as wrong later

[Hello_Kitty]

4. Sorry about the unrecs. I rec'd and I agree with you.

I figure the HCR turkey is water under the bridge at this point. Just another "complex" to join the military industrial, utility, education, and communications ones.

I still like Obama though I too am disappointed. If a pollster called me tonight I'd say I approved of the job he's doing. To be honest, I don't even know how much power he'd have to change things anyway, given how entrenched the corporate powers are.

[dhpgetsit]

5. Don't say it's done until it really is.

Because some of us have not given up.

http://yeswestillcan.org/

[customerserviceguy]

6. But it's not "done"

There is still a conference committee to be held, and after watching the making of this sausage so far, I'd say that the 'wurst' is yet to come.

I hope that enough progressive Congresscritters and Senators have the courage to say, "This has gone too far, this isn't what I voted for before the committee really screwed up the concept of HCR beyond belief."

Voting this mess down would not be their failure, it would be the failure of the President to set standards of what he wanted, and start leading towards those ideals (rather than saying, "Just write something, I'll sign whatever it is.") and it would also be the failure of the corporate-owned nominal Democrats who have sold us all out.

We need things to get worse with health care, before enough people are on our side to make truly meaningful change.

[Yavin4]

7. I Am Encouraged By The Wieners and The Graysons

What we need is a new generation of leaders. We need the aging boomers to fade off into the sunset and let a new breed of leaders emerge.

[WonderGrunion]

8. Wiener and Grayson have both voted for this bill.

Practical Progressives still vote the same way as older Democrats.

[Armstead]

9. I agree with you biut think people are on the side of real reforrn

I believe people (except for hardcore conservatives and know-nothing teabaggers) ARE on nthe side of real reform.

The problem is that there are too many Democrats in a position of power who are basically conservative and "centrist" -- and Obama chose not to really lead in the direction of reform or give any back up to progressives.

As a result there wasn't really much for people to support. Just some vague nebulous concept that doesn't include what most people wanted and a lot they don't. Nobody really likes this hash -- not even most who publicly "support" it now.

jeezus even a mild public option or slight expansion of optional medicare -- which is hardly threatening -- couldn't make it through.

I do hope the progressive and liberal Congressmen get their backbone before it's too late -- but it appears unlikely.

[customerserviceguy]

11. I disagree with your contention that most are on the side of reform

It has been sold poorly. We've not had a single plan on which we could unite over the last year. We hear about bits and pieces that leak out after it's too late to oppose them, and a lot of what we hear about is the bribery needed to cobble together a few votes here and there.

Maybe the President can sell the whole thing to the country once it's got his signature on it, but that's a pretty big if. I guess we'll find out in November if he's been sucessful.