We should have started off demanding Single Payer or Medicare for all

[AllentownJake]

Than we might have got the Public Option as a compromise.

Instead we started off what we thought we could get and not what we wanted and we will get shit.

[jeffbr]

1. The whole thing is prearranged & preordained

Follow the money

[SammyWinstonJack]

19. +1 nt

[izquierdista]

2. We shouldn't have 'demanded' anything

Just go ahead and do it. Lower the eligibility age for Medicare to 62, then 60, then 58, then 55, etc. Listening to honest open debate and demands has no meaning to Republicans, they just do what they want by any legislative or executive maneuver available. Like invading Iraq -- Dimbulb said he was going to, the Repubs wrote some hideously unconstitutional "authorization" bill, and he went ahead and did it. If the Democrats were crafty and not beholden to the insurance companies, they would have figured out a way to pull the rug out from under them by now.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

29. People let a very big fact slip right past them -

it used to be that Medicare was open to women at age 62.

That disappeared when Fuckface implemented his Plan B strategy a few years ago. Very quietly, with no one noticing, a huge segment of the population was suddenly no longer eligible for Medicare at age 62.

Slick, huh? Talk about rugs being pulled - and not a peep out of anyone when this happened...............................

[dgibby]

3. I agree.

The problem is "we", as in the taxpayers, have never had a seat at this table. We'll be lucky to be allowed to sweep up the crumbs and be expected to be grateful for the opportunity before this is all over.

[RufusTFirefly]

4. John Edwards predicted this outcome more than 2 1/2 years ago

"Some people argue that we’re going to sit at a table with these people and they’re going to voluntarily give their power away. I think it is a complete fantasy; it will never happen."

Big Table Fantasies

[kath]

8. +1

[SammyWinstonJack]

21. +1000 nt

[earth mom]

27. Yep, Edwards knew that kicking corporate ass to the curb is the only way to get things done. nt

[Captain Hilts]

5. BINGO!!! The negotiating table was tilted to the right from the very beginning. nt

[Hepburn]

6. Bingo! KNR

Herein lies the difference between Obama and Ted Kennedy:

Kennedy would start from the left and negotiate towards a middle ground. Obama appears to start from the middle and negotiate towards the right.

JMHO

[CoffeeCat]

7. Why is Obama kow towing to the insurance industry???

That's what I want to know.

Why isn't he fighting for US.

We voted for change. Healthcare was a part of his platform and the topic of many of
his speeches.

Why isn't he out in front---all over the country--the way George Bush was when he went on
his PR tour, trying to convince us all that Social Security should be privatized?

Who is advocating for US????

Three months ago, there was a disgusting video on You Tube of an insurance-industry lobbyist
who was arguing with someone about healthcare reform. The guy was a snake. The insurance
company set up stakes in DC three months ago. They've all ready visited our Congress members
and had round tables with the Presidents. Deals have been brokered. Promises have been made.
Campaign contributions have been promised.

It's over with.

We're just now learning about the results of those meetings.

I'm just still stunned...that Obama isn't fighting for us. We all voted for the opposite of George Bush and
healthcare reform is one of the top three issues in the Dem party right now.

We have a majority in the Senate, in the House and we have the White House. If it doesn't happen now, it never
will.

[RufusTFirefly]

9. A least two possible answers (perhaps I should set up a poll):

__ He never intended to fight for US. It was all a scam

__ He DID intend to fight for us, but he is being threatened (literally or figuratively) not to

Oh yeah. And one more for the delusional

__ Pres. Obama is an amazing chess player. We just don't realize it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Get it right

he is playing multi dimensional chess

:-)

[RufusTFirefly]

12. Whoops! Sorry! My bad!

[Kansas Wyatt]

25. He's still getting his ass kicked at checkers.

And that is the bottom line.

[nadinbrzezinski]

31. Look, you will have to talk to the fanbase about that

chorus and all that...

:hi:

[SammyWinstonJack]

24. I pick - - he never intended to fight for US. It was all a scam.

[RufusTFirefly]

26. I created a poll that addresses this question

Why has President Obama not used his leadership to push for government health insurance?

Not easy to find thanks to all the un-recs.

[WeDidIt]

11. Democrats have no clue how to negotiate

We'll never get any where until they evolve spines.

[RufusTFirefly]

14. Are you sure they even WANT spines?

Oh sure, some of them do -- and some of them actually have them -- but I suspect that many of them are stalwartly serving their true constituency: large corporations.

[Dr Fate]

23. Exactly- they have PLENTY of spine when it comes to standing down "the far left of the left."

n/t

[earth mom]

28. Now that there is the REAL flag of the USA. nt

[Dr Fate]

22. It's not about spine- the DLCers simply never wanted a public option, spine or not

n/t

[Stinky The Clown]

13. Yes, we should have. This is one of those incredibly clear and obvious conclusions one draws .......

..... when one views events in hindsight.

[laughingliberal]

15. Yeah, I gotta say it made no sense to start with the least we could accept

So, I find myself wondering if they ever wanted real reform to begin with.

[Echo In Light]

16. Many aspects of our sham rep democracy are like that - only make sen$e when viewed backward...

... from the accepted, stated position.

[PHIMG]

17. No better to capitulate 4 years before the battle

As they did with the PUBLIC OPTION bandwagon.

What we should be yelling for is a VA type system and then acccept Medicare For All as a compromise.

[ljm2002]

18. What you mean "We"???

The problem of course is that "we" were never asked. OF COURSE we should have demanded single payer as a starting point for negotiations. But guess who was never invited to the table in the first place? Why right you are, single-payer advocates.

It's all done by design, and "we" don't have a voice in it.

Bastids.

[Dr Fate]

20. But the Blue Dogs & the DLCers and the Republicans don't WANT a public option. Dont you get it?

n/t

[slipslidingaway]

30. knr - what message was sent to the corporations when they were

invited to the WH summit and single-payer advocates were left standing, almost literally, at the WH gates.

If you wanted a strong public option then you at least allow SP advocates in the room.