Andrew Sullivan: Obama achieved a "substantive, enduring legislative victory" not seen since Reagan

[beachmom]

Sully is no liberal, but he knows a victory when he sees one. And he's also been away on vacation so looks at it all with fresh eyes:

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/12/the-bill-obama-promised.html

I certainly regard the passage of the health insurance reform bill to be another victory of strategy over tactics. In his first year, Obama will have achieved something that no previous Democrat had managed: universal health insurance. This will be spun away by some. ..... But guess what? He did it. It was as grueling a victory as the one in the primaries, and took even longer. But it was a victory, a substantive, enduring legislative victory the like of which no president has achieved since Reagan.

It will have to be tweaked, as Reagan's tax cuts were. But like that first year triumph, it will last. For good or ill. And unlike tax cuts announced as pain-free, this was a clearly budgeted, deeply difficult, legislatively complex operation. The only Pyrrhic part of it is the GOP's celebration of its opposition. Their glee is premature.

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. It HAD to be a good thing. Every god damn republican was against it.

It's all the proof I need.

[TwilightGardener]

2. Not only against it--they were praying for Democrats to, uh..."not be able to make the vote".

[Top Cat]

18. These Repukes are some sicko's and they better think about what they wish for...

[Clio the Leo]

13. +1 NT

[bhikkhu]

27. That's what I was thinking too

I haven't been able to follow the developments closely, but for the repugs to work so hard against it says something.

[roguevalley]

29. Andrew: Fanboy, shut up.

[Cha]

31. I don't want him to shut up..I want to read what he has to say.

[gravity]

3. The GOP will never be able to take this one away

Just like Social Security and Medicare. In a few years they will even defend it if the Dems try to make more changes.

[janx]

4. I don't always agree with Sullivan,

but in this case, he's right.

[xchrom]

5. A self loathing gay republican agrees w/ Obama.

Such a thing to be proud of.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[jonnyblitz]

8. he's a POS. nt

[QC]

11. He and Joe Klein are now DU icons! n/t

[jonnyblitz]

21. I wonder if that airhead Ezra is related to him. nt

[ClarkUSA]

9. Sullivan is not self-loathing and he's not a Republican.

And he voted for Kerry in 2004 and for Obama last year, which is more than I can say for some bitter DUers.

[xchrom]

14. You don't think 'bitter' duets didn't vote for

Kerry and obama?
Is there something in the water that compels fanbois
to endlessly repeat that lie?
What is wrong with you?

Are you aware of sullivans promotion of bareback sex and Reagan an bush 1?

Seriously -- I think anybody who promotes Sullivan is disturbed.

[ClarkUSA]

16. I know it.

I could name names but that's against DU rules.

Ancient history aside, Sullivan has more than proved that he's been a fair and unbiased observer.

[beachmom]

17. I have been reading him since 2004.

He admitted he was wrong on many things, corrected when he made errors, and is open about how he sees things and where he has evolved his views.

I am well aware that he is a conservative and admired Reagan. So what? His blog is worth reading. I am sorry that you have to impugn others who don't agree with you on Mr. Sullivan.

[ClarkUSA]

19. Attacking the messenger is a Rovian tactic that is always employed against Sullivan here.

Most of it from the usual bitter suspects who can't otherwise argue against his erudite pro-Obama analyses.

[jonnyblitz]

23. i will remember this the next time YOU attack a messenger. nt

[ClarkUSA]

26. I have never attacked a source for being a "self-loathing gay Republican" and I never will.

Nor do I dredge up ancient history while ignoring present facts on them.

These tactics are Rovian and so far, there's only a certain slice of DU attacks Sullivan with self-righteous vitriol every time he is mentioned.

[QC]

20. I have been reading him since back in the early 90s.

He has an ugly history, which includes promoting a racist book and accusing liberals of treason, not to mention denouncing gays for "libidinal pathology" while cruising for bareback sex on the 'Net.

The man is one of the lowest people in American public life, despite having said some nice things about Obama.

[Cha]

33. He admits that he was wrong which is way more

than the Obama haters would ever do.

[ClarkUSA]

35. +1

:thumbsup:

[jonnyblitz]

22. we gay folk have known about bareback andy loong before

DU was even thought of.

[QC]

24. Apparently we are no longer allowed to speak ill of Sully.

See post 7.

[beachmom]

15. He is a) not a self loathing gay and b) not a Republican

Nothing substantive to say, so you write a really awful content.

[Cha]

30. Andrew Sullivan has a well thought out ariticle and all you

have is name calling.

[Jennicut]

36. I have not gotten the appropriate list of people DU is allowed to admire

or maybe I have. In any case, people can change for the worse or the better and Sullivan seemed to change for the better. Doesn't mean I would invite him over for a holiday dinner at my house but really, are we so immature on DU then we don't allow people to change?

[Renew Deal]

42. The flag doesn't give you a license to post homophobic comments.

[jonnyblitz]

43. xchrom is gay and his comments were NOT homophobic. nt

[Renew Deal]

44. What if he weren't gay?

That's sort of the point. "A self loathing gay republican." That sounds pejorative.

[liberalmuse]

6. Well, it's kind of like being a toddler...

The Democrats finally made a good poo poo in the potty and we should be proud! The bill might be considered crap by some, but it's OUR piece of crap. I'm kidding. Any joy I get from this bill will be the little bit of pain it causes the insurance companies, the additional people it will be covering, and the fact that as flawed as this bill is, it is now and will continue to be a big kick in the nuts of every asshat Republican.

[ClarkUSA]

10. Sen. Bernie Sanders said it would be the biggest expansion of primary care in this country's history

Sen. Tom Harkin said it wasn't the end of public option. Now that HCR will be law, he said they'd revisit it every year and
change it for the better.

Seen on the Ed Schultz show tonight on MSNBC.

[Cha]

32. That's interesting..who knew last week

that this would actually be something that Senators like Bernie Sanders would get behind? In fact all the Senators except the repubs, of course?

[Name removed]

12. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[NJmaverick]

25. Sullivan did a hell of a job helping us take down the GOP

I think his input would certainly be welcomed.

[WeDidIt]

28. Sully knows what the fuck he's talking about.

It's brilliant and Obama is going to be remembered as one of the greatest presidents in history.

[lamp_shade]

34. K&R

[joeybee12]

37. As usual, Sully doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground...

...you Dems should be happy this worthless, lying scumbag is on your side. Congratulations.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

38. I take it you're not a Democrat from your remarks.

So when are you closing your DU account?

[SOCALS]

39. I read that he was supposed to be deported back to UK

because of AIDS. Did he have his deportation trial already?

[closeupready]

40. If you opposed going into Iraq, you hated America, according to what I recall of Sullivan's

rhetoric from 2002 and 2003.

[kayla9170]

41. K/R......

K/R for the President getting something done that many Democratic Presidents promised in the past but could never full get into place (ONLY EXCEPTION) was My Favorite President Ever-Bill Clinton with SCHIP. Merry Christmas President Obama, you achieved the first step of Universal Health Care Reform for our country!

[brentspeak]

45. "...not seen since Reagan."

The Reagan Democrats are back...and they're on DU.