Blogs and Stories
Obama's Game-Changing Win
To win, Obama and his advisers appeared to offer up one concession after another, coupled with gratuitous insults to the Democrats’ liberal base—as if they needed some outrage on the left to make the whole thing feel kosher. Over all, the 60 votes secured by Harry Reid demonstrated, as no political-science lesson can, that the passage of major legislation in this country makes sausage-making look awfully pretty.
The question, to return to Kristol’s terms of analysis, is what it will mean politically. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) told ABC News, "I think it's going to be a historic mistake for the country if this is what happens to health care," said Barrasso. "Now, as you know, the changes don't actually go into place until four years from now, so people aren't going to be able to see immediately what the problems are. But they are going to notice the cuts in Medicare and, specifically, the increased taxes which go into effect the day that this bill is signed into law."
He has a point. And the Democrats’ concession on this point is one, from the standpoint of a political observer, I find most puzzling. Why in the world would they agree to a bill that leaves them vulnerable to the whims of the insurance companies—and Republican rhetoric between now and 2014, when they have to win congressional and presidential elections in 2010 and 2012? How can you sell the benefits if all that people have experienced are the costs?
You can argue, as American Prospect editor Mark Schmitt does, that it comes down to good government, an aspiration even the most cynical Democrats on occasion find unavoidable. “[T]he bill as it has passed provides the basic components needed to construct a workable system of near-universal health coverage, and all that is outstanding—implementation and legislative improvement—can be accomplished without anyone needing to beg at the feet of a gleefully sneering Joe Lieberman or Ben Nelson.”
But why then, are (most) Democrats so happy and (all) Republicans so glum this Christmas? My guess is that Democrats are gambling on exactly the same ground that so worried William Kristol 16 years ago. They’ve redefined the playing field of American politics to ground that is inherently favorable to their team. When Americans complain about their health care in the future, are they going to look to the party that wants to do nothing to fix it? No, they’re going to go with the side of political activism and government involvement. The other side, after all, isn’t even in the game. Republicans had their chance and all they could say was “Bah Humbug.”
Eric Alterman is a professor of English and journalism at Brooklyn College and a professor of journalism at CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. He is the author, most recently, of Why We're Liberals: A Handbook for Restoring America's Important Ideals.
For more of The Daily Beast, become a fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
For inquiries, please contact The Daily Beast at editorial@thedailybeast.com.
10 Power Food Combos
Divya Gugnani is the CEO and founder of BehindtheBurner.com, an emerging culinary media brand that creates expert-based content about food, wine, mixology, and nutrition.
How Barack Beat Bibi
Peter Beinart, senior political writer for The Daily Beast, is associate professor of journalism and political science at City University of New York and a senior fellow at the New America Foundation. His new book, The Icarus Syndrome: A History of American Hubris, will be published by HarperCollins in June. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
The 'Delusional Left' Wins
Eric Alterman is a professor of English and journalism at Brooklyn College and a professor of journalism at CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. He is the author, most recently, of Why We're Liberals: A Handbook for Restoring America's Important Ideals.
The Only Hope for Mideast Peace
Eric Alterman is a professor of English and journalism at Brooklyn College and a professor of journalism at CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. He is the author, most recently, of Why We're Liberals: A Handbook for Restoring America's Important Ideals.
Playing the Fear Card
Eric Alterman is a professor of English and journalism at Brooklyn College and a professor of journalism at CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. He is the author, most recently, of Why We're Liberals: A Handbook for Restoring America's Important Ideals.
RevPettibone
Mr Alterman.... Exactly how loose did the administration's definition of success have to get before it was something they could hoot and holler over???
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/4chjz5L9qAmxCXgHJDsA
Bulldoglover100
Actually Mr. Alterman isn't being 100% honest. Check out the 7 things that go into effect within 90 days.....ALL good for us.
mredder4
I've noticed through a lot of Alterman articles that he seems to have a tenuous grasp of reality, and instead lives in this nice little bubble where progressives will just eat what they're fed instead of getting irate at the failure of this bill. The Democrats can celebrate their "game-changing" victory while they're all commiserating their losses in November of 2010. They'll have plenty of time after they're swept from governance to write pieces, like this one, erroneously applying the word "success" to this farce. As if the whole country didn't watch Democrats cave and cave and cave and cave, bowing to the pressure of lone Senators from wasteland states with their own career interests put ahead of governing properly.
The bill may pass, but it's not a success, certainly not a victory, and if it's any kind of game-changer, it will be the one in the American learns that Democrats can NOT rule effectively or get anything done that favors the middle class.
sophia5
The only "Game-Changer" is that the passage of this
bill gives the government more control over "The People's"
lives, while still padding the profits of the Insurance,
and Healthcare industries, still in bed with Politicians.
Why do people like Mr. Alterman and other progressives
seem to put so much faith in MORE government ?
It's still controlled by Lobbyists who influence policy.
Mary Landrieu, Ben Nelson, Chris Dodd ring a bell ?
The only thing that's changed is
The United States Government
is forcing citizens to buy a product
from the government under threat of fines.
I'll make you citizens an offer you better damn well not refuse.
Is that what they mean by Chicago Thug Politics ?
AlanD2
And how do you expect Democrats to rule effectively when virtually every bill they propose is filibustered by Republicans, mredder4?
If you think Americans are too stupid to notice this, you may be in for a surprise in 2012.
shaygirl
AlanD2
this is America, we're not "ruled" by anybody
mredder4
AlanD2, I DO think Americans are too stupid to notice. If Americans just "knoew" that it was the nasty old GOP blocking things up, then the approval ratings for Congress wouldn't be so low. Fickle independents who change the criteria they base their vote on each election are the problem, because they're the ones with short memories who bounce back and forth between the parties. Not the Democrats give them many incentives not to, but then again, that was my point about the Democrats, wasn't it?
Shaygirl, "ruled" is a synonym for "governed", which is longer to type.
Mauiboy
I've linked a site that shows the current percentage of uninsured by each state. Click on any individual state and take a look at the stat at the bottom in the box. Without exception every state in the south from CA to North Carolina has rates over 20%. That is a huge number of potential new Democratic voters for the Future.
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/05/uninsured_increase_map.ht ml
Unfortunately, Bill Krisol is seldom correct on any subject, so why should anyone think that he is right about something this time.
morris1030
mredder4,
right you are. this is bad sausage making.
gameon
"WHEN THE PEOPLE FIND THEY CAN VOTE THEMSELVES MONEY,THAT WILL HERALD THE END OF THE REPUBLIC".Ben F.
Tytlers cycle;from Bondage, to spiritual faith, to courage, to liberty,to abundance,to selfishness, to complacency,to apathy,to dependance and all the way back to bondage.What step do you think we're at?
newswoman
I predict there will be many changes and amendments as the years go on 'til we finally get a public option. And I can't believe the concessions to Nebraska will hold up as constitutional. But we will see. Hooray for the Dems and President Obama!
nadsrewop
Its hard to get anything done and "rule" when the GOP has Filibustered 112 times in this 110th congress. Its doubled what the last congress did. This is a power struggle people... if repubs can stop the Dems and inadvertently stop Mr. Obama they win at our expense.
To all you conservative jackasses out there: Its time to stop drawing lines and see that the reason WHY this country works so well is that there is brilliance from both sides of the aisle. When the country moves too far left or RIGHT its pulled to the middle. ALSO: I have two kids and my wife lost her job in August... we are looking down the barrel of paying $1300 a month for healthcare next year. Something has to be done and the GOP are being plain obstructionist to hope that they can scare voters against change in 2010.
gameon
O.k. nadrewwomp,brilliance from both sides of the isle?Where was the bi-partisanship on this bill.Please tell me how you Dems. were bi-partisan on this bill.I fundamentally disagree with your sides methods and end goals,which when you boil it down is a centralized government that mirrors communism.There are ways to lower costs in health care that do not involve government control of our everyday lives.To trade fear of bankruptcy for a heavy handed gov. that goes against everything this country was founded on is selfish and foolish.
All you liberals see is the positives of socialized medicine,but you refuse to even recognize the substantial downsides.What protections are there against government abuse of this new power they will have?They've abused every other power they've been given,why would this one be any different?What recourse do we have on an individual level if we don't like this new system?And don't waste my time saying "we can just vote them out".
You're trusting the very same people who just destroyed our housing and stock values to control the most important asset of all ,our health.Itr makes no sense at all.
You liberals are using this economic insecurity to gain power and I think it's shameful.
Monk66
gameon.
try making an argument without cluttering it up with unfactual hyperboles and fallacies.
gameon
Hey monk ,you numbnut.For something to be fact, it has to have already happened.Since this bill hasn't been signed into law yet,it's impossible to discuss it as a "fact".So I gave you my hypothesis of the situation based on history.If there is a specific point you would like me to correlate with it's historical backing, I would be glad to do so .
But,til then,all I have to say is WELCOME TO RED AMERICA,LAND OF COMMUNISM !!! WHERE THE COMMIE LEMMINGS HAVE TAKEN CONTROL AND ARE SPRINTING TOWARDS THE CLIFF!!! IT'S AMAZING HOW FAST YOU LEMMINGS CAN RUN WITH YOUR TINY,CHUBBY LITTLE LEGS!!! ALL THE WHILE, OBAMA THE COYOTE WAITS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CLIFF,LAUGHING AT HOW EASY IT WAS TO CONVINCE THE LEMMINGS TO JUMP OFF THE CLIFF,AS HE FEASTS ON YOUR BLOODIED,ROUND,SUCCULENT LITTLE LEMMING CORPSES.
johnwr3
This health care bill is about one thing...VOTES. If Dems give 30 million people insurance guess who'll they will vote for in 2012? Health Care could lock in the Dems for a generation. Though 2010 may be a short term speed bump.
camfield
The Republicans worked hard to create some type of incomplete health care reform bill that they could exploit during the 2010 mid-term election campaign season. They will loudly take credit for have shaped the bill and will be referring to how they insisted on "affordable" health care reform, saved Granny from euthanasia, etc. . . perhaps even how they "saved" Medicare.
It seems the bill also is even being dragged along (senate-house wrangling next) so that it will be fresh in everyone's mind during the run-up to next fall's elections.
God only knows what sort of despicable spin Beck, Hannity and the rest of Fox News will be putting on things by then.
TigerPaws
John, you are soooooo right! 30million new Dem voters. But what else would prompt tears from Beck. I must admit, it is the best laugh I get all day is to watch his show (I must admit I usually throw up before he stops his tears, his hate speech and don't forget those inane circles on the blackboard.)
"I WAN'T MY COUNTRY BACK" just like Mama use to have.
Just sick! Beck, Shawn and Rush! Just take your meds---you do take meds, right??? Your gonna need them for a long time!
cbl99201
So much for all that blather about Obama "not knowing what he was doing" when it came to sheparding this health bill through Congress.
gak001
This article almost makes the victory sound like a loss because the liberals didn't get every single thing they wanted. This legislative victory is a victory for the Democratic Party and for the American people. We may not have fully fixed all of the health care problems in this country, but we sure as hell are taking a step in the right direction. Here's hoping this thing sails through the conference committee and arrives at our president's desk in no time! Cheers, and a happy holiday to all!
Rafter
gak....have you ever even contimplated the implications if you're right? Do you even THINK beyond your little democrat/republican ideology?
Or do you really think that if the government handles this like cash-for-clunkers x 10 that somehow because they are "burning" money on your behalf that somehow this country won't suffer? That magically no one else is actually paying for it?
You, I believe.....are an unthinking, greedy, small minded idiot.
Sodbuster
I'm sorry, Rafter, but you are the one being greedy, if you believe, as Mr. Limbaugh, that you only deserve health care if you can afford it.
And at Christmas, no less!
YOU, sir/madam, should be ashamed. You have nothing substantial to add to this discussion beyond an ad hominem attack.
For 2010, I (sincerely) hope that, if you have health insurance through your employment, you aren't laid off. Then you'd join the millions without basic health care.
And, as a proud Christian, I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas.
crypto
"The legislative victory is a victory for the Democrat Party, PERIOD!! The American People are just waiting for the kiss. I still hold hope that something will cause some of the 'crats to come to their senses and derail this thing. Maybe in all this holiday travel we will lose some of them or they will just change their minds. It's a large doubt that anything will change. But there's always hope. Even the Big Idiot said that.
estcruzer
Is there anyone that, in their right mind, wouldn't agree that the Healthcare Industry in the US does NOT have healthcare in mind whenever they think about Americans? Not on your life (and it may be just that), their thoughts this Christmas, as it was last Christmas and the ones before that are on PROFITS, GREED and LUCRE. All Americans are to them are a source of Money.
Is there anyone that, in their right mind, wouldn't agree that life is a basic right? We have states that won't kill murderers, because it's inhuman. But we will let the current Healthcare (a misnomer at best) system declare someone unfit for insurance thus condeming them to Death. They are a business for profit not health.
Is there anyone that, in their right mind, thinks that the current Healthcare industry would support a public option, single payer or universal healthcare, unless it guaranteed them double digit profits in perpetuity? Of course not, they are in it for the money, not the health of the American people. Every hospital should have an exercise gym and public preventative medicine education facility large enough to support it's base as part of the hospital. The Insurance premiums should include a membership in these facilities - if they really believed in health.
And for those liberals that believed we should have it all right now - look back on history - what revolution every really turned out good? OK, now how long did it take to turn our good - they all start with murder, after things settle down they then take decades to sort out into something that resembles the original promise and many times thay are a failure.
Our healthcare bill is not a revolution, it is a legislated correction to the direction this country was going (enslaving Americans) that will be used as a base to improve the lot of all those Americans that have been enslaved by the system put in place several decades ago by Republicans, Neocons and Global Big Business.
It also may be the turning point for the change in direction for the rest of the really nasty legislation that has been crammed down our throats over the last 40 to 50 years as the Rich have taken control (who do you think pays the lobbyists and fills the campaign coffers, and gives the senators and representatives and other members of the government those fat contracts after or before they ?serve? us, it certainly wasn't me.).
newswoman
Rafter, when you talk about the cost of healthcare, don't forget to talk about the TRILLIONS and BILLIONS already spent on the two wars we are presently fighting. Did you complain about the cost of fighting two unessary wars during the Bush years? Did you vote for Bush TWO TIMES?
If we are already bankrupt, than I want the money to be spent on Americans, not on killing Taliban or Al Quaida. Bring our troops home and sscrew Afghanistan and Iraq. Let them solve their own problems.
donquijoterocket
Perfect description of the guy citing St. Ronnie the Forgetful who opined that "deficits don't matter".
I believe that would be that intellectual giant of the wingnuts and eminent economist deadeye dickless Cheney.
If nothing else the present bill accomplishes what the atomic bomb at Hiroshima accomplished; it allows people to think of what had previously been virtually unthinkable.
gak001
And you're a presumptive, ignorant jackass - see? I can make ad hominem attacks too!
If you'd like to have an actual discussion on this, try making some real points and thinking for yourself instead of quoting talking points.
sonofloud
well getting just one thing would have been nice.
farkennel
Happy holiday even to me gak?After you called me a dipshit and hurt my feelings?
gak001
Did I actually call you a "dipshit"? I don't remember; it seems more likely I would have implied it rather than saying it so crassly and explicitly. Either way, I hope you had a great holiday and that you'll have another enjoyable one at the end of the week.
Glenda1976
This will be horrific for the American people and not solve anything.
TOMMcG
Glenda1976
Gee, that is an odd reaction to accomplishment that will enable nearly 40 million people to get health insurance and to have access to the American Health care system!!! Now that is a very big deal. And now your health insurer will not be able to refuse you coverage because you were once pregnant, or to deny insurance to a man and his entire family because he had a kidney stone 25 years ago. Your bizarre claim that this will be horrific for Americans is very hard to square with reality. But it does smell of the right wing propaganda that is raging out there among a lot of people who seem to know next to nothing about what has really happened or about history. This morning the United States joined the rest of the Industrial world in providing for nearly universal health care for all its citizens. You need to grow up and learn something about the world and about life!
rapierwits
too many words wasted on someone who can't read, dude.
clearthinker
unintended consequences. This is a phrase the liberals need to start endearing themselves too. On the surface, health insurance provided by the government to it's citizenry seems good, but one should look beyond the surface.
1) Mandate the public to purchase insurance. The gov't would make the premiums cheap which, in turn, means people will drop their insurance coverage to go with lower premiums. Business will drop their group plans and put their employees on gov't plans. This drives insurance companies out of business and all the 10's of thousands of jobs that go with them. No more competition.
2) Pre-existing conditions. The gov't states they will cover pre-existing conditions which will become expensive. Premiums will be forced to go up or taxes will go up or the plans will run in a constant defecit like Medicare is currently.
3) Gov't plan will have an itemized list on what is covered and for how much they will pay. Since there is no competition anymore, the gov't can set their own price and doctors will have no say. Doctor salaries will start to drop leading to less and less doctors, therefore, less quality care.
4) The idea of complete gov't takeover of our lives. The same gov't that takes us to war without our consent will be the same gov't telling us what we can eat and drink, how much exercise we have to have every day, ....
5) COMPLETE GOV"T INTRUSION
clemmieo
Yes, it's great to add all those folks to the rolls, but where are the doctors and nurses - already of which there is a paucity - to care for them? And you don't think all the testing for pre-existing conditions is not going to up the bill? And for me a Senior citizen on Medicare, I would have to be an ostrich not to know that half a trillion out of Medicare and Medicare Advantage is going to affect me through rationing, first off. This is not the victory that it appears to many. 20-30 years up the road? Perhaps, but I wouldn't use Europe as an example. And I will not be around then and quite frankly, I want my healthcare to be "there" for me now.
MixedContent
@clearthinker: What do you think people with pre-existing conditions should do, get thrown under the bus? Complete spreading of the risk is what makes other countries' plans affordable, and yes they are -- lots of other countries cover all their citizens at a per-capita cost much lower than in the US. They don't have the armies of benefit-denying bean counters, the high drug prices, the double-digit profits delivered to Wall Street, or the multi-billion-dollar outlays for top-level executive compensation, so they get more for their healthcare dollar, or Euro, or whatever.
MixedContent
@TOMMcG, this plan will not so much *enable* people to have access, as it will *force* them to buy in, to an unsustainable system whose costs are about to go asymptotic.
It sounds great that "your health insurer will not be able to refuse you coverage because you were once pregnant, or to deny insurance to a man and his entire family because he had a kidney stone 25 years ago,"
...but the insurer will be able to jack the rates up by 300%. A lot of us don't see this as so much of a win.
bookmark
TOMMcG
It's fantastic news that the United States now has universal health care..or almost has if it can be reconsiled.
It will be similar to our Canadian health care system in some ways--no one will be refused care--every citizen is covered--you can pick your own Dr.--you can choose the treatment you prefer--no refusal of care due to pre-existing conditions etc.
The difference here is we don't have to buy insurance. We pay for it through our taxes--no monthly premiums to pay. We own our health care system--the gov't just distributes our money accordingly. There is no rationing at all except for things that aren't essential--like face lifts for ex.
It would be a lot less expensive if you could free your heath system from the Insurance Companies entirely. Insurance Co's know nothing about health care nor do they give a darn about you as a person to be honest. They are the ones who are restricting your rights as free citizens--everything is predicated on their bottom line and profits for shareholders.If they cared about their premium paying clients they would never refuse or restict your care options.
Here in Saskatchewan citizens that are 65 years and over only pay a flat rate of $15.00 per prescription--hard to beat that.The provinces each devise their own ways of helping out their citizens as they see fit.
You will find that improvements in the system will gradually be made as different issues arise.
I'm so happy for you all--really there is nothing to be afraid of. Political ideology means nothing when you are ill.
sandwiches
More people will have access to health care and the country will be fine. i know conservatives are rooting for a huge disaster but it's going to be extremely anticlimactic. luckily they have short memories.
Georealist
You must have this health care boondoggle confused with some other country!! Nothing like 40 million people will soon be receiving healthcare they didn't have...Billions was given away to buy votes for this over stuffed legislation...and the best part...We have NO means to pay for it. This pork bill..when reconciled and passed..will turn out to be THE marker for Democrat arrogance for decades to come. The notion that there will be savings is fantasy. The supposed horror stories don't jibe with any REAL person I've talked with...these are the same people who gave us Medicare..and that is a huge fiscal rat hole.
Benkei
Why don't people understand what happened? 40 Million people who can't afford health care will now be forced to buy it from other private citizens at 20-30% of their income. Not only is it unconstitutional for the Federal Government to do this, it is pure profiteering.
Why do you think Lieberman killed the Public Option?
(Connecticut = The Insurance Company State)
Why do you think ALL the Insurance company stocks jumped up to 24% last week? No industry reform Federally mandated subscription, no free market competition.
Anyone who thinks this is a victory for the common man is utterly clueless.
Obama sold you down the river. Only 2 1/2 years to go before he joins Goldman Sachs.
newswoman
This is deju all over again, Glenda. This is what the REps said about social security, medicare, G.I.Bill, etc. Now it is healthcare. Get up to the 21st century in your thinking. This bill was LONG overdue.
TigerPaws
Book, I am married to a Canadian and lived in Toronto for two years. You explained the health care system in Canada very well, thank you!!! One thing tho, the Teabaggers, Rush types and Beck watchers come from the premise that all Americans do not deserve health care. So your explanation falls on deaf ears.
The Conservative party in Canada cannot be compared to the right wing in the US. Can you imagine a Conservative in Canada advocating doing away with Universal Health Care??? The GOP has turned into a hateful, all white angry afraid group of children being led by the likes of Palin, Beck, Rush & hannity. Very sad really. I think the GOP truly has lots to be afraid of, they have ensured minority party status for generations to come. They deserve it!
Konchster
Glenda1976
I have to assume 1976 was the last time you had a concern about anybody but yourself
gameon
What are the top five best parts of this bill.I've heard alot of liberal backslapping and congratulations but very little of what is actually in this bill.Do you guys actually know what your supporting?
Desertpenguin
You better believe the right-wing is worried.
This is the beginning of health-care reform, not the end.
And they don't give a you-know-what about the citizens of this country.
Read the right-wing tantrums, it's all about money.
It won't be smooth sailing from now on, but the boat has set sail permanently.
neverlate
This is the end of quality health care in the US as the whole industry starts sucking the hind tit of the government. Be careful what you wish for. The Dems are good at identifying problems, but absolutely suck at fixing them.
estcruzer
Actually the end of quality healthcare started when the healthcare industry realized they were in the profit making business - not the healthcare business.
MixedContent
@neverlate, If you believe the current US system is preferable to what they have in other wealthy countries, then if you were right that the current bill represents anything other than shoveling money into that existing system, you have reason to be upset.
I think that in the US we currently pay too much and most of us get mediocre health outcomes (helped by all the HFCS, of course), and that this bill amounts to bailing it out with government mandates, without making any fundamental changes. Profit for Wall Street and obscene compensation for execs still tap heavily into your premium dollar on its way to paying for care.
farkennel
Did someone say tit?Where do I sign?
donquijoterocket
You're correct that the howling from lower wingnutistan is about the money; the potential monetary cost to them. It's also the basis of any of their attempted refutations of climate change. Golly gee I might be forced to sacrifice a small portion of my income and comfort for someone I don't even know.
TigerPaws
Well, here we go again. I haven't heard one dang suggestion on how we take care of the Health needs of our citizens. Are you Rep. so selfish that you just don't care???? Pretend that YOUR fellow citizens are not suffering, are sick, going bankrupt. I have seen on this blog lots of references to "Me" "My Benefits", etc. Until you accept the premise that health care is indeed a "right" YES a "Entitlement" There is no reason even to have a discussion with you because you wouldn't even understand the basic tenet. America has taken the first step towards a single payer program. Three generations fron now it will be here. Get use to it righties...the die has been cast--you lost and there WILL BE NO GOING Back. We just might have to conduct one less unjust war to pay for it but you know that's a discussion for another day.
Merry Christmas
gameon
I'm asking you if you know what's in the bill you're supporting.Seems like a pretty simple thing to me.Saying it's too deep for me is a copout.I have alot of suggestions on improving health care,but i'm not being asked what I think,this is your deal not mine.
sonofloud
One more time....
Obama the "snow" man, was a novice freshman soul
With an Acorn past and some "present" votes and some $$$ made of coal.
Obama the "snow" man will be our savior some still say
He is made of "snow" and the liberals know how he fights us every day.
There must have been magic in those Wall Street $$$ he found
For when they spent them on his cause, the campaign sure turned around.
Obama the "snow" man, was invincible as could be
And the democrats say he will work, not play
just the same as you and me.
Thumpety Thump Thump, Thumpety Thump Thump
Watch Obama go
Thumpety Thump thump, Thumpety Thump Thump
Neverending "snow"
Obama the "snow" man, claims bipartisans win the day
So he said, Let's run and we'll have some fun as health reform melts away.
Down to the Congress, with no commitment in his hand
Promise here and there, almost everywhere
sayin' Catch me if you can.
He led them down the streets of town, right to some liberal cops;
And he only paused a moment when he heard them holler "Stop" !
Obama the "snow" man, had to hurry on his way
But he waved goodbye sayin'
Liberals don't cry, I'll be back again someday.
TigerPaws
Sono, you are so stupid that a discussion with you is impossible. Do you really think, the Progressives of this country care if ONE DAMN REP. votes for this bill?? We had an election, if I recall, you LOST. I am sorry, the dems even wanted to talk to you idiots. I guess you Teabaggers still think ACORN stoll the elction and that Obama is not an American. You folks are sick puppies
sonofloud
well that depends what kind of teabagging you mean?
AlanD2
Back with your racist rant again, sonofloud?
I guess that's all that's left for you conservatives to bitch about.
sonofloud
Care to explain how exactly this is racist?
gameon
Alan ,you're a dumb ass.Racist?What the hell are you talking about ?I swear every one of your comments is dumber than the last.
AlanD2
sonofloud: If it were not racist, you would have said "Obama the snowman".
As you emphasized "snow", you are clearly emphasizing its whiteness, reminding people that we have a black President.
sonofloud
LOL oh alan.......the reason snow is in quotation marks is because I am not using the most common definition of "snow" which is frozen water but a slang definition of "snow" which means to deceive or trick.
It is common practice for those of us who actually know how to write to use quotation marks when using slang terms.
And if you would bother to read what I actually wrote you would see I am anything but conservative.
Just because someone disagrees with Obama it does not make them conservative or racist.
farkennel
Agree or disagree with sonofloud,to make all that stuff rhyme is pretty impressive.
sonofloud
thanks :)
TOMMcG
Sonofloud
I think this is a well done effort especially given the thin gruel with which you had to work. Why don't you publish a creative piece using some older material which was and fatter and thinker? Who would that be??? Remember the guy who invaded Iraq while making big, loud, false claims about WMD's - the guy who insisted our troops would be showered in flowers, the guy who claimed Iraqis would pay for the war? Remember the guy who engineered huge tax cuts for the people who earn in the top 1/2 of 1%? Or the guy insisted on paying for the wars in Iraq and Afganistan on the cheap, by charging them to the future? Remember the guy who wanted to privatize your Social Security by putting your money into the Stock Market or the guy who set loose a system of secret prisons and torture on behalf of the United States setting in motion a series of things which brought low the once proud reputation of these United States. Or do you recall the president who knew so little of the horrific damage done by a hurricane called Katrina that his staff needed to put together a CD out of news reports so that they could force him to learn about what had happened? Do you remember the guy who finished his term in office leaving the United Sates more than 10.5 trillion dollars in debt? No - it seems to me this is better material for a good song than to just pick on a guy who just helped bring 96% of his countrymen into the health care system!!! And the new guy can read, he talks intelligently, he gives the appearance of clear thought, of taking time to make careful decisions and he even taught Constitutional Law at a major University. He was pretty young so he couldn't have dodged Vietnam. And he seems to care a lot about working class folks and for people who currently need unemployment insurance and some temporary assistance and about using public resources to help stimulate economic activity. It is a pity so many contributors to this blog don't seem to understand who is really on their side and who has done them a ton of harm. Some people don't understand where their own interest lie. Pity.
farkennel
Hard to argue with.
sonofloud
Well since Bush is no longer in office, and the democrats refuse to investigate him, I prefer to not live in the past but look to the future as Obama said.
Also Obama has continued and spread the wars, increased the faith based initiative, compared gays/lesbians to incest and pedophilia and refused to follow a federal judges ruling regarding medical insurance for same sex partners, supports over $720 billion in corporate welfare, supported FISA in court, refuses to close Quantanamo, refuses to bring home the troops from Iraq, refuses to provide universal health care or even a public option, etc.
If you look at Obama's actions instead of his words, you will discover there is very little difference between him and Bush.
morris1030
Great.
He's said goodbye to liberals and seniors and women and the middle class.
he said hello to wall st,banks,credit cards,freddie and fanny,the war, the endless war, and slept with the lobbyists and drug/healthcare cartels.
there's so much more i can't put it down now, but its all very sad.
farkennel
Now I`m confused.
janjamm
Oh, I am so confused about what has been gained and what has been lost. As a supporter of universal health care, I really don't know what the milestone legislation represents. I DO feel we sold the store to pass the legislation, but I'm not sure if my understanding is correct. In this day and age, when information is so accessible, I still don't know what happened! There is so much well meaning, as well as angry misinformation that it is impossible to be an informed citizen. Where can one go any more to find unbiased, clear, helpful information? Or, is it possible that clarity is gone forever. This distortion of truth is creating a weariness that I fear will turn into a malaise of deep indifference. It is starting to feel like the 9/11 ethos. There was so much worldwide good will, and then the misuse and loss of that goodwill. With Obama, there was such energy and purpose, and then the dilution of it by unclear, compromising, heartbreaking fuzziness from the White House. Tens of thousands of people were ready to go to the streets, door-to-door, phone-to-phone. But there was no call to action, no clarity of what Obama sought to accomplish. What, after all, were the goals? Who could tell? I feel that the amazing, historic energy was dissipated, lost, squandered.
estcruzer
History takes years, decades and centuries to be understood, and even then it is only the leavings of the generation that made that history that can be studied. Confusion about current (and this event is very current) events puts you amongst the majority of us, we are confused as well and jumping to conclusions is not smart. All I know is that the people that brought us the Iraq war, and the terrorists that engendered the attach on 9/11 kept fighting this legislation with lies and offered no contructive contributions and I don't trust them anymore. So, I'm inclined to let history roll out, possibly we can add to this basic legislation and bring health back to the healthcare system in this country. I'm inclined to support those folks that fought to bring us this legislation and I'm inclined to scrutinize the motives more closely those who fought against it and forced the nastier compromises. Keep in mind that the only vote the majority had to have in the Senate would be one Republican or Liberman if all the democrats had supported cloture. If anyone is to blame for the compromises the liberals fought so hard to keep out/in it was the liberals, who ended up being sidelined because they were replaced by Republicans and Liberman. Not all that smart.
donjay41
janjamm: I understand your confusion. You hear one thing from one side and the opposite from the other. Clearly one side is either wrong, or lying.
Those who are the most vociferous tend to be the ones who are wrong, or lying. But you can figure it out rather simply with probably only the use of Google. If you listen to rep John Boehner for example, you will hear him say, now your taxes are going to go up and Medicare is broke! That's just two of his lies. My taxes are not going up, people who make one hell of a lot more money than me are going to have to pay more taxes, but they all have more money than they need, And they did not all go out and work hard to earn it, most of them with perhaps the exception of Bill Gates simply inherited it. And as to Medicare, check Google, it is not broke, it is operating in the red for the very first time this year, and if we do not fix it, will actually go broke in about ten years. In the meantime we can solve that like anything can be solved. The trick to seeing who's lying is to see if they start by using ad hominine attacks, that's usualy a good clue; they're not specific, they just call Dems names, like Obamacare. You know these people have hatred in their hearts. Strangely, I have a number of republican friends, and when I say, "Why can't your guys stop lying?" You know what their answer always is? "They all do it!"
Well, they don't, and I have asked each of them as they say it, "Tell me one lie you know for certain that Obama has said." They cannot come up with a single one. Now, watch and see how many people start to tell you the lies he had said, and look them up in Google. See what that tells you. See, the republicans rely on you just believing them, they hope most of you will not verify, and frankly listening to some of the folks here, they just parrot republican talking points.
TOMMcG
donjay41
You're right!! The fabrications, the distortions and the name calling come largely from people on the right who don't seem well informed or even a slightly judicious about subjects that are complex and for which there good arguments on both sides. To them its all about "government takeover" "Obama-care" "government mandates" "loss of freedoms and liberty" "hatred of government" etc etc etc. The harsh slogans and right wing rhetoric ripple through these pages. And so many of these same folks are extremely self centered. The really, really care about themselves and only themselves. You can read page after page after page of people who sound as if the country is plunging into a giant sinkhole and yet no one will even acknowledge the genuine accomplishment of helping nearly 40 million fellow citizens gain access to health care. This is a huge deal for a lot of people and most of the right wing bloggers never bother to even acknowledge it, except to say how it will bankrupt the country. The simple but unexciting truth is that doing nothing about our health care system was the real threat to our future financial health, once which very clearly threatened national bankruptcy. Happily we have avoided that possibility. Every modern president since Truman, including Nixon, but excluding Reagan and both Bushs tried and failed to pass national health care. Finally a really smart, very capable politician, a man with great skill, managed to do it and to him we owe a great thanks. We have caught up the rest of the Industrial world which has benefited from Universal health care since the 1950s. The Democrats have many problems and flaws. But the Republican party is on the wrong side of history and their giddy talk of 2010 is utter nonsense. They largely opposed all of the great social reform legislation of the last century, from Social Security, Child Labor laws, Wage and hours laws,Consumer protection etc. to Medicare. Once people learn the truth, the Republicans will be seen for what they are, agents of big money and corporate wealth without any vision for a better future for anyone other than the very wealthy elites whom they eagerly serve.
sonofloud
I sympathize.....these days if the media had to report 2 2 = 4, they would also include some people think 2 2 = 5.
SakeHotdog
What has Costello's "Less than Zero" got to do with health care reform? Answer: less than zero.
Barbara416
Bravo TOMMcG, the naysayers don't really understand what hit them at all. Democracy in action! Sure there were compromises but those that sold out were the GOP at the expense of the people.
estcruzer
The GOP sold out decades ago, ever since then they have been true to their principles = rich get richer, everyone else get's f---d. And they spin whatever they can, and attack whatever can't be spun, and be the Hypocrits they are, pretending to be for the people.
bulldog17
Dumber than a post.
AlanD2
estcruzer's right on target, bulldog17.
newswoman
Where is Periscope on this blog. I miss his logical explanations and understanding of how government works.
janjamm
SakeHotDog
These trite shots are just the thing that is destroying dialogue.
donjay41
janjamm; Trite shots is all they have.
John Stewart Mill: "While not all republicans are stupid, all stupid people are republicans."
Why do you think stupid right wing radio talk shows are so popular among Republicans? It's because they are stupid.
brucechinyama
Can someone be prudent enough to write down their health care reforms for america in their own thinking?
Maybe the debate can raindown well. Or else we lets run with the 'snow' man though hard to hurry on his way.
brucechinyama
Can someone be prudent enough to write down their health care reforms for america in their own thinking?
Maybe the debate can raindown well. Or else we lets run with the 'snow' man though hard to hurry on his way.
bulldog17
Mr. Alterman, We recognize that you are a partisan fool; must you repetitively demonstrate it?
TOMMcG
bulldog17
Ah, such a rare delight to see an eponymous name and with its age attached! Keep up the thoughtful, insightful commentary Mr. bulldog.
JohnConnughton
What I would like for Christmas:
the final vote needs mere majority-51 Senators. So who needs Ben Nelson's vote or Joe Lieberman? I hope the Senate and House compromise their final bill in a way that ignores what those twits insisted on. F them.
truthleftout
The health care legislation presented to us requires families to buy private health insurance, taxes them for it, delays coverage for years, and gives them almost nothing in the end. What a brilliant achievement. It is corporate America's gift from Santa.
It is a game-changer, because it is finally clear for all to see, that there is only one political party in America - the money party - and it serves corporate power to the exclusion of the needs and desires of American families.
When high-visibility progressives like Eric Alterman praise an abomination like this legislation, we know we have reached the endgame of electoral political solutions for this nation's problems.
sandwiches
when you say "it serves corporate power" do you really believe that? insurance companies have been fighting this tooth and nail for months. They got concessions but they definitely do not want this bill to pass.
Be realistic, 60 votes were the minimum
Barbara416
I love reading the comments from those that oppose healthcare bases on taxes. By avoiding necessary taxation during the last 3 sitting presidents the country has been driven to third world status in all aspects. If only the collective mindset was first world...
bulldog17
Yikes, please stop you whining, particularly on Christmas day.
djanimaequeen
You first
Thank you.
As a first time user, your comment has been submitted for review. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a day or two for your comment to be reviewed, depending on the time of week and the volume of comments we receive.