The 2 questions that Obama, Pelosi, Reid have to answer are

[chieftain]

- Can Democrats govern,
and
- Whose side is the Democratic on?
From an optic standpoint the health care legislation has been a disaster. Some of this is unavoidable. The issue is complex and making law is not pretty. But for crying out loud we have looked weak, indecisive and not up to the task. I would hope that behind the scenes, Obama is sandpapering these jerks. Obama and Reid got taken by the Republicans. They figured out way too late that the GOP was never going to let their people support the bill. The House needs to pass the Senate bill and the Senate needs to fix what can be fixed through reconciliation. If we have put the country through this sorry spectacle for the past many months and come up with nothing, the American people will conclude that Democrats are unable to govern no matter how large a majority they have.
What was done to bail out the banks was absolutely necessary. Sadly we don't get much credit for averting the second great depression. The GOP used social issues as wedges between Liberal and Moderate Democrats. We need several simple to understand reregulation measures to address what went wrong in the economy. We need to bring up the legislation to do so and make the Republicans vote the populist or the corporate line. We cannot allow them to perpetuate the myth that they are the party on the side of Middle America.

[Surya Gayatri]

1. K & R Excellent post, chieftain...

Couldn't agree more. Succinctly, but reasonably argued. Send this to POTUS--he says he reads a certain number of letters/messages every day. My God, if not with this majority, then when? SG

[chieftain]

4. Thanks.

I hope Pelosi and Reid come to an agreement about a fix to the Senate bill using reconciliation. Then before the ink dries on Obama's signature, strip Lieberman of his chairmanship and oust him from the office suite that the title affords him. Send word to the Blue Dogs in the House that party discipline will be enforced and get on with pulling this country out of the ditch the RW and its Democratic quislings have put it in.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. I don't agree that we have come up with nothing

look at the bills that have been passed however the problem is that Dems should have dumped the GOP and been bold. The MSM is not on our side! We have accomplished many things last and this year!

[chieftain]

3. You are right.

What I meant but did not say clearly is that we will have accomplished nothing on health care reform. This is viewed as the center piece of the President's domestic policy. As such given the fecklessness of the corporate media nothing else that has been done rates attention. I think that Obama has had a very productive first year and support him whole heatedly.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

5. see what you mean

I think that it up to us to change destiny