Somebody investigate and tell me...how much does the medical industry advertise in Newsweek, or on MSNBC?
Columnist Jonathan Alter was interviewed on the Stephanie Miller show recently, deriding the progressives in Congress, especially those who signed a letter saying they would not vote for a health care bill that did not contain a public option. He said (and I am paraphrasing) that this painted them into a corner, and could kill any health care reform at all. He went further to champion the meme of not discriminating against sick people - a meme that I believe the dems should use, but as a cudgel, not a compromise.
I mean great, don't discriminate against me for being sick. Right now, nobody discriminates against me in the purchase of a Bently. I can go buy one tomorrow. But I can't fucking afford it!
And this is what health care reform is without a public option - something we can't afford.
The public option, done right, controls the costs and makes any new health care rights affordable. Without it, it is a preemptive bailout of the Health Care industry, with secret deals for big pharma, and millions in subsidies that will go to private insurers. Just like our economic bailout went to the Wall Street criminals who sank our economy, this health bailout will largely go to the HMOs, insurance companies and the pharma industry. My costs will continue to rise to cover profits, bonuses, dividends and large salaries, not Americans.
Progressives cannot compromise on this. Jonathan Alter says that something is better than nothing. I say bullshit. It is, in this case, better to go down fighting than to give in YET AGAIN to corporate interests who have corrupted the political process.
Yes, the letter they signed boxes in some progressives (as if a politician wouldn't go back on something they said in earnest). But it is also pressure on a president who has surrounded himself with corporatist Democrats. Health care needs to be the progressive firewall. This is the issue that will let us know if we even have a place in the Democratic Party at all.
As members of the Progressive Caucus have already said: we were for single payer, we have already compromised. Are we not to ever insist on anything? What about those Blue Dogs who have taken millions from the health care industry? Why shouldn't they give in? Or if they won't, be exposed for the money-grubbing bastards that they are - fronting for the industry that has the real death panels, and defending a system that hurts Americans. This includes Obama, if he doesn't give to the left a little on this one.
And let's be real about what is considered the left anymore - left of Richard Nixon. It's not like we are entertaining any extreme progressive ideas, just covering health care for all in an affordable way. Sometimes you compromise, and Progressives HAVE. Sometimes, you go down fighting the good fight.
Jonathan Alter, I hope progressives take a lesson from the Republicans on this one - double down. Tear up current bills and write one with national single-payer, 100% coverage for all Americans and full government negotiation with drug companies. Change the conversation, and the playing field with strength. Don't think it can be done?
How about George W. Bush after the 2006 elections? A painful election cycle for him with an unpopular war and a loss of both houses of Congress. The mandate was clear - end the war! Surely he was going to have to negotiate with, and compromise with Democrats. Right? Wrong! He doubles down. He says, so you don't like my war, see how you like my surge! That's right bitches, I'm not going to end the war, I'm going to increase the number of troops and expand the war. And guess what, the Democratic controlled congress obliged. Bush managed to change the question from whether the war should end to how many troops should he add.
Progressives need to change the question from whether government should be involved in health care to whether corporate profits make any sense at all as the arbiter of who gets health care and who doesn't. Then MAYBE we can settle on a strong public option. Obama obviously has no interest in this, so progressives have to do it. They just need to come strong with their message, and ignore the surrender monkeys like Jonathan Alter.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Progressives - Time to Flex
Progressives, are you going to take it again?
(For the purposes of this rant, I define a progressive, anymore, as someone with values and ideals that are left of Richard Nixon. This, in 21st century America puts you in the camp of "leftist loons" as Bill O'Reilly would say.)
We have taken it plenty. We took it in 2006 when we made Nancy Pelosi the first woman Speaker of the House, and then watched her crumble before Republican talking points and Blue Dog pressure.
We took it in 2008 as we saw Obama tack hard right after winning the nomination. We were hoping this was just political chess running up to the election.
We took it hard in the shorts when Obama surrounded himself with DLC cronies, including Hilary and Rahm, yet still hoped this was political cover for at least a mildly progressive agenda.
We took it savagely from behind when Obama gave trillions to Wall Street to bail out the criminal bankers who fucked our economy. And this is still going on. We still have these guys gambling, and paying themselves multimillion dollar bonuses - now with OUR MONEY. Oh yeah, and tax cuts too. This was not an exercise in compromise - it was a wholesale cave-in to Wall Street - a plea for them to not hate the new administration. And the economic misbehavior that caused the collapse has not stopped. Just read this Huffpo story, or even worse, this blog post by Les Leopold. No meaningful regulation, no meaningful cap on executive salaries in institutions that exist only because of our tax dollars keeping them afloat, and no meaningful help for the millions of Americans who are still losing their homes to the robber barons who sank our economy, and are losing our jobs to corporations that are sending them overseas. Ouch!
We took it with environmental legislation, which was a gift to Big Coal. Some good stuff did come out of this bill - renewable energy research, and conservation retrofitting - saving energy and creating jobs. If we didn't take it so bad on the economy, I could live with this gift to coal and oil companies. But on top of the Wall Street screwing, this was with no Vaseline.
We took it on Guantonamo. Oh sure, Obama said the right things - then caved in to Republican talking points. Seriously, like moving those prisoners to the United States would cause the country to explode. This cave-in makes so little sense. I know there are some tricky legal questions involved, but Americans should not be afraid of that. This cave-in says that Obama has no faith in our justice system, thinks Americans can't run a high-security prison, or is terrified of even the lamest Republican talking points. Jesus, I don't know which is worse!
Are we out of Iraq? No.
Are we "surging" in Afghanistan? Yes.
Is there even a hint of serious conversation about military spending? Fuck no!
And now, we are bent over the meat-counter on health care, and are about to get rammed. If this is not the line in the sand, then there is no effective progressive caucus, nor a very effective progressive voice. Don't get me wrong, I'm almost sure we will get screwed on the public option, but what will be the reaction? As Firedoglake's Jane Hamsher said on the Young Turks, "we will tear up your progressive card over this one. There is no free vote this time."
What to do?
1. Let your reps know how you feel! The House's Progressive Caucus has enough members to block health care legislation with no public option. Contact them, especially if they are your rep, and encourage them to hold strong. Hand this president a defeat, from his own party, if he screws American families for the sake of Big Pharma, HMOs, and the health insurance industry.
2. Send money to progressive legislators who pledge to vote only for a public option plan. Send money to primary candidates running against those who don't. Obama knows the power of the web, and how much cash you can raise $25 at a time. Check out Fire Dog Lake's whipcount project.
3. Coordinate health care memes as effectively as the right does. It kills me that the professional politicians of the Democratic Party suck so badly at this. Here's one that should have been brought out weeks ago: "Death panels exist! - in every health insurance corporation's office." Follow that with a list of denied claims for essential, life-saving treatments. How about this: "if government can't do anything right, then we definitely won't reelect you to keep running it!" Jesus, how long have I waited for a news anchor to ask a conservative "wait a minute, don't you run the government?" when they talk about how bad government is.
4. Go for a third party. Seriously, if the dems can't deliver on at least one meaningful reform, with control of the entire government, then what fucking good are they? The obvious answer is: none. Bernie Sanders got elected to the Senate, an independent and a true progressive. If the progressive caucus fails, the Progressive party should rise. Could it do to Obama what Nadar did to Al Gore? Sure, but so what? If all we are getting is Republican policies, the Republicans might as well be the face of evil that we fight against.
We have to stop supporting the Democratic Party if they won't give us anything. Health care is the big one. Fuck us here, and you have lost us. The progressives will leave in droves (hopefully), and the dems will go the way of the Whigs.
(For the purposes of this rant, I define a progressive, anymore, as someone with values and ideals that are left of Richard Nixon. This, in 21st century America puts you in the camp of "leftist loons" as Bill O'Reilly would say.)
We have taken it plenty. We took it in 2006 when we made Nancy Pelosi the first woman Speaker of the House, and then watched her crumble before Republican talking points and Blue Dog pressure.
We took it in 2008 as we saw Obama tack hard right after winning the nomination. We were hoping this was just political chess running up to the election.
We took it hard in the shorts when Obama surrounded himself with DLC cronies, including Hilary and Rahm, yet still hoped this was political cover for at least a mildly progressive agenda.
We took it savagely from behind when Obama gave trillions to Wall Street to bail out the criminal bankers who fucked our economy. And this is still going on. We still have these guys gambling, and paying themselves multimillion dollar bonuses - now with OUR MONEY. Oh yeah, and tax cuts too. This was not an exercise in compromise - it was a wholesale cave-in to Wall Street - a plea for them to not hate the new administration. And the economic misbehavior that caused the collapse has not stopped. Just read this Huffpo story, or even worse, this blog post by Les Leopold. No meaningful regulation, no meaningful cap on executive salaries in institutions that exist only because of our tax dollars keeping them afloat, and no meaningful help for the millions of Americans who are still losing their homes to the robber barons who sank our economy, and are losing our jobs to corporations that are sending them overseas. Ouch!
We took it with environmental legislation, which was a gift to Big Coal. Some good stuff did come out of this bill - renewable energy research, and conservation retrofitting - saving energy and creating jobs. If we didn't take it so bad on the economy, I could live with this gift to coal and oil companies. But on top of the Wall Street screwing, this was with no Vaseline.
We took it on Guantonamo. Oh sure, Obama said the right things - then caved in to Republican talking points. Seriously, like moving those prisoners to the United States would cause the country to explode. This cave-in makes so little sense. I know there are some tricky legal questions involved, but Americans should not be afraid of that. This cave-in says that Obama has no faith in our justice system, thinks Americans can't run a high-security prison, or is terrified of even the lamest Republican talking points. Jesus, I don't know which is worse!
Are we out of Iraq? No.
Are we "surging" in Afghanistan? Yes.
Is there even a hint of serious conversation about military spending? Fuck no!
And now, we are bent over the meat-counter on health care, and are about to get rammed. If this is not the line in the sand, then there is no effective progressive caucus, nor a very effective progressive voice. Don't get me wrong, I'm almost sure we will get screwed on the public option, but what will be the reaction? As Firedoglake's Jane Hamsher said on the Young Turks, "we will tear up your progressive card over this one. There is no free vote this time."
What to do?
1. Let your reps know how you feel! The House's Progressive Caucus has enough members to block health care legislation with no public option. Contact them, especially if they are your rep, and encourage them to hold strong. Hand this president a defeat, from his own party, if he screws American families for the sake of Big Pharma, HMOs, and the health insurance industry.
2. Send money to progressive legislators who pledge to vote only for a public option plan. Send money to primary candidates running against those who don't. Obama knows the power of the web, and how much cash you can raise $25 at a time. Check out Fire Dog Lake's whipcount project.
3. Coordinate health care memes as effectively as the right does. It kills me that the professional politicians of the Democratic Party suck so badly at this. Here's one that should have been brought out weeks ago: "Death panels exist! - in every health insurance corporation's office." Follow that with a list of denied claims for essential, life-saving treatments. How about this: "if government can't do anything right, then we definitely won't reelect you to keep running it!" Jesus, how long have I waited for a news anchor to ask a conservative "wait a minute, don't you run the government?" when they talk about how bad government is.
4. Go for a third party. Seriously, if the dems can't deliver on at least one meaningful reform, with control of the entire government, then what fucking good are they? The obvious answer is: none. Bernie Sanders got elected to the Senate, an independent and a true progressive. If the progressive caucus fails, the Progressive party should rise. Could it do to Obama what Nadar did to Al Gore? Sure, but so what? If all we are getting is Republican policies, the Republicans might as well be the face of evil that we fight against.
We have to stop supporting the Democratic Party if they won't give us anything. Health care is the big one. Fuck us here, and you have lost us. The progressives will leave in droves (hopefully), and the dems will go the way of the Whigs.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
The Fall of the Democratic Party?
This could be it, the swan song for the big tent party.
Obama's Health Secretary today said that a public option is "not the essential element" in a health care deal. It's over. Health care reform is dead. What ever comes from the Blue-Dog led Senate Finance Committee is a joke, and a gift to big pharma, and the rest of the health care industry. There is no "change" (TM Obamacorp), just more of the rich getting over on the poor and middle class.
Is Obama better than Bush? Of course, a hundred times better. But what is 100 times zero? Zero is certainly what the average American gets out of this deal.
And negative numbers is what the Democratic party will get out of this deal. They have, with total control of the government, managed a deal which will help rich corporations, make progressives unhappy, not get universal coverage, and raise my health insurance rates yet again, and validate nearly every Republican talking point on health care. (Way to go political geniuses.)
It could also crush the Democratic party.
2008 can only be seen as a validation of PROGRESSIVE Democratic ideals, and a repudiation of the neoconservative ideals of the Republicans. It was, also a vote for real CHANGE. Republican behavior since the election has been aimed at keeping their base, a permanent minority. This seemed, even a couple of weeks ago, like a suicidal plan for a party in a country undergoing dynamic demographic changes.
The Democratic party on the other hand, with control of both Congress and the Executive Branch, have the power to make the kind of changes that Americans want, according to poll after poll. They can put a chicken in every pot, so to speak, and win electoral loyalty for a generation. My god, if you really lowered my monthly health care expenses, made my son's pre-existing condition a non-factor, let me get the meds that actually work (instead of the over-the-counter ones that I can afford, that half work), I could almost forgive handing Wall Street criminals the keys to the treasury. (By the way, if you think those guys are done asking for our money, you are deluded.) But they have done the opposite. They have caved in to every special interest and right-wing criticism. They started the process by denying the one thing that would guarantee huge savings: national single payer. And they have slowly whittled down the expectations of the public option - killing it today with Sebilius' remarks. Thanks for nothing, literally.
This is a bell-weather issue for the Democratic Party. It was Obama's #1 legislative priority, and he has made a huge mess of it by means of weakness. He will get something called health care reform passed, and call it a "victory," but it will be a huge failure. Ultimately, it will not control costs or insure all Americans, and will be publicly deemed a failure by 2012, if not before. Republicans will be proved "right" on the issue, and real reform will be dead for at least another decade. And he will fail to do even what the Republicans have managed to do: fight for what their base thinks is right.
This deal will:
1. Piss off progressives! Hell, I was ready to vote for the Green party after 2006 Democratic wimp-outs. I certainly won't give a DIME to ANY Democratic candidates if they choose big phara over my family. Progressives will look for alternatives, or become disengaged.
2. Make moderates waver in support of Democratic policies. "Regan Democrats" will look closely at Republicans again, and will remember a party that got things done when they were in power. Never mind that it nearly broke the country.
3. Make Blue-dogs and conservative dems the feared and favored faction of the party. Progressives are openly hostile to this faction, and there is bad feelings on both sides. This is a rift in the party that will not heal soon, especially if they prevail in giving more of my paycheck to the health care industry than goes to my mortgage. If these Republicans in sheep's clothing from small states are going to kill progressive policies before we can even fight the out-of-the-closet Republicans, then progressives will be effectively ousted from the party. The Democrats are gearing up to oust their base.
4. Make sure that Obama and the party does not do the right thing for the American people.
How can thinking citizens in a Democracy support a party that does not do the right thing, over and over again. Progressive thinkers can't do it for much longer. A new party will emerge, one that will promise to fight for our ideals, or just to put up a fight for a change, maybe by 2012.
Even if I don't have a real progressive choice in the next election, I will definitely keep my wallet closed. I don't suppose that would inspire campaign finance reform? Hahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Obama's Health Secretary today said that a public option is "not the essential element" in a health care deal. It's over. Health care reform is dead. What ever comes from the Blue-Dog led Senate Finance Committee is a joke, and a gift to big pharma, and the rest of the health care industry. There is no "change" (TM Obamacorp), just more of the rich getting over on the poor and middle class.
Is Obama better than Bush? Of course, a hundred times better. But what is 100 times zero? Zero is certainly what the average American gets out of this deal.
And negative numbers is what the Democratic party will get out of this deal. They have, with total control of the government, managed a deal which will help rich corporations, make progressives unhappy, not get universal coverage, and raise my health insurance rates yet again, and validate nearly every Republican talking point on health care. (Way to go political geniuses.)
It could also crush the Democratic party.
2008 can only be seen as a validation of PROGRESSIVE Democratic ideals, and a repudiation of the neoconservative ideals of the Republicans. It was, also a vote for real CHANGE. Republican behavior since the election has been aimed at keeping their base, a permanent minority. This seemed, even a couple of weeks ago, like a suicidal plan for a party in a country undergoing dynamic demographic changes.
The Democratic party on the other hand, with control of both Congress and the Executive Branch, have the power to make the kind of changes that Americans want, according to poll after poll. They can put a chicken in every pot, so to speak, and win electoral loyalty for a generation. My god, if you really lowered my monthly health care expenses, made my son's pre-existing condition a non-factor, let me get the meds that actually work (instead of the over-the-counter ones that I can afford, that half work), I could almost forgive handing Wall Street criminals the keys to the treasury. (By the way, if you think those guys are done asking for our money, you are deluded.) But they have done the opposite. They have caved in to every special interest and right-wing criticism. They started the process by denying the one thing that would guarantee huge savings: national single payer. And they have slowly whittled down the expectations of the public option - killing it today with Sebilius' remarks. Thanks for nothing, literally.
This is a bell-weather issue for the Democratic Party. It was Obama's #1 legislative priority, and he has made a huge mess of it by means of weakness. He will get something called health care reform passed, and call it a "victory," but it will be a huge failure. Ultimately, it will not control costs or insure all Americans, and will be publicly deemed a failure by 2012, if not before. Republicans will be proved "right" on the issue, and real reform will be dead for at least another decade. And he will fail to do even what the Republicans have managed to do: fight for what their base thinks is right.
This deal will:
1. Piss off progressives! Hell, I was ready to vote for the Green party after 2006 Democratic wimp-outs. I certainly won't give a DIME to ANY Democratic candidates if they choose big phara over my family. Progressives will look for alternatives, or become disengaged.
2. Make moderates waver in support of Democratic policies. "Regan Democrats" will look closely at Republicans again, and will remember a party that got things done when they were in power. Never mind that it nearly broke the country.
3. Make Blue-dogs and conservative dems the feared and favored faction of the party. Progressives are openly hostile to this faction, and there is bad feelings on both sides. This is a rift in the party that will not heal soon, especially if they prevail in giving more of my paycheck to the health care industry than goes to my mortgage. If these Republicans in sheep's clothing from small states are going to kill progressive policies before we can even fight the out-of-the-closet Republicans, then progressives will be effectively ousted from the party. The Democrats are gearing up to oust their base.
4. Make sure that Obama and the party does not do the right thing for the American people.
How can thinking citizens in a Democracy support a party that does not do the right thing, over and over again. Progressive thinkers can't do it for much longer. A new party will emerge, one that will promise to fight for our ideals, or just to put up a fight for a change, maybe by 2012.
Even if I don't have a real progressive choice in the next election, I will definitely keep my wallet closed. I don't suppose that would inspire campaign finance reform? Hahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)