TR could not do it. Nor FDR, or HST, or RMN, or WJC, but...

[kentuck]

Barack Obama was able to get it passed. How was that possible?

Barack Obama persevered. He did not give up. He was patient. He worked long and hard and wore down the opposition. And at the right moment, he struck. The opposition was over-whelmed and his side was inspired to act.

How could any American not be proud? To see the first African-American President sign such an historic piece of legislation had to warm the cockles of the coldest heart. Every journey begins with a single step. This was a big step.

[Happyhippychick]

1. Not even the powerhouse team of Bill and Hillary could do it.

[sharesunited]

2. He also let Congress write it, allowing it to emerge organically from that branch.

[kentuck]

3. True.

He let it run a natural course, without trying to force one issue over another. For instance, he did not demand a "public option".

[meegbear]

8. If he didn't try to force one issue over another ...

then he really didn't do much then. So shouldn't congressional Dems be getting this praise?

[demodonkey]

4. The first African-American Pres with the first female Speaker of the House...

...got it done.

We'll, OK it's not really DONE, but at least there is a start.

A law is on the books that at least recognizes that every American needs and has the right to healthcare even if as of now they still have to buy it from private insurance companies.

Now let's improve from here.

[Vinnie From Indy]

5. Jesus H. Christ !!!

While I enjoy a great gloat-fest as much as anyone, can we not inject just a bit of reality into this affair?

A very persuasive argument can be made that Obama succeeded where others failed because he simply let the health insurers write the goddamned legislation and he agreed to cut a deal in secret while he said someting different in public. Maybe if TDR or the Clintons had offered the health insurance industry or other vested interests the same types of deals we would have been slaves to the industry decades ago.

I find it mildly amusing that many DU'ers seem proud of wearing their willfull ignorance about what happened with HCR like a crown.

[christus.victor]

9. I'm aware...

I'm aware that the health insurance industry and their knights (conservatives) were appeased; but on the bright side, this is at the very least a step forward - a considerable step forward, considering the conservative derailing of America since 1980.

[kentuck]

11. Don't assume that the insurance companies got a "permanent" deal...

For the first time in history, they are being regulated to some degree. If they go "off the reservation", so to speak, they could pay a steep price. This was the brilliance of the move. The insurance companies, thru their greed, jumped at the assumption they were going to reap all the benefits. That is not as yet a certainty. In fact, that will likely lead to the reform that we actually need. Higher prices and monopolistic practices will be the rope that hangs the insurance companies.

[sharesunited]

15. Regulating the percentage of collected premiums to be paid out in claims seems major.

It brings insurance into a paradigm more like public utilities.

[christus.victor]

6. The battle has just begun.

We've got to make sure the Democrats (especially liberal Democrats) maintain the majority in the House and the Senate. Any progress made by the current administration will be immediately torn apart by Republicans if they regain the upper-hand.

[Xenotime]

7. We need cap and trade now.

[liberal N proud]

10. I see Jesus was here

[Oregone]

12. FDR/Truman/TR wanted a socialized approach, not technocratic adjustments on a capitalistic system

[kentuck]

13. But maybe....

that has to be the first step? That was their mistake, attempting to jump straight into a socialistic approach? In today's political climate, it would be even more difficult. This was the first step, in my humble opinion.

[Oregone]

19. First steps are according the idealogical road maps that determine final destinations

A capitalistic first step that legislates multi tiered private insurance, even in a government exchange, is not a step that will lead in the same direction as an egalitarian and socialized approach.


Its a neato talking point though. Just baseless. There is no sound idealogical foundation and vision for this reform, nor promise it will suddenly shift to an economic & polictical system in the interest of the people. On the contrary, today private industry is that much more integrated with the government, and thereby, influential to the overall direction this will go in.


Heh, maybe they should of started by privatizing Social Security from the get-go. Could you imagine how socialized, non-profit, and fair it would be today?!? LOL

[whatchamacallit]

14. By making sure "it"

was a steaming, peanut riddled, log for us, and a snickers bar for the corporations. That's how.

[kentuck]

16. Maybe you would like to take a stick....?

and dig around in it just a little bit? There might be a pony in there! :-)

[Romulox]

17. Faulty premise. Of those, only Clinton, Obama wanted mandatory corporate insurance. nt

[kentuck]

18. Do you think that is forever?

Or can circumstances change?

[Romulox]

20. I think it will change right after the NAFTA renegotiations and the bankster bonus tax bill

Both of which the President signaled were top priorities for him. :rofl:

[Stinky The Clown]

21. Actually, I think the often vilified Nancy Pelosi got the job done.

Obama didn't do a whole hell of a lot, really. He didn't write the bill. He never really put his name behind anything aside from high rhetoric. He only twisted arms in the final hours of this long, drawn out process.

And you know, that's my biggest gripe in all this. We had a leader who had political capital out the wazoo and didn't spend any on this.

Last era, we had a president with no political capital whatsoever spending it like a drunken sailor.

[Bucky]

22. How was it possible? Dubya fucked up the country enough to give us a brief 60 seat majority

It didn't last, but it was there long enough to make the bill's deliberations asshole proof.