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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=tanstl@aol.com href="mailto:tanstl@aol.com">David Sladky</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=undisclosed-recipients:
href="mailto:undisclosed-recipients:">undisclosed-recipients:</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, March 13, 2010 10:45 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Democrats Continue War Against the Public
Option</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=arial color=black size=2><FONT
face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></FONT><BR><BR>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.2in">Published on Friday, March 12, 2010 by <A
href="http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/03/12/reconciliation-rules-might-require-student-loan-reform-since-democrats-continue-war-against-the-public-option/"
target=_blank>FireDogLake.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.2in"><A
href="http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/03/12-10">http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/03/12-10</A></DIV>
<H1 class=western>Democrats Continue War Against the Public Option</H1>
<H2>Reconciliation Rules Might Require Student Loan Reform</H2>
<DIV>by Jon Walker</DIV>
<DIV id=node-body dir=ltr>
<DIV>The good news is that Democrats might have to include some form of student
loan reform in the reconciliation bill to meet the cost-saving requirements of
their reconciliation instructions. From <A
href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/34308.html#ixzz0hyCqeW5f"
target=_blank>Politico</A>:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE>The Senate parliamentarian notified Democratic leaders that, in
order to meet the reconciliation requirements, both the Senate health and
finance committees would need to produce $1 billion in deficit savings each
over the next 10 years, Conrad said.</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE>With health care alone, the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Committee would not be able to show the items within its jurisdiction save at
least $1 billion. By inserting the education package, the committee would
satisfy the reconciliation instructions, Conrad said.</BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV>If this is the case, it is great news because it means student loan reform
will be dealt with this year. That means billions to help students and
struggling community colleges hurting because of the economic downturn. Of
course, the question remains as to what kind of student loan reform it will be.
Will it be like the student-friendly reform that already passed the House, or
will it be some baloney Sallie Mae/JPMorgan Chase-created “compromise” that
would allow them to continue ripping off billions from American taxpayers?</DIV>
<DIV>But the bad news is that Democrats need to add student loan reform because
Democratic leadership is now in all-out war against the public option. If
Democrats add a public option, which would save $25-110 billion and is under the
jurisdiction of the HELP committee, they could get enough cost savings from that
to not need to add student loan reform.</DIV>
<DIV>It is unfortunate that Democrats so desperately want to protect the private
health insurance companies that they are prepared to waste an extra $25 billion
of taxpayer’s money to enrich the private insurance companies by denying the
American people the public option they overwhelmingly want. If the public option
isn’t included in a final reconciliation package, thank <A
href="http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/03/11/durbin-and-reid-whipping-against-public-option/"
target=_blank>Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Harry Reid (D-NV)</A>, who aren’t whipping
for the public option–they are apparently whipping against it.</DIV>
<DIV>This begs the question: If we were told we could not have a public option
because it does not have the votes, why would Reid need to whip against it?
</DIV>
<DIV>© 2010 FireDogLake.com</DIV>
<DIV><A href="http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/author/jon-walker/"
target=_blank>Jon Walker</A> is political writer and blogger for <A
href="http://firedoglake.com/" target=_blank>FireDogLake</A>. He is an expert on
health care policy and the politics of health care reform.</DIV></DIV>
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<H2>43 Comments so far</H2>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449781></A>rtdrury March 13th, 2010 3:56 am</DIV>
<DIV>"That means billions to help students and struggling community colleges
hurting because of the economic downturn"</DIV>
<DIV>FireDogLake is up to its usual tricks. While it reports on issues that
appeal to leftists, it frames those issues from the extreme right gutter. Any
leftist who buys the FireDogLake frames is fundamentally conflicted. </DIV>
<DIV>Students and colleges do not need billions of funny munny notes issued from
the Bank of Oceania. Students and colleges need EMANCIPATION from the Bank of
Oceania.</DIV>
<DIV>FireDogLake is Big Brother in disguise.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449658></A>libramoon March 12th, 2010 10:26 pm</DIV>
<DIV>If we really want immediate relief, and not an ongoing bipartisan debacle
on national healthcare insurance coverage, why not legislate by reconciliation a
simple Medicare buy-in for all option, sliding scale based on income, continue
payroll tax but without a cut-off and at a lower rate to keep the buy-in cost
low; those without means for any buy-in get government subsidy. Private insurers
who want to continue in that business can give better service/coverage beyond
Medicare or whatever they think the customers will buy from them with whatever
conditions they choose.</DIV>
<DIV>Since the Medicare infrastructure is already in place, it could more
quickly and easily work than putting together a whole new scheme. It could also
be a job booster by putting more money into low income pockets (people most
likely to spend) and giving small business a break from having to compete with
the drag of providing healthcare. I do want to point out that I am proposing the
buy-in as an option for those who so choose. Private insurers can still make
profit by good old American competition for those whom they want to insure
(those less likely to need high-cost pay-outs). Yet, the Medicare plan will have
even more volume for cost-cutting clout and a greater income stream to keep
Medicare solvent. </DIV>
<DIV>Still, we must remember to continue to work on the underlying problem of
high medical cost. I think it would help to seriously look at best practices
both medically and fiscally and to better promote what works, including
treatments that are considered nontraditional in this culture. I also think we
need to expand access to medical education (on all levels, not just MDs), and
expand efforts to educate the public generally on positive health practices and
self-treatment options.</DIV>
<DIV>Let's let our Congressional Representatives know now and with
enthusiastically: We demand a strong public option; and we vote!</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449600></A>scott kn March 12th, 2010 8:43 pm</DIV>
<DIV>Democrats continue war against he public period.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449697></A>lnb March 12th, 2010 11:40 pm</DIV>
<DIV>Correct. And these lying pieces of filth,called the R and D parties will be
dragged into the back alley and have the sh!t kicked out of them. There's a mass
strike in process; unplanned, uncalled by any leaders. People are enraged by the
arrogant dismissal of their sufferings by this R and D filth that "occupies"
congress,white house,and the supreme court. This outragous filth called
"healthcare reform" won't fly. The O-man won't last the year. He'll either take
a Nixon helicopter ride outta town, or be FORCED to read from "mainstreet"'s
Teleprompter, and TURN AGAINST wallstreet and threadneedlestreet. Just keep
watching. It WILL happen before this year is over.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449583></A>Stanley1979 March 12th, 2010 8:27 pm</DIV>
<DIV>Reviewing this bill that is being pushed to pass, I have come to conclude
that even with the public option, it isn't worth passing. They sure did me a
favor of taking it out along with putting this anti-abortion gag in so that I
would be forced to explore this bill in detail. I don't know if I really
understand "public option" anymore but after this anti-abortion gag, it is my
understanding that the idea is loopholed by design that even a Republican can
pull up that idea and all they have to do is make exceptions on where to deny
coverage. This would be just like having coverage, being told that my doctor
accepts that plan only to go there and say "But this plan does not cover for so
and so cancer procedure". So what next? One then has to go around trying to find
a doctor who might overlook that lack of coverage and it repeats but finally, a
doctor willing to do it is found only to be too late because by then the patient
can't be cured and the rest of the family is left devastated. If Congress could
deny coverage against women on abortion like this, think how many more denials
they could do. I was a fool to believe in public option and even if they put it
back in, this bill is still unacceptable ! A public option that still leaves Big
Insurance in charge is an indicator that these politicians don't really want to
make health care affordable. Nowadays, when I pull out my old tapes covering
Democrats of past campaigns promising affordable coverage, I don't feel like
believing them anymore when I compare their tone to Obama's. If this bill
passes, I will never ever forgive the Democratic Party and even more so when
women lose their lives because their "insurance" didn't include coverage for
abortion.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449457></A>tammons March 12th, 2010 5:48 pm</DIV>
<DIV>How did Obama define his position on health insurers in a June town
meeting. "They have a right to be there and to make a respectable profit-- but
they have to be accountable." The language of Rights is reserved for Health
Insurers. Obama did not and as far as I know has never said that we as citizens
have a Right to Health Care. He has said that we should offer some form of
Insurance to those uninsured. Just like a moral appeal to help the victims in
Haiti. Something we should do, but then if I do not respond to that appeal it is
not equivalent to denying those victims their Rights, it is simply a matter of
voluntary charity whether I respond or not. If it were a Right we would be a
morally and legally guilty if we did not respond. That's not how Obama thinks of
himself with regard to Health Care. But when it comes to business, that's
another matter, these business demand and get protection--- here the language of
Rights is invoked. "They have a right to be there." If we were to opt for a
Single Payer system or even opt into Medicare for all-- why that is an outrage--
it denies insurance companies their Rights. Obama would never do that. And the
right extends--to make a reasonable profit. Reasonable in the eyes of Wall
Street, 7-10 %. If they have to cap, deny care, charge differential rates to
make those profits, plus cover their outrageous overhead that's OK. But they
have to be accountable--explain to Sibelius what they have to do to make these
profits and as long as it isn't too outrageous-- practices like rescission,
denial of preexisting conditions--that's fine. Don't expect Kathleen to set the
bar too high. So is this clear enough--you don't have a right to health care but
corporations have the right to charge you for health insurance. When Obama said
this in his town hall meeting he paused-- expecting applause for this "uniquely
American Solution." There was no applause but there were no boos either. The
American people don't seem to realize the concession they have made. They have
not demanded health care as Right. They will not get it and they will suffer for
it. That's just fine with those in power. Any chance that we as the public will
be outraged enough to do something about it?</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449507></A>2boocoo March 12th, 2010 6:30 pm</DIV>
<DIV>I agre with that explanation. People voted for obama and by and large what
i have been reading on all of these comments for the past year have confirmed
for me that people actually do not pay attention to what he says, they hear what
they want to hear, they pick and choose snippets to prove their point.</DIV>
<DIV>he's a centrist.</DIV>
<DIV>we voted for so-called blue dog democrats, like that wasn't going to bite
the progressive agenda in the patooie, </DIV>
<DIV>we voted a centrist into office, liek that wasn't going to bite the
progressive agenda.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449368></A>maxpayne March 12th, 2010 4:22 pm</DIV>
<DIV>Hey Democratic Party, even Saudi Arabia and India have some form of
universal health care to offer its citizens. What good is a "public option" if
the insurance fraudsters still get to mess everything up? It will be terrible
unfortunate that the Democratic Party will go down in flames for being a
pathetic dingbat party.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449361></A>Eagle Bill March 12th, 2010 4:18 pm</DIV>
<DIV>Anyone who opposes this bill from the left is now being acccused of denying
coverage to people. This is untrue. Guess who denies coverage---the very
bloodsucking insurance companies who heal no one, comfort no one and have no
rational reason for existence. Now the goverment is mandating that we pay them
our hard earned money with no recourse. Whose side is the government on? Obama,
Pelosi and Reid you can all kiss my ass. You are worse than Republicans because
at least the Republicans are honest about their thievery, their supporters are
glad to be stolen from in the name of God, country and free enterprise. Your
cowardice is a<BR>disgrace to all true believers in human dignity.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449442></A>Veritas March 12th, 2010 5:32 pm</DIV>
<DIV>Eagle Bill </DIV>
<DIV>Well said! And a great suggestion for this leadership, but I'd hate to see
your rear sullied.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449345></A>2boocoo March 12th, 2010 4:01 pm</DIV>
<DIV>Thank you for continuing to comment on my sentence structure (Much like
worrying about your toothbrush in the midst of a hurricane.), i do look bad, i
admit that, and it causes of my incoherence, but i just love reading my own
words. </DIV>
<DIV>sort of like "...the impassioned pigmy fist... clenched clowdward and
defiant..." if you get the reference.</DIV>
<DIV>understanding on your part is not requisite to enjoyment on mine.</DIV>
<DIV>My reference to the Al Jazeera East/West thing is mostly a slam to the fox
news crowd monitoring this site for 'truthiness'; they need to get the research
for their talking points from somewhere (not from me, from the site; i may be
egotistical but not that much).</DIV>
<DIV>While taking a dump on a lone summer's eve, i sometimes muse on the idea
that republicans must have been the jocks in high school, they certainly know
how to stick together and win, and they do win as much as dems and libs whine,
repubs stick together. The old Al Davis mantra of 'just win, baby' i do wish
dems would stick together enough to start our own slippery slope, convince
waverers we can get something done so we can be given the opportunity to go even
further.</DIV>
<DIV>I mean, haven't you noticed the continuing slide of the middle to the
right; for gosh sakes, cap and trade used to be a republican idea to counter a
liberal agenda.</DIV>
<DIV>now liberals are lucky to get that.</DIV>
<DIV>but go ahead and post on my sentence structure.</DIV>
<DIV>this is fun, thank you again</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449334></A>RichM March 12th, 2010 3:53 pm</DIV>
<DIV>Walker writes, "...It is UNFORTUNATE that Democrats so desperately want to
protect the private health insurance companies that they are prepared to waste
an extra $25 billion...to enrich the private insurance companies by denying the
American people the public option they overwhelmingly want..."</DIV>
<DIV>- Choosing the milquetoast word "unfortunate" is very revealing of Walker's
perspective. (Bush's invasion of Iraq was also "unfortunate." So was the Wall St
bailout. So was slavery.) He confirms this impression of gutlessness by accusing
the Dems merely of denying the American people the already-watered-down "public
option," rather than true single-payer, Medicare-for-all. </DIV>
<DIV>Complaining about the Dems' refusal to offer the public option is setting
the bar very low. It's like an enfeebled "antiwar movement" complaining about a
delay in scheduled troop withdrawals from the various wars -- even if the
withdrawals are so limited that even with them, the wars would all still
continue indefinitely.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449594></A>Stanley1979 March 12th, 2010 8:36 pm</DIV>
<DIV>I used to mistake public option as single payer in the past but after
careful review of this bill and finding out what it really was, there is no
denying that nothing beats a real public plan like single payer any day. I
wouldn't accept this current bill even if they had put the public option back in
it. Thank you RichM. Keep up the great work. You would make a great
president.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449294></A>Thalidomide March 12th, 2010 3:11 pm</DIV>
<DIV>I can't believe people are getting so worked up about something so
insignificant as this public option which would apply to less than 1 percent of
people. It is pathetic that people calling themselves progressives would fall
for such crap.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449605></A>mujeriego March 12th, 2010 8:54 pm</DIV>
<DIV>It "Only" affects 3 million people, so who gives a shit..??</DIV>
<DIV>Nice Attitude. I hope you lose your job and benefits.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449613></A>Stanley1979 March 12th, 2010 9:09 pm</DIV>
<DIV>Ask him if he would support single payer which would provide coverage to
everyone. 3 million people is indeed a lot of people but now that I understand
that big insurance still has the power even with public option, I don't know if
the option would cover even that many people since the option has been watered
down and then taken out altogether.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449375></A>iowapinko March 12th, 2010 4:29 pm</DIV>
<DIV>US citizens don't understand what insurance companies do.<BR>Insurance
companies exist to make a profit.<BR>They profit by overcharging for premiums
and rationing health care services.<BR>They charge as MUCH as they can. They
provide the LEAST care they can get away with.<BR>Insurance companies will
murder you, your mom, your granny, your kids and your dog for a buck.<BR>They
are doing just that right now.<BR>45,000 of our friends and neighbors every
single year.<BR>45,000 human beings sacrificed on the altar of profit.</DIV>
<DIV>What insurance companies do is called murder.<BR>What will it take for us
to get mad enough to do the work to stop it?</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449547></A>photons feather March 12th, 2010 7:31 pm</DIV>
<DIV>Agreed. As I keep trying to get through to my 'representative':</DIV>
<DIV>We need better and wider access to health care, not increased insurance
coverage. Insurance coverage is not health care. It eats nearly one-third of the
money we spend on 'health care,' which is currently a combination of personal
health care and health insurance company care. </DIV>
<DIV>The e-mail response I got from my rep is an oily comment about the need for
health care reform. He attempted to assure me that comprehensive health care
reform was one of Obama's priorities and that he shared that priority with
Obama. He then went on to state that it was important to get insurance coverage
for the 45 million uninsured. (He would appear to be unaware that many insured
people died from lack of health care, not lack of health insurance.) </DIV>
<DIV>Finally, he ended that section with "Reforming our healthcare system is
clearly imperative, but as you rightly point out, we must carefully weigh the
implications of any plan in order to develop a practical, effective system that
controls costs and covers as many of the uninsured as possible." Definitely
**not** what I tried to tell him. I wrote, among other things, what I said
above: we need better access to health care, not to health insurance. The two
are not the same. (!!!)</DIV>
<DIV>I'd love to hear some concrete ideas for ways to fight this. (I trust
you're not talking about petitions, e-mails, and phone calls. We all saw how
well that tack works during the run-up to the Great Wall Street Giveaway. And
you can see again how well it works with my 'representative.')</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449586></A>Stanley1979 March 12th, 2010 8:32 pm</DIV>
<DIV>Insurance coverage can also be exploited by doctors who don't really know
how to do what they're hired to do but they exploit people's insurance plans. If
they can't do a certain procedure, all they have to do is call up the insurance
provider of the patient and if that specific thing isn't covered, they'll feel
relieved if they can't do it. Even if they can do it, they're free to ask extra
up front. Either way, if the patient can't afford it or just can't get it
altogether, he or she has to limp from one doctor to another risking losing his
or her life in the process. Getting insurance companies out of the way would
show us who are the really good doctors and the mediocre ones.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449245></A>moonpie March 12th, 2010 2:20 pm</DIV>
<DIV>The dems and repubs are going to continue this dog & pony show until
they pass this hideous bill. The dems will bask & glow with their 'success',
the repubs will say they 'didn't vote for it', but in the end, The Bill will
pass and the money will too; from our pockets to theirs--backed up by the IRS.
That's how they'll get around the will of the people. Thats what I see going
down at this point. We will be forced by law and the IRS/jail time to cooperate
with these large healthcare companies and buy their flawed products.</DIV>
<DIV>They do what they want, when they want, to whomever they want. </DIV>
<DIV>Whatever it takes.</DIV>
<DIV>The media will then move on to something else.</DIV>
<DIV>This is getting scarier by the day.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449259></A>socialist March 12th, 2010 2:40 pm</DIV>
<DIV>moonpie, the phony "dog and pony show" is all that is left of "democracy";
I like the term you use. Some use "good cop, bad cop routine" which is also
pretty close to the mark, but dog and pony show is even better.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449229></A>mcoyote March 12th, 2010 2:07 pm</DIV>
<DIV>Why are we even talking about the "Public Option." "Public Option" is NOT
single payer; it is a cynical deceit. Why do we have to go over this time and
again? Why are we even considering begging for crumbs?</DIV>
<DIV>Odd to me that people can't see it. I see it everyday, clear as a bell.
There are hundreds of opportunities to steer things. All that is needed is
critical mass so that people aren't immediately terrorized back into compliance
- "look out!!! Be careful!!" - with each and every little foray out of the cell.
If there was a relatively high possibility of ten at a time in any given
situation saying "fuck that. I stand solid and won't be moved. I won't be
intimidated" and stood with each other, had each other's backs, the courage
would grow and the forays out of the cell would become more frequent and pretty
soon things would get out of hand in a big hurry.</DIV>
<DIV>That is why they keep us in debt, sick, scared and demoralized. Control. We
are putty in their hands, weak and compliant. Sniveling little beggars doing our
master's bidding.</DIV>
<DIV>It is a strange modern idea that we think we can have no effect on anything
that amounts to much - unless we are a somebody, or have money or position, or a
clever plan, or certain personal qualities, or black magic, or the right
connections - but at the same time we see ourselves as creators of our own
reality and as having some sort of god-like power. Lots of confusion. No control
over our own lives, just completely enslaved and yet thinking ourselves
gods.</DIV>
<DIV>I wish we could dig in on this and gain some understanding. Why can we not
see reality? Why the disconnection between our internal reality and external
reality? It is as though when people discuss anything, rather than referencing
what they see they first look inward at what they imagine. What is there about
the situation that is beyond our observation and perception? Are the fantasies
in our heads like gate keepers? Must we compare all data to fairy tales in our
heads, and find congruence there before we can accept anything as real or
true?</DIV>
<DIV>Imagine you were locked up in a small cell. You communicated outside of the
cell through the TV, the Internet and telephone. But everything you saw and
heard denied the existence of the cell. People told you that there was something
wrong with your attitude or your thinking that made you think you were in a
cell. How would you act? What would you feel? What would you think?</DIV>
<DIV>You would act, think and feel exactly the way we all do act, think, and
feel.</DIV>
<DIV>Most of what the politically active people and intellectuals say is akin to
"no, no, no. Don't do that. We finally got them to allow us an extra 15 minutes
on the exercise yard and you are going to screw that up. Play the game and
follow the rules and you can do OK. I know there are problems, but we can keep
working away on them gradually. You are making things worse."</DIV>
<DIV>We are fucking locked up in a hellish prison and living a nightmare of
terror and demoralization. Stop compromising on your rights. Get in the streets.
We have everything to gain. It's very, very late.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449347></A>rvrwalker March 12th, 2010 4:04 pm</DIV>
<DIV>"We have everything to gain. It's very, very late."</DIV>
<DIV>Are you saying we need a "movement?" How about a few doses of cascara! that
should get things moving. Yeah, a laxative for these oh so uncomfortable
days.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449241></A>jlocke123 March 12th, 2010 2:16 pm</DIV>
<DIV>-locked up in a hellish prison and living a nightmare of terror and
demoralization.</DIV>
<DIV>You make it sound like a bad thing???? ;)</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449220></A>quickstepper March 12th, 2010 2:06 pm</DIV>
<DIV>Missed. Damn!</DIV>
<DIV>q</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449216></A>Obedient Servant March 12th, 2010 2:02 pm</DIV>
<DIV>Yawn.</DIV>
<DIV>Pardon ME! Mr. Walker seems to be one of those one-dimensional "inside
politics" wonk-types. </DIV>
<DIV>It's me, not him-- I appreciate that there remains a sizable target
demographic who operate on this level and study this kind of article like a
compulsive horse-race bettor studies tip sheets.</DIV>
<DIV>These wonks are to politics as local teevee news meteorologists are to
weather; they're constantly spazzed over a wealth of technical minutiae,
resulting in overblown, infotainment-packed reports that don't really have much
to do with what the viewer experiences if they turn off the teevee and just go
outside.</DIV>
<DIV>The sublime irony is that this kind of analysis purports to be nothing if
not fact-based and "realistic". And yet IMO, the headline might as well
read:</DIV>
<DIV>Democrats Continue War Against the Unicorn<BR>Reconciliation Rules Might
Require Rainbow Pot of Gold Reform</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449449></A>Veritas March 12th, 2010 5:38 pm</DIV>
<DIV>OS...Make it three. Good on ya mate.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449256></A>socialist March 12th, 2010 2:35 pm</DIV>
<DIV>OS: "These wonks are to politics as local teevee news meteorologists are to
weather; they're constantly spazzed over a wealth of technical minutiae,
resulting in overblown, infotainment-packed reports that don't really have much
to do with what the viewer experiences if they turn off the teevee and just go
outside."</DIV>
<DIV>Well put, I cannot agree more.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449226></A>quickstepper March 12th, 2010 2:53 pm</DIV>
<DIV>q</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449195></A>2boocoo March 12th, 2010 1:51 pm</DIV>
<DIV>it's not about the public option. It's about drowning the government in a
bathtub. our republican friends admirably succeeded in advancing that goal over
the last ten years and by all accounts, look to continue that trend. The biggest
fear republicans have is not terrorists, their plebs state it succinctly at
their tea party protests: "we want our country back!"<BR>This statement is not a
statement out of some fantasy land, it is a natural fact of demographics. Look
at your school and church consolidation in rural america, across america. Then
look at your minority dominated communities. Rural america is getting smaller,
minority communities are getting larger.<BR>So to those folks at the tea party,
they ARE losing their country, it's as plain as day.<BR>Healthcare costs a lot,
it is in a crisis situation. The blame is neatly shifted to 'government run'
health care; sort of like medicare and medicaid making it unrealistic and
unreachable for 'Industry' (insurance companies) to control costs.<BR>- i hate
the lack of a fairness doctrine<BR>many of us understand the truth, but Al
Jazeera West (fox news) paints a vivid portrait utilizing this 'code' they blame
liberals for.<BR>These people are unified, democrats are not. people who state
'politics be damned' are idealistically correct but functionally
inaccurate.<BR>politics matter, as much as i hate to say that.</DIV>
<DIV>passage of what is available now calms the waverers enough, for
now...</DIV>
<DIV>passage of what is available now shows those with pre-existing conditions
that government CAN do something, marginal votes that may get us over the edge
come november.</DIV>
<DIV>Obama's reaching out to the other side, in every way possible, as much as
it irks dems shows his commitment to a big concern waverers and independants
have; partisanship, or obama's willingness to continue trying in the face of
obvious adamantium.</DIV>
<DIV>so, in the end, don't support obama, but when sarah palin takes over four
years from now, look at yourself, not anyone else, you had the chance to support
the guy, albeit not perfect he is certainly better that palin or bush, as much
as i like kucinich or sanders, reality does set in, unfortunately and
non-support from those with intelligence, right now, allow republicans to leave
an even bigger mess for later on, with the Al Jazeera West headline: GOVERNMENT
CONTINUES TO BE THE PROBLEM.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449284></A>johnny hempseed March 12th, 2010 3:07 pm</DIV>
<DIV>Al Jazeera is an excellent news source comparatively speaking.Look at the
diversity of the reporting staff,and the editorial balance.I would rank them
right up there with the Asia times as far as accuracy and balance.<BR>2boocoo
the Sarah Palin tea party analogy won't fly either,both of those entities are
devoid of policy ideas and unlinked.<BR>I do agree there is a fear of changing
demographics among zenophobic and racist groups in this country.But 2boocoo if
we all keep screwing each other long enough we will all be the same
color.<BR>peace</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449234></A>jlocke123 March 12th, 2010 2:11 pm</DIV>
<DIV>I couldn't disagree more. What caught my attention first was your comparing
Al Jazeera to Fox. They are nothing alike, as anyone who has taken the time to
see them, would tell you.</DIV>
<DIV>I won't attempt to go into great detail about your post, most of it not
even being composed of complete sentences and such...</DIV>
<DIV>but your ending by blaming governmet? How do you think other democratic
countries got their health care, costing a fraction of what you pay? And how do
you think they got all their other social programs? Do you think other nations
don't have governments?</DIV>
<DIV>You want people to support Obama, why? Because Sarah Palin is worse? Why
not compare him to Rush Limbaugh? ...or Glenn Beck?</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449283></A>2boocoo March 12th, 2010 3:02 pm</DIV>
<DIV>fox news has a new owner joining Rupert - the most influential man in the
world - Murdoch, look it up. It's a tried and true method used effectively by
east asian companies way back when they staked the Heritage Foundation to
control American political opinion, they got it; politics matters in America.
These east Asian companies were so effective over the decades that you only have
to look at where most of your goods and services have come from since the
founding of the Heritage Foundation, most people think it's economics.</DIV>
<DIV>complete sentences? tsk, tsk...i look so bad...</DIV>
<DIV>I don't blame government, it is a simple comment on what Fox News, and the
"drown the govermment in a bathtub" crowd have convinced a large majority of
Americans is the problem. I do agree with you on the other countries but that is
so obviously politically impossible in the days of a vanquished fairness
doctrine that intelligent people should be able to recognize that.</DIV>
<DIV>I would like the people who voted for obama to support him, yes, because if
they do not pass health care this year, this fall they will go on and on about
how government cannot DO anything, Al Jazeera West (a religious fundamentalist
media outlet to be sure - like Al Jazeera East) will have an enjoyable time
watching the results of the elections when the republican takeover of the house
and senate begins the march of sarah, or mitch, or maybe a ken or barbie
doll.</DIV>
<DIV>team players support their leaders, their coaches, their teammates,
especialy when the going gets tough. Having spent my youth playing for a number
of successful teams, i can attest to that.</DIV>
<DIV>passage of this bill is the slippery slope that i personally have been
looking for. the banks are next, it won't be perfect but it is a start,
universal health care will be obvious in a possible second term, assuming some
form of regulation of the banks moves forward, complete re-introduction of the
banking regulations lost in the nineties is another possibility.</DIV>
<DIV>Doing nothing now will cost you this fall, and the next presidential
election.</DIV>
<DIV>PS: i recognize the futility of altering your position, but i love stating
mine, so thank you for the response.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449313></A>jlocke123 March 12th, 2010 3:33 pm</DIV>
<DIV>Again, I can hardly make out what you are on about...</DIV>
<DIV>"tsk, tsk...i look so bad..."</DIV>
<DIV>It's not about how you look, it's that your lack of sentence structure
denotes incoherence.</DIV>
<DIV>-"they will go on and on about how government cannot DO anything, Al
Jazeera West"</DIV>
<DIV>You seem to be concerned that if the Dems don't succeed in subsidizing the
private insurance companies, they won't hear the end of it from Fox news, why
should we care?</DIV>
<DIV>-"team players support their leaders"</DIV>
<DIV>Agreed, now what team do you think the Democrats are on? I'll give you a
hint: the team jerseys consist of thousand dollar suits. </DIV>
<DIV>-"it won't be perfect but it is a start"</DIV>
<DIV>People, do I really need to address that one?</DIV>
<DIV>-"i recognize the futility of altering your position, but i love stating
mine, so thank you for the response"</DIV>
<DIV>Ooooh, a jibe and politeness all in one!!! If you have read any of my posts
over time, you would know that I am eminently reasonable and
persuadable...</DIV>
<DIV>and I've enjoyed it too, thanks.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449450></A>Veritas March 12th, 2010 5:42 pm</DIV>
<DIV>jlocke123</DIV>
<DIV>"If you have read any of my posts over time, you would know that I am
eminently reasonable and persuadable..."</DIV>
<DIV>WAIT a minute! You are always give me heck. (LOL)</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449165></A>gdgoodman March 12th, 2010 1:29 pm</DIV>
<DIV>So it's a trade off is it? Student loans versus the public option (which by
this time and amount of compromise is no option at all). What a load of
malarkey. The Dumbocrats must really think we are stupid; but then, going by the
general response -- not opinions but actions -- we ARE pretty stupid.</DIV>
<DIV>Let's fix Medicare, offer it to all, allow the private companies to offer
alternatives and supplements and all go home.</DIV>
<DIV>See, not so hard.</DIV>
<DIV>Gary</DIV>
<DIV>"Healing takes courage, and we all have courage, even if we have to dig a
little to find it."<BR>-- Tori Amos</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449204></A>raydelcamino March 12th, 2010 1:55 pm</DIV>
<DIV>Instead we have the 2700 page (and growing) Obamacare manifesto that will
benefit insurance company and drug campany stock holders at the expense of the
victims.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449115></A>socialist March 12th, 2010 12:45 pm</DIV>
<DIV>Just like George Carlin used to say "they don't give a f@$k about you".
Carlin was very intelligent and perceptive, now years later, this ought to be
crystal clear. </DIV>
<DIV>When single payer or any progressive policy option was declared "off the
table" from the beginning by the D leadership, it should have sent a loud and
clear message: </DIV>
<DIV>"We don't give a f@$k about you, f-off, we are going to steal tens of
billions more of your money and give it to the insurance companies; don't like
it? too f-in bad, do as you are told and don't ask questions, you f-in
plebs."</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449143></A>Mordechai Shiblikov March 12th, 2010 1:10
pm</DIV>
<DIV>And I don't give a f@$k about the Democrats. And neither do countless
others by now.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449339></A>rvrwalker March 12th, 2010 3:55 pm</DIV>
<DIV>Yeah, me neither ... but I know what the result will be ... Welcome back
repugs! You are the excuse the Dems need soooo badly. They've been trying to
wing it for a year now, so hurry home!</DIV>
<DIV>But that's Ok, I actually prefer Repug transparency! The agenda remains
essentially the same.</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449106></A>jlocke123 March 12th, 2010 12:38 pm</DIV>
<DIV>The Senate parliamentarian?</DIV>
<DIV>When are Democrats going to run out of excuses? The Senate parliamentarian
makes judgements based on senate rules put in place by the majority of the
senate members. Who has the majority in the senate, again?</DIV>
<DIV>Democrats - Darn!!! We can't give you medicare for all...because of senate
rule 86774668 which states emphatically, that we can't!!!!</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449315></A>bgcd March 12th, 2010 3:34 pm</DIV>
<DIV>"Democrats so desperately want to protect the private health insurance
companies"</DIV>
<DIV>from which they get their "donations" (aka bribes).</DIV>
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<DIV><A name=comment-1449190></A>raydelcamino March 12th, 2010 1:51 pm</DIV>
<DIV>While Walker tells us that the public option would have helped students
afford college, he fails to mention that if Medicare eligibility was reduced to
age 55 or single-payer was implemented, even more money would be available to
help students afford college, PLUS millions of additional jobs would open for
college grads as millions of baby boomers retired from their family wage
jobs.</DIV>
<DIV>Millions of baby boomers are delaying or cancelling retirement from family
wage jobs solely to retain their relatively affordable employer-sponsored
medical insurance. Reducing the age for Medicare eligibility or implementing
single-payer would allow millions of boomers to retire immediately.</DIV>
<DIV>Considering that only 20% of 2009 college grads landed jobs and it will
take 11 million jobs to end the current receccion, Obama is failing on health
care and jobs by not expanding Medicare or implementing single-payer.</DIV>
<DIV>Had the Dems ordered a CBO cost analysis of single-payer or expanding
Medicare, they would have been forced to pass it because the CBO report would
show much lower costs than public option, Obamacare or any of the other
schemes.</DIV>
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