Have Progressives been the one's "stalling health care reform for decades"?

[donco6]

David Sirota on Open Left:

"By standing up to the special interests -- who've prevented reform for decades, and who are furiously lobbying against it now -- the Senate has moved us closer to reform." - President Obama, 12/21/09

So that raises a question: When the president pats himself on the back for "standing up to the special interests -- who've prevented reform for decades, and who are furiously lobbying against" the Lieberman-gutted bill, who exactly is he referring to? (It might be nice if a reporter actually asked the White House this simple question - and noted that the health industry special interests are not "furiously lobbying" against this bill). Because by logical deduction, when you consider the fact that the insurance and drug industries aren't "furiously lobbying" against this bill - and in many ways have been "furiously lobbying" for it - it seems the president is actually referring to progressive groups like Firedoglake, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, women's health advocacy organizations and the labor movement - that is, major portions of what we call the American Left.

http://www.openleft.com/

Who else could Obama be referring to? Imaginary enemies?

[stray cat]

1. We could have had an agreement with Nixon on it but we refused

[HuckleB]

3. Yes. That's one big part of history that we can't repeat.

[HuckleB]

2. This appears to be a spurious, self-centered piece.

Anyone who's actually paying attention knows that the majority who are opposed to the bill are right wingers, and are exactly those who have prevented reform for decades. Mr. Sirota really needs to get his ego in check.

[donco6]

4. Name some.

Right wingers I mean. If the real players aren't opposing it (i.e., insurance, pharma, banks), then who's been creating any real hesitation?

[HuckleB]

7. Are you saying the right wing doesn't oppose this legislation?

And are you saying that insurance, pharma and banks haven't been supporting the right wing?

:shrug:

[donco6]

8. I'm saying they aren't opposing it now.

Have YOU seen any ads on TV opposing this bill? I haven't. And they haven't been opposing it for quite a while. So if they're not, then who are these "stallers" Obama is talking about defeating?

[HuckleB]

11. Who was reading the defense spending bill out loud last week?

:shrug:

[donco6]

12. I've been out of the country. AstraZeneca?

Just a guess . . .

[HuckleB]

13. So, you admit that you're not being honest.

:eyes:

[donco6]

15. I have no idea what you're talking about.

In God's truth.

[Dr Fate]

5. Centrists & Conservatives never blame fellow centrists & conservatives for their own failures.

Seems to me that a centrist bill, or candidates running on centrist records should be supported by CENTRISTS.

Of course, when the vast army of centrist or Blue Dog-supporting voters & activists fail to show up, the centrists wont blame their own-they will blame the Liberal boogey man as always.

Why are centrists blamming Liberals in advance for the failure of centrist & conservative activists who will fail to show up for them?

[donco6]

6. I'd like to believe it's because they know it's bad and they still have a conscience.

But I'm not really that optimistic.

[Dr Fate]

9. No -they blame others for their own failures because they are liars.

They are unable to accept personal responsibility for legislation that no one really likes.

It's easier to scapegoat "the far left" than it is to actually go out and find centrist & conservative activists who are going to like this bill.

[donco6]

10. Did you just have to lay it out like that?

Now I need another drink.

But it *is* happy hour.

[kenny blankenship]

14. Yeah, apparently we're the enemy.

WE'RE the ones who put it on the agenda in 2008, but somehow we've been holding it up for decades.