If by any reason that Public Option does not pass - then Obama has to keep his promise

[Hawkeye-X]

and announce that he will not run for re-election. Remember Obama has staked his entire administration on that promise alone.

Assume this is the worst-case scenario to happen.

Then I would start a draft Governor Howard B. Dean for the 2012 Democratic primary.

Then he'll promise us what Obama failed to do.

That's the Universal Health Care, not INSURANCE. CARE.

CARE IS WHAT WE NEED.

And Dr. Dean needs to bring in the progressives to remove ALL (or most) of the Blue Dogs that does NOT belong in the Democratic Party. They are nothing but TRAITORS to the American people.

Hawkeye-X

[Horse with no Name]

1. Absolutely correct.

The one thing though...is Obama may not be walking the line, he is attempting to straddle it.
Dangerous game.

[saracat]

2. Hi Horse!

I agree but he may actually pull this off but he needs to take a stand.NOW!

[Horse with no Name]

3. I think so too

Or there will be lots of disappointed folks come 2012.:hi:

[DeltaLitProf]

4. Sorry . . .

. . . Obama never did promise a "public option." He promised Universal Health Care, though. Unfortunately, whatever is passed will be called Universal Health Care, because he and the Dems will claim that everybody has access to it (if they have the money). So Obama's left himself wiggle room. And he's a politician. He will wiggle.

[regnaD kciN]

6. Obama promised that health care would be made affordable before it was made mandatory...

...right now, the Baucus bill does the exact opposite.

[DrDan]

11. and "universal health care" will simply be achieved through mandates

"please bend over once more . . . ."

[Oregone]

5. It will pass

I predict it will be a piece of shit. The Democrats will hail the victory for the polished turd, and placate their base. Everything now is just setting the stage for them to fix the problem perceptually without really fixing any problems at all.

[regnaD kciN]

7. That would work, if...

...HCR was merely a superficial face-lift without changing anything fundamental. But the individual mandate guarantees that, for good or ill, it will change the fundamentals. Like it or not, requiring that everyone purchase insurance or pay fines for not doing so is the exact opposite of a "do-nothing" approach. Either such a bill will manage to somehow bring prices down enough to make sure everyone is covered at an affordable price for everyone (in which case, it's a smashing success), or it doesn't, and lots of people find themselves saddled with legally-required premiums they simply can't afford (in which case, it's a fiasco that may relegate Democrats to permanent minority status). But, however you look at it, it isn't simply an easily-ignorable case of "doing nothing."

[Oregone]

8. Ah yes, I meant doing nothing to fix the long term problem...

But something will definitely be done with the mandates, which may make it all a bit worse. Regardless, all they needs is the base pacified by the next election, so 2013 would be a good year to hold it off to.

I just get the feeling they will pass the minimal required to get the maximum perceptual effect on the voters. All this negotiating may very well be part of the grand masquerade.

[pnorman]

9. Great idea!

Then all we have to do is to get him elected! And if he doesn't make it, we can always whine: "Boo-Hoo! Boo-Hoo!"! :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

A snap question: WHO did you support and/or vote for in 2000?

pnorman

[Hawkeye-X]

13. Me? I voted for Al Gore.

I never wanted *. Not Nader either.

Hawkeye-X

[elleng]

10. You ARE aware that we have a 3-part government,

Executive, Legislative and Judiciary?

[michreject]

12. Since when was keeping campaign promises

part of the job requirements?

Those things are only said to get elected.