Obama Shows His Progressive Spine

[Better Believe It]

Obama Shows His Progressive Spine
By Katrina vanden Heuvel
Editor
The Nation
September 9, 2009

In a plain-spoken, at times tough, and masterful address to a joint session of congress, President Obama spoke in pragmatic and moral terms about the importance of healthcare reform as a test of our nation's character. He called for sweeping action, including most notably outlawing insurance companies from denying coverage because of preexisting conditions. Security and stability was a refrain. A call to end children's games was an almost biblical subtext as the President spoke powerfully of the need to move beyond the ugly circus of August. "The time for bickering is over. Games are over."

On the imperative of a public option, Obama did not fully satisfy. The insurance exchange idea confused more than it clarified in explaining the role of the public option. Why will it take four years? Essentially, it's a compromise because Congress doesn't have the guts to raise money to do it more quickly. There may be some benefits up front, but there are still more questions than answers. What is clear is that the fight must still be waged to push through a public option --already a part of four of the five bills in Congress--if we're to get an essential component of genuine and effective healthcare reform. After all, the public option is already a pragmatic all-American compromise (choice and competition). Medicare for All--or single-payer-was never on the table.

Obama likes to say that the perfect is the enemy of the good. But what if the weak is the enemy of the good? And the shout-outs to the left were at times patronizing--as if he had to do triangulation 2.0

In many ways, it was Obama's fullest, most eloquent and formal defense of liberalism and the clearest exposition of his view of government's role. It was not the full-fledged antidote to Reagan's decades of government-is-the-problem conservative narrative. Yet Obama spoke eloquently of a new and progressive role for government. We must build on it.

There is work ahead to fulfill the promise of shaping a more humane and healthier future. But on the evening of September 9th, eight years after President George W. Bush spoke to a joint session of Congress, President Obama has set us on a path we must seize in the critical days and weeks ahead.

Please read the complete article at:

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090921/kvh

[flyarm]

1. YEAH YEAH YEAH...........

Sen. Claire McCaskill: I'm Happy We're 'Handcuffing The Public Option'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9RV_r-k9lU&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Edemocraticunderground%2Ecom%2Fdiscuss%2Fduboard%2Ephp%3Faz%3Dview%5Fall%26address%3D385x368864&feature=player_embedded

[rudy23]

3. Methinks McCaskill let something slip she wasn't supposed to.

Or rather, she said it in a way that she didn't realize how honest it was.

[polichick]

13. Yes, she was a bit too gleeful about those handcuffs! nt

[rudy23]

18. It always did seem like our Dems like to be Dommed. Now we know.

Like I said, she let too much slip.

[YOY]

2. Spine? Yes indeedy! Progressive? Maybe a tad...but not really.

Depends on if you're using the opposition's definition of anything left of them being "liberal".

Better than nothing...and that's what we'd get with the Republicans in charge...except maybe "spine".

[DevonRex]

4. Oh, did we finally goad you into posting something positive????

:rofl:

Good editorial. But our opinion of you remains unchanged since we know what made you post it.

[JTFrog]

6. Roflmao... I just asked the question on one of his other threads!

I guess he has to have one post to point back to.

:rofl:
:rofl:

[DevonRex]

7. Heh heh. That's what usually happens when he's gone too far.

Posts a puff piece to refer to. :rofl: :rofl:

[Name removed]

9. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Buzz Clik]

5. Katrina vanden Huevel is the most crazed left winger I've ever encountered.

This article should be instant credibility for Obama's speech if you are truly a progressive who understands politics and desires change.

Those who continue to bitch are choosing to step outside the progressive loop.

[DevonRex]

8. Hear hear!!!! The ostentatious cherry-pickers will see gloom and doom.

:rofl:

[OwnedByFerrets]

10. Yes, he showed spine in calling out the repugs....

here is another part of her article that you might not have bothered to read.

"On the imperative of a public option, Obama did not fully satisfy. The insurance exchange idea confused more than it clarified in explaining the role of the public option. Why will it take four years? Essentially, it's a compromise because Congress doesn't have the guts to raise money to do it more quickly. There may be some benefits up front, but there are still more questions than answers. What is clear is that the fight must still be waged to push through a public option --already a part of four of the five bills in Congress--if we're to get an essential component of genuine and effective healthcare reform. After all, the public option is already a pragmatic all-American compromise (choice and competition). Medicare for All--or single-payer-was never on the table.

Obama likes to say that the perfect is the enemy of the good. But what if the weak is the enemy of the good? And the shout-outs to the left were at times patronizing--as if he had to do triangulation 2.0 "

[mvd]

11. Love the article

Constructively criticizes while seeing the good things in the speech.

[polichick]

12. Katrina's one of the brightest minds out there - love it when she shows up on msnbc. nt

[dionysus]

14. HOLY SHIT FOLKS!!11!!! BBI posted a positive article!!!

we may never see this again folks, savor this rare moment.
:patriot:

[polichick]

15. And yet your own post is really NOT positive - look in the mirror. nt

[dionysus]

16. hmm, do i post several OPs a day, all of them negative about dems.... not that i recall...

:eyes:

[polichick]

17. Your RIGHT-WING THUG behavior toward others is anything but positive. nt

[dionysus]

19. does this mean we're not friends anymore? sorry, but i don't care what people who do nothing but

bash the administration breathlessly all day think of me. it's kind of funny the projection that goes on with some people.

someone spends all day scrounging up anything negative they can find to post, even if it comes from right wing rags, and *I* am a right winger for pointing it out?

surreal man. you guys are a trip though.

[polichick]

20. I'm tired of the thuggish behavior around here - very unObama-like. nt

[dionysus]

21. pointing out absurd or sometimes completely baseless criticism is thuggish? i never knew.

you think the "oh shit obama only has a little time left to turn around his failure of an administration" thread was legit?

[JTFrog]

23. Pot. Kettle.

And all that...


:rofl:
:rofl:
:rofl:

[SIMPLYB1980]

22. +1

:popcorn: