THE NATION- "Democrats Don't Deliver Healthcare Reform... Again"

[Orwellian_Ghost]

Democrats Don't Deliver Healthcare Reform... Again

by Adam Howard

For weeks now it's seemed more and more evident that instead of significant, meaningful healthcare reform, we are--if we're lucky--going to wind up with something akin to health insurance reform. These reforms will be pretty unassailable (who could oppose making it illegal for insurance companies to discriminate against pre-existing conditions, for instance?) but a far cry from what just a couple months ago seemed not just possible but probable--reform that included a robust, affordable public option accessible to all Americans.

Why has the healthcare reform battle disintegrated so rapidly? Certainly the seemingly endless barrage of right wing lies and downright insanity over the summer didn't help. Neither did the White House's lackadaisical approach to countering it. But at the end of the day, real reform--the public option, considered today by the Finance Committee--should have had the votes it needed to pass. Instead it failed by fifteen votes to eight, with five Democrats voting against it.

Four out of five major committees have delivered in one form or another what 65 percent of the American public wants: a government-run public health insurance option. President Obama supports a public option, the majority of medical profession does, and without it there is no way healthcare costs can be brought down in any significant way.

And yet our Democrat-controlled Congress can't get its act together. Today, five Democratic senators rejected the most progressive version of the public option to emerge from the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Jay Rockefeller's amendment. Remember their names, because they should go down as traitors to what the Democratic party should stand for: Blanche Lincoln, Ben Nelson, Max Baucus, Kent Conrad and Tom Carper.

That's right--we're not talking about thirty to forty Democratic senators gumming up the works, we're talking about a handful of woefully out-of-touch, heartless politicians who aren't clever enough to realize the obvious political upshot of seeing healthcare reform succeed.

...

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20091012/howard

[SIMPLYB1980]

1. Not over.

Defeatist.

[zbdent]

4. constant drumming of this message from the "liberal media"

and it's goodbye majorities, 1/3/2011 ...

[daa]

6. Blanche Lincoln trails 4 republicans for reelection nt

[Orwellian_Ghost]

12. How do you claim such a thing?

Defeatist, of course it means nothing, means going along with the insurance companies proposal and calling it victory. Guess who's doing that?

Please get beyond the silly sloganeering.

[Loge23]

14. Correct - there is still more watering-down to do!

Any bill that eventually emerges from this clown show will be far weaker than anything we could have possibly hoped for.

[Orwellian_Ghost]

17. That's about right

I'd say.

[rurallib]

2. snatching defeat from the hands of victory yet again.

After a decisive victory in November, these bumblers were able to fuck it up.

[ShortnFiery]

3. As soon as mandates are approved and the Insurance Companies are salivating ...

wanna bet Harry Reid FINDS HIS SPINE and forces the passage of a horrible bill through that serves to financially rape the Middle Class even more?

A weak public option that doesn't prevent the Middle Class from Bankruptcy ... but NOW with Universal Mandates.

We're as SCREWED under democrat in power because Wall Street runs both parties. :nuke:

[LeFleur1]

5. Here's My Small Donation to the Cause

There were two emails from Harry Reid this morning. I clicked "Unsubscribe". It took me to a page where I had to click some more, then asked (optional) why I wanted to unsubscribe.

In the box I put: I will not support anyone who does not vote for the Public Option.

Then I did the same to an email from the DNC...that I don't give to anyhow, still...

If enough people do that maybe they'll get a clue. I'd like to know: What is the difference between the Democrats who are voting against a public option health choice and the Republicans voting against a public option health choice? Nothing at all. Let them know.

I understand "it isn't over yet" but do you really think they will ever stand and deliver?
They've (including Obama) been weak on the issue from the beginning.

[ShortnFiery]

7. I wrote similar thoughts in the comments section of a mailer survey sent out by the DNC.

Not one more dime until the democratic party passes legislation that favors "the middle class" above the GREEDY interests of big corporations.

[debbierlus]

13. It is disgusting. A very bad piece of legislation that will amplify the crisis

[FiveGoodMen]

15. Agreed! (sadly)

[democracy1st]

8. White House's lackadaisical approach to countering it.

bingo!

[SeaLyons]

9. Blanche Lincoln, Ben Nelson, Max Baucus, Kent Conrad and Tom Carper.

Honestly, the Democratic Party is just embarrassing. These traitors need to feel the pain they have caused this country.

[cali]

10. Russ Feingold, Barbara Boxer, Pat Leahy, Al Franken, Sherrod Brown

the five you listed are no more representative of the party than the five I listed- less so in fact.

[Winterblues]

11. Wasn't it Bill Nelson instead of Ben?

And didn't he vote for the Public Option in Schumar's amendment?

[xchrom]

16. kick