President Tries To Put Out Fire From Emanuel's Health Care Remarks

[BigBearJohn]

"Certainly Emanuel's remarks to the Journal presented a pill too big to swallow for many Democrats.
The problem is he doesn't mind taking that fight to the left."


In an effort that seemed designed to appease concerned progressive advocates, President Barack Obama issued a clarifying statement about the administration's commitment to a "public option" for health insurance while traveling in Russia on Tuesday.

"I am pleased by the progress we're making on health care reform and still believe, as I've said before, that one of the best ways to bring down costs, provide more choices, and assure quality is a public option that will force the insurance companies to compete and keep them honest," read the statement. "I look forward to a final product that achieves these very important goals."

The vague reassurance came hours after Obama's own chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel suggested that the White House would be comfortable with legislation that had a public plan "triggered" in only by worsening economic conditions.

"The goal is to have a means and a mechanism to keep the private insurers honest," Emanuel told the Wall Street Journal. "The goal is non-negotiable; the path is" negotiable.

It was, White House aides insist, far from a commitment to a trigger option. But a source close to the administration, who has been in contact with the White House on health care matters, said that Emanuel has been "floating" the trigger compromise since January.



SOURCE: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/07/president-tries-to-put-ou_n_227027.html

[Greyhound]

1. And this asshole is "our leader's" pick to be Chief of Staff.

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!

We. Are. So. Screwed.

[BigBearJohn]

2. I never liked Emanuel

[sutz12]

7. I like that he is a tough bastard...

I figured Obamam needed someone like him to pound on the wusses in Congress to get stuff through. I sometimes don't like his policies.

:shrug:

[Dragonfli]

10. He pounds the good guys and leaves the Blue Dogs alone

How is that a help?

[kenfrequed]

16. Feh

He was never "tough" on the repukes. The only time this supposed "tough guy" was "tough" is when he would go after his own party and try to get them into what he percieved as the party line. A line significantly to the right of most democratic voters.

[Individualist]

22. Damn the DLC!

[nevergiveup]

4. Not necessarily

It is all politics. The way the game is played regardless of ones leanings or preferences. There really isn't any way to put pressure on the insurance companies without a public option and Obama knows it. It will all come down to a half dozen conservative Democratic Senators and the success or failure of the insurance companies gigantic campaign against a public option.

[SeattleGirl]

5. Why are we screwed? Obama is the President, not Rahm. n/t

[Greyhound]

11. Because the Chief of Staff is the most powerful person in DC. He decides what

Obama will hear, with whom he will converse, who's opinions will be considered, who he is surrounded by, etc., etc., etc.

This fuck is pure "Chicago" evil and always has been, he routinely sells out his allies and even friends to the highest bidder and believes that the main reason Democrats lose is that they are not Republiks. He has more influence than any other person on earth over the President, with the possible exception of Michelle. If the United States has a kingmaker/power behind the throne, it is the COS.

Obama's choice of this worthless shitheel was my first indication that he would fail. If the Republiks pick up seats in 2010, and if Obama loses in 2012, Rahm is your reason.

As always, here's hoping I'm wrong.:toast:

[waiting for hope]

3. Move-On has finally decided to

say something:

White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel just signaled support for a "trigger" proposal that would put off real health care reform for years. Tell the White House you're disappointed in his comments, and want a strong option. Call the White House: 202-456-1414.

http://www.moveon.org/

[sutz12]

6. Triggered by worsening economic times?

:wtf:

How damn worse can it get before we admit that our for-profit "health care" delivery system is going tits up? Or gone, actually.

I repeat. :wtf: You can "float" the trigger option down the nearest commode like the turd of an idea that it is, .

[DCKit]

13. +1

How bad does it need to get before they get it? We're not only already triggered, we're screwn too.

[kenfrequed]

17. Agreed

This "trigger" is an idea without an iota of merit.

[HughMoran]

8. Emanuel is kind of a dick

I know that's part of his role as an offset to Obama, but I think he takes it a bit too far. Obama may need to fire him.

[jgraz]

9. "Obama may need to fire him"???

Tell him to get in line behind Geithner and Summers.

And Salazar.

And Vilsack.

[eridani]

12. Just get him the fuck AWAY from health care! n/t

[kenfrequed]

18. hmm

Well as much as I despise Rahm, I think you are right, firing the scummy greedy Goldman Sachs people may have to come first.

But why not toss them all out with a big mea culpa. "We gave Wallstret and 'market based solutions' a chance, now its time to get serious and help up the American people who have fallen by the wayside while the do-nothing wealthy were getting their handouts"

[LWolf]

24. And Duncan.

Is there anyone Obama appointed to a major post who is NOT the enemy of the left?

[PufPuf23]

14. Choice should be between universal public health care

and universal public health care with a private option for those "special".

We are barbarians regards to modern industrial democracies in social safety net.

We need to expand the number of and cheapen the cost of medical education opportunities and increase the number of professional health care providers -- while flattening their income and wealth distribution within the professions with less tort risk -- and reduce the administrative and insurance company leeches. This is a no-brainer regards to public health, jobs, and general welfare in personal lives and small and local business.

I shuddered when Rahm was appointed and have been favorably surprised regards to Israel-Palestinian relations thus far. I am uncertain in that my perceptions are confused as to whether I am perceiving nuance or cynicism in many policies. The expansion of the faux "War on Terror" and the Honduran coup mixed messages trouble me.

[tomp]

15. bullshit from both.

so freaking tired of obama.

[SammyWinstonJack]

21. +1

:thumbsup:

[nc4bo]

19. Trigger? Floating trigger?! For give my admittance but I have no fucking idea

what these terms mean as far as health care is concerned.

#^$%!!

ETA: My anger isn't addressed to the poster.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

20. "Rahm's problem with this is he is on the more conservative end of the Democratic Party"

The "more conservative end" of the Democratic Party is where the faux Republicans who dress in Democratic clothing dwell - Bayh, Baucus, Lieberman, and the rest of the "blue dogs".

If I wanted Republican policies, agendas and sell-outs, I would have voted Republican!

I knew Rahm was bad from the getgo, but I bought the meme of the day that he was being brought in for strictly his organizational chops and clout to push THE PRESIDENT's agenda and I was ok with that. Now, not so much.


from the link above-

"In private, White House officials are concerned that the debate over a public option has become so volatile that it could end up derailing the entire health care package. The president has remained loyal to such a plan, but has not demanded the same from Congress."

"Not demanded the same from Congress" - when WILL he demand the same from Congress? I think we ARE at the line in the sand stage regardless if Mr. Obama is willing to draw it or not. It's HIS Presidency that will go down for the count without REAL healthcare reform - NOT "triggers" that fire when our already failed system fails again, just so they can reap a few more shekels from our carcasses, NOT 50 frigging state "co-ops" to belch forth more smoke screens to appease the peasants a little while longer - REAL REFORM with a REAL public option AT THE VERY LEAST. THE LEAST!

Thank God the Progressive Caucus showed some guts on this. How hard is it to do what the Reps and the President were elected to do, that a VAST MAJORITY of the American public are for?!

OMG - I seriously have to go sit in a dark room with a cold cloth on my face to calm down a little.

[chaska]

23. Obama can kiss my vote goodbye if we don't get a MEANINGFUL pubic option....

SANS BULLSHIT!

[gkhouston]

25. The problem isn't that Rahm doesn't mind taking that fight to the left. The problem

is that a public option isn't as "left" as Rahm would like to think it is. The country's way ahead of the politicians on this, maybe because nobody's paying them to drag their feet.

[Vidar]

26. Emmanuel is a DLC corporatist thug.