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First They Came For The PO. Next They Came For Medicare Buy In . . .

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Other Politics
Posted on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 06:18:26 PM EST
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Medicaid expansion will be next. Harkin and Rockefeller cave. See also Atrios.

Next up to capitulate on? Medicaid expansion. Watch. My gawd. The WORST political bargainers in the history of political bargaining.

I confidently predict that what will be left of the health bill is the "reforms" plus subsidies subject to the Stupak Amendment so people can buy crappy private insurance.

I will oppose that bill.

Speaking for me only

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    First They Came For The PO. Next They Came For Medicare Buy In . . . | 33 comments (33 topical)

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    and this is a surprise to you? how? (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by Bornagaindem on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 06:38:23 PM EST
    The amazing thing is that so many of the obots are so unaware- they still think they are getting something. I think there is going to be hell to pay when the public actually understands that they will HAVE to buy insurance (you can be sure that will not be bargained away) and there will be no cost control.

    There was never going to be a public option and we will never stop the wars. Both are too lucrative to the powers that buy our democracy.

    Not sure (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 07:06:07 PM EST
    where you get that I am surprised.

    Parent
    Not "can" (5.00 / 2) (#6)
    by nycstray on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 06:58:49 PM EST
    I confidently predict that what will be left of the health bill is the "reforms" plus subsidies subject to the Stupak Amendment so people can buy crappy private insurance.

    "have to" is more like it . . . . and Obama will sign it with the Stupak amendment. We already have his number on that front.

    Well (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by TeresaInSnow2 on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 07:03:25 PM EST
    if this garbage passes, I only hope the Republicans take control and trash it completely....not that they will, because they're getting everything they want, but a girl can dream.

    My SIL was practically crying about what mandates will mean for her.  Unless the subsidies mean health insurance will cost less than the tax penalty, she's opting for the tax penalty...and using the money she's budgeted for her own non-insured health care to pay for the penalty.

    Not only will this not provide MORE healthcare, for some it will provide less.

    I need to ask my two senators, (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by jeffinalabama on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 07:11:03 PM EST
    Shelby and Sessions, to PLEASE filibuster this bill.

    Parent
    I need to ask the same of my Dem senators (none / 0) (#17)
    by shoephone on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 07:14:50 PM EST
    Cantwell and Murray. But, no doubt, they will toe the party line, for no measurable gain whatsoever.

    Parent
    I'm afraid mine might support it now (none / 0) (#20)
    by jeffinalabama on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 07:17:24 PM EST
    or with the Stupack amendment added.

    Parent
    Patty is already concerned about (none / 0) (#24)
    by Inspector Gadget on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 09:27:38 PM EST
    her re-election. Letters from her are asking for campaign contributions by year-end. She's the one I think is worth keeping, and I'm not sure who the R's will try to run against her.

    I would hate to see good D's go away in the sweep up.

    Parent

    Then she'd better start fighting (none / 0) (#26)
    by shoephone on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 10:25:30 PM EST
    as hard for real health care reform as she has for pork on behalf of Boeing.

    Parent
    Your sister needs to tell her Senators (none / 0) (#31)
    by BrassTacks on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 01:35:55 AM EST
    How awful this bill is for REAL PEOPLE.  

    Parent
    She has (none / 0) (#33)
    by TeresaInSnow2 on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 01:54:59 PM EST
    called her two Democratic senators already.

    Parent
    Taking wagers now (5.00 / 4) (#14)
    by shoephone on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 07:12:26 PM EST
    that not one media mouth will have the guts or the wherewithall to ask Obama point blank, "So, Mr. President. Can you please explain what the reforms are?"

    Corporate-Controlled MSM Complicity in action.

    The bailout continues (5.00 / 4) (#15)
    by Spamlet on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 07:12:44 PM EST
    This time it's the insurance industry. Quelle surprise.

    Le plus ca change... (none / 0) (#18)
    by shoephone on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 07:15:55 PM EST


    Parent
    From the sliding scales (5.00 / 1) (#22)
    by JamesTX on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 08:39:20 PM EST
    I have seen, the subsidies are not going to be all that much for most people. So, what reform amounts to is this:

    1. Problem: people can't afford decent health plans

    2. Solution: Pass a law that requires them to buy one!

    Before it's over, they'll shave "some fat" off those proposed subsidies, and we'll be left basically with the solution above.

    Now, that's "reform" we can live with (for as long as our bodies hold out!)

    I have a choice! (5.00 / 3) (#23)
    by nycstray on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 08:42:56 PM EST
    I can work less to meet the subsidy level, go broke paying for a plan I can't afford or pay the penalty. {head desk}

    Parent
    They are junking the mandate now right (5.00 / 1) (#25)
    by Socraticsilence on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 10:25:18 PM EST
    I mean the entire point of the mandate (from a bargiaining perspective not a policy perspective) was to get the insurance-whores on board.

    I wish (none / 0) (#2)
    by Jackson Hunter on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 06:45:26 PM EST
    that I could say that I was surprised by this, but I'm not.  Once Obama left it in the hands of this feckless lot of rabble called Democratic leadership we were doomed.  What actions since the '06 elections would have convinced any of you that Reid (Pelosi to her credit has actually been pretty strong except for Stupak) had the brains or b*lls to lead on such a signature issue?

    BTW, can we NOW strip Lieberman of his powers or do we keep trying to kick the football.  If we don't, then we are the sniveling cowards that the Regressives claim we are.

    What do we do now?  A General Strike that'll shut down the country?  I honestly think that is all we have left.  Make the corporate paymasters and their quislings pay a price until they respond to what the people want!  A pipe dream maybe, but were are swirling down the bowl folks and somebody had better do something pretty freaking soon.

    Hunter

    General Strikes can work ... (none / 0) (#5)
    by Robot Porter on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 06:54:39 PM EST
    there was one in the French Caribbean this year.  The strikers got their demands.

    But, as you say, it's probably a pipe dream in the US.

    Parent

    We could probably (none / 0) (#7)
    by Jackson Hunter on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 07:02:13 PM EST
    mobilize a couple of million easy, but we would have to have numbers into the tens of millions for it to be truly effective.  A strike where every city and moderate sized burg was totally shut down until we got the responsive government that we should have.  But yes, that's not very likely.

    Hunter

    Parent

    The key would be to get ... (5.00 / 1) (#11)
    by Robot Porter on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 07:09:38 PM EST
    all truckers and transportation workers.  Shut down the flow of food, and you'd make an impact very quickly.

    Won't happen.  But it's a nice dream.

    Parent

    It worked for Kissinger in Chile (n/t) (5.00 / 1) (#16)
    by Spamlet on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 07:13:29 PM EST


    Parent
    Eh, it'd be easier to take the (2.00 / 1) (#27)
    by Socraticsilence on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 10:27:12 PM EST
    anti-abortion approach- selected assasination of Health Care Execs- as much as I hate to say it anti-abortion terror has been largely effective.

    Parent
    It is a (none / 0) (#30)
    by cal1942 on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 01:18:22 AM EST
    pipe dream in the US.  Won't happen.

    Parent
    You can't logically (none / 0) (#28)
    by gyrfalcon on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 12:21:55 AM EST
    strip a guy of powers when you've just totally capitulated to in his temper tantrum.  If they were going to do it, they would have done it today.

    Parent
    The Plan (none / 0) (#3)
    by pluege on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 06:51:20 PM EST
    The WORST political bargainers in the history of political bargaining.

    I can't help feeling obama and reid are ending up right where they wanted to - really there was never any doubt - any simpleton saw it coming for months. The trick was to go through 9 months of twisting so all the vichy dems (including rockefeller) could have plausible deniability. (too conspiracyish? maybe...certainly 11 dimensional chess - THE WRONG WAY) Thanks all-seeing, all-knowing obamafans.

    Gave the Dems 9 months to raise (none / 0) (#21)
    by MO Blue on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 07:59:03 PM EST
    a lot of cash on the health care issue. Contributions from people who seriously wanted affordable health care for people but who didn't spend the time to examine the nuts and bolts of what was going on. Contributions from industries wanting to expand their market base through government mandates to purchase their products without any reforms.

    Needless to say, the industries win again.

    Parent

    They're neither (none / 0) (#29)
    by gyrfalcon on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 12:23:31 AM EST
    that clever nor that strong.  If they were, this would be a very different process.

    The answer is obvious.  They're both weak and stupid.

    Parent

    change we can believe in. (none / 0) (#4)
    by jeffinalabama on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 06:52:03 PM EST
    yes we can.

    sombody turn out the lights when you're done.

    Change we can bereave in (5.00 / 2) (#12)
    by RonK Seattle on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 07:09:39 PM EST


    Parent
    (laughing) (none / 0) (#19)
    by katiebird on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 07:16:02 PM EST
    I haven't heard that before!

    (waving at Ronk)

    Parent

    Oh joy (none / 0) (#8)
    by andgarden on Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 07:03:16 PM EST


    Oppose the Bill? (none / 0) (#32)
    by Doc Rock on Tue Dec 15, 2009 at 08:58:37 AM EST
    Sell out the party that sold out the people!!!!

    First They Came For The PO. Next They Came For Medicare Buy In . . . | 33 comments (33 topical)

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