NYT: Rooting for Failure

[babylonsister]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/29/opinion/egan-rooting-for-failure.html?_r=0

Rooting for Failure
By TIMOTHY EGAN
Published: November 28, 2013

snip//


It’s hard to remember a time when a major political party and its media arm were so actively rooting for fellow Americans to lose. When the first attempt by the United States to launch a satellite into orbit, in 1957, ended in disaster, did Democrats start to cheer, and unify to stop a space program in its infancy? Or, when Medicare got off to a confusing start, did Republicans of the mid-1960s wrap their entire political future around a campaign to deny government-run health care to the elderly?

Of course not. But for the entirety of the Obama era, Republicans have consistently been cheerleaders for failure. They rooted for the economic recovery to sputter, for gas prices to spike, the job market to crater, the rescue of the American automobile industry to fall apart.

I get it. This organized schadenfreude goes back to the dawn of Obama’s presidency, when Rush Limbaugh, later joined by Senator Mitch McConnell, said their No. 1 goal was for the president to fail. A CNN poll in 2010 found 61 percent of Republicans hoping Obama would fail (versus only 27 percent among all Americans).

snip//

But where were the news conferences, the Fox News alerts, the parading of people who couldn’t get their lifesaving cancer treatments under the old system? Where was the media attention when thousands of people were routinely dumped once they got sick? When did Republicans in Congress hold an oversight hearing on the leading cause of personal bankruptcy — medical debt?

All of that is what we had before. And all of that is what we will return to if some version of the Affordable Care Act is not made workable. Republicans have a decent chance, in next year’s elections, of killing the dream of progressive presidents going back to Teddy Roosevelt. But they shouldn’t count on it. What’s going against them, or any party invested in failure, is that Americans are inherently optimistic. That alone may be enough to save Obamacare.

[Romulox]

1. Republicans aren't responsible for any perceived failures of the ACAl; they didn't vote for it. nt

[tabasco]

3. They didn't vote for it and

they hope it fails so that the American People are at the mercy of insurance companies.

FIXED YOUR POST!

[Romulox]

4. If it's bad policy, then those who crafted it are responsible for it. And the ACA is mandatory,

for-profit insurance.

The insurers are all at multi-year highs on the stock market.

[SoapBox]

9. So a good argument for Single Payer?

Speaking of voting for the ACA...can anyone post up the vote count at the time it was passed/party breakdown?

[Romulox]

10. Not just 'yes', but 'HELL YES!' nt

[Demeter]

17. Rec your post!

We got rid of the draft, and stopped that foolishness.

I am hoping we can get rid of this rip-off, so our children don't have to. (although they can certainly help!)

Obamacare will be reduced to Medicaid for all. I predict! And then Medicaid and Medicare will have to be cleaned up, so that continuous universal single payer results.

[JDPriestly]

26. Problem is, the Republicans have no alternative.

Under the system prior to ACA many people with pre-existing conditions could not get any health insurance at all or absolutely could not afford the insurance offered them. It was unworkable.

Here in California, ACA is working fine. The Republicans think it hasn't worked because they really haven't tried it.

[rickford66]

11. They were allowed a lot of input in return for their votes.

So it turns out, most or all of their input was deliberate sabotage. If it fails they get to say "We told you so" and if it succeeds, they get their grift from the insurance industry and they get to say "Our opposition caused changes to make it successful".

[geek tragedy]

33. Except for blocking Medicaid expansion.

Or refusing to run their own exchanges. And doing whatever they can to sabotage implementation and enrollment.

But, your lack of interest in criticizing Republicans doesn't permit you to discuss those.

[Romulox]

35. Those are all flaws in the over-arching legislative scheme. ACA is deeply compromised, and thus

deeply flawed.

But, your lack of interest in criticizing Republicans doesn't permit you to discuss those.

It doesn't fix the problem. It's cover your ass talk, which I don't care about.

[geek tragedy]

36. No, you're just barfing up Republican talking points.

The Supreme Court made Medicaid expansion voluntary. And you refuse to blame Republicans on the state level for not expanding it to save human lives.

Fox News is more honest and willing to criticize Republicans than you are. Everything you say re: the ACA is pro- RNC trolling.

[Romulox]

47. Reality, rather than cheerleading. nt

[Maraya1969]

37. How about all the cyber attacks on AHC's Website? And all their pro-active attempts at

making people believe lies about it and not want to join especially when we need as many people as possible to join.
Don't think that they have not had a negative impact.

This AHC is going to work DESPITE THOSE FUCKING REPUBLICANS.

[Dustlawyer]

48. Right on, you nailed it! K&R for the post as well!

[billhicks76]

38. Traitors

Rooting for our country to fail is the very definition of treason.

[tabasco]

2. Republicans work only for their corporate masters

They do not care about the nation or its people.

[riversedge]

5. Republicans: Wanting and working for Americans poor health-should

be the title.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

6. Republicans are really convinced of the power of their mouth....

They believe Reagan brought down the Berlin Wall with the power of his mouth.

[elleng]

7. Yes, their propaganda is very powerful.

[INdemo]

8. Republicans of the 60's and even 70's would not use such tactics

because we had Democrats in Congress had the balls to fight back and put them in their place. Today its .."well we'll just tell them they are wrong and see what happens" that is about as far as the fight goes for the Democrats...We have to blame the Democrats for not defending President Obama on several issues but there are/were Democrats that joined with the Repubs on many occasions. The Democrats of yesteryear were not corporate Democrats.

[Ace Acme]

21. Tell them they're wrong? That wouldn't be nice!

How can we ever arrive at any bipartisan consensus if we dare to be so rude?

Besides we need the big fat checks they write us so we can get the right committee chairs!

This isn't sarcasm. This is how it works.

[albino65]

12. I'll catch a lot of flack

This is why I think President Barack Obama may be our greatest president ever. He has had to endure the worst kind of overt racism and yet he has had some successes. We need to run the grand old racists out of office and take back our country. It's time for us to say this is not "our" America.

[freshwest]

24. No flack from many like me who agree whole heartedly with you. Welcome to DU.

[treestar]

40. Yes. Presidentin' while black

As the OP points out, Medicare would have been a bigger step towards "socialism" yet they didn't give LBJ all that crap.

[INdemo]

49. Coffee shop talk

I sat there while this friend rattled on about his friends in Kentucky were forced to buy Obama care and how some were forced to pay higher premiums on existing insurance and how the decrease in coal mining was all Obama's fault because he doesn't want coal fired electrical plants..He went on and on..Then I spoke up and asked him if he had checked out "Obama Care" and what premiums actually were,and how my wife would save about $300.00 on premiums and how if our Republican Governor would allow the federal subsidies in Indiana we would have more people paying much less if any for premiums but because he is a Tea Bagger governor he wont allow it.
The conversation continued with well Obama did this or didn't do that and finally I made the comment that ..Lets face it..some that are so dead set against Obama care are just plane racists...they hate the fact that we have a black man for our President and that's been the reason for Congress fighting him every step of the way...The conversation then ended abruptly
Note: I live in a solid red county and except for one other person (maybe) I was the only Democrat in there.
I'll be there again this morning and anxious to see if my coffee is as good today as yesterday.

[albino65]

50. I wish I could go

I'd like to join you for coffee there. I wish many of us could. The more the R/W'ers are forced to face their own prejudices, the less they will like the reflection in the mirror every morning. Maybe if they are shamed enough, we will finally make some progress.

[chuckstevens]

13. Phil Ochs Crucification Lyrics

Funny how the lyrics about JFK apply all too well to President Obama today:


Then his message gathers meaning and it spreads across the land

The rewarding of his pain is the following of the man

But ignorance is everywhere and people have their way

Success is an enemy to the losers of the day

In the shadows of the churches, who knows what they pray?

For blood is the language of the band.


Phil Ochs 1967

[Ace Acme]

22. JFK didn't murder women and children with drones

Last edited Sat Nov 30, 2013, 06:39 PM - Edit history (2)

... and then joke about it.

BHO is no JFK. His pretense ended after he won the election. On his third day in office
he declared his contempt for international law by ordering a drone strike on a country that
was no military threat to us, a strike that killed a dozen civilians.

Maybe you weren't paying attention. I was. I wanted a president who would roll back the
neofascistic excesses of the Bush regime, and would hold the criminals accountable for
torture and war crimes. On that third day in office, Obama made clear that he would not
do what I wanted.

[chuckstevens]

32. You Have Some Valid Points....

However, the point I was trying to make is that the people who are rooting against America can't let President Obama win on anything because as the song says, "success is the enemy of the losers of the day." McConnell and Boehner and all the Tea Party Fool's only goal is to prevent the President from being successful in any way because his success makes them look bad and hurts their credibility.

And by the way: while the US Government/Military did not have drones in the 1960's you are EXTREMELY naive to think that in Vietnam or elsewhere innocent civilians were not killed by US military actions. Do you really believe that this is the first time our government has violated international law in such a manner?

[geek tragedy]

34. People of Vietnam might disagree. nt

[spanone]

14. fucking k & fucking r

[Berlum]

15. Republicons are occultly twisted in their cheerleading against America

?w=584&h=386

[rocktivity]

16. Candidate for this year's "You Call This NEWS?" awards

But then again, consider the source...


rocktivity

[packman]

18. Oh, hell, they got it from day 1

Can't you remember the head of the Repukian National Party, Rush Limbo, telling his minions that he wanted and hoped that Obama would fail. I know I was shocked to hear it, because I expected him to give Obama at least a few days,weeks, or even months to prove himself. But, no - Day after day from day one he spewed hoped failure out on the radio . He gave orders that in no way was ANY Republican to ever cooperate with Democrats and if any did they would be considered anathema ,drummed out of the party, outcasts, and needed to be voted out of office to be replaced by true Republicans.
What more can you expect when get your 4/8 year marching orders from the man who speaks for the pary?

[hue]

19. Yup! Repukes r "praying" & working for the USA to GTH bc we have an African American President.

[vinny9698]

20. The real reason Ted Cruz wants to defund ACA

Once people see the benefits, it will become like SS and Medicare.

[Laelth]

23. k&r for exposure. n/t

-Laelth

[rhett o rick]

25. k&r thanks for posting. nm

[Doctor_J]

27. He had me until this

All of that is what we had before. And all of that is what we will return to if some version of the Affordable Care Act is not made workable.

Nope, nope, nope. It will also not return if we have NHS or SP, or even a Public Option.

[TeamPooka]

28. I cannot K&R this article enough.

[Progressive dog]

29. K&R from a supporter

of the ACA and of the President who finally managed to provide health insurance to most Americans.
To hell with those damn Republicans and their allies. Democrats have waited more than half a century for some movement toward making health care available to all.
We have a good start.

[FairWinds]

30. The article and comments miss a key point . .

which is that, not only have the GOOPERS rooted against national success,
they have also worked their big evil butts off to oppose success.
They do much more than just "root". They act.

[world wide wally]

31. I knew all this was coming when Republicans started cheering when we were't awarded

The Olympis.

Remember that ...way back when?

[AlbertCat]

39. That alone may be enough to save Obamacare.

Is it about to go under?

I guess they mean IF the GOP get into power. 'Cause the problems with the ACA now are fixable and not "life threatening".

[RainDog]

41. k&r n/t

[WillyT]

42. HUGE K & R !!!

[alfredo]

43. knr

[DallasNE]

44. "Is Not Made Workable"?????

That seems to confuse the Web application with the ACA. All the Web site is is a tool to acquire health insurance either through an exchange or Medicaid. The computer programming behind the Web site can and will be fixed, if it hasn't already happened. There will undoubtedly be other holes that will need to be patched and to the extent they can be done administratively they will also be fixed. That only leaves the area requiring a legislative solution, which cannot pass in the current Congress. Much as Medicare Part D was made workable after some initial issues, so too will the ACA made workable and sooner rather than later.

[Enthusiast]

45. Republicans don't believe in the golden rule.

[mikekohr]

46. Yes they do. Republican Golden Rule:"Them that has the gold, makes the rules."

"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." JFK