Did Obama really play things this badly?

[Onlooker]

From what I have read, Obama pressed for the Supremes to debate the health care law now, even forsaking pursuit of a technical argument that could have delayed the case for a couple of years. He appointed an apparently inept solicitor general who did such a bad job arguing the case that liberal SC justices had to help him out. Despite absolutely no evidence, the Democrats acted as if Kennedy would be a swing justice on the Supreme Court, when in fact he's roughly as disgusting as the rest of them. From what I'm reading now, it sounds like Obama's signature accomplishment will go down in flames, establishing him as a failure, and making it more difficult for him to win re-election. How could the White House have handled things so badly? Are they really that inept?

[Loudly]

1. I appreciate the expeditiousness.

If the legislation is going to be invalidated, the further rolled out it is the worse the chaos.

SCOTUS will publish its decision one month before the election.

It will take the steam out of the Republicans and will energize the Democrats.

Focus on Medicare elibility at birth.

[xchrom]

2. I think of it as institutional ineptness.

Not any different than the BP disaster or Afghanistan.

We're in trouble and it's bigger than any 1 person.

[Firebrand Gary]

3. Setting aside your CNN, Toobin talking points.

The Solicitor General did just fine. This was ALWAYS going to be a close decision, todays discussion was evidence of that. This is only at the half way mark at this point and to make statements like "are they really that inept" is a little premature.

[mdmc]

4. The Big O will come out for single payer

and it will be 2008 all over again..

[DJ13]

9. But who would believe him now?

On healthcare, that ship has sailed.

[kenny blankenship]

23. Hey if he did, I wouldn't care if he was sincere.

If he made it his cause, now that everything else has been tried...


I believe all THESE people -see them stretching out to the Washington monument?- can get it done.

Shitbag wallstreeters and insurance goons aren't the only people with a voice. Get these people out to the streets. They've been waiting for their chance to be heard. All he has to do is say the word.

"Occupy Healthcare. "

[subterranean]

16. You're kidding, right?

[mdmc]

21. yeah

[snagglepuss]

5. .

[MrSlayer]

6. He does seem a bit naive.

In that he expects others to bargain fairly and negotiate in good faith. You have to be a ruthless cutthroat in D.C. and he doesn't fit that mold.

The GOP supremes will rule as their party wants and not as the Constitution guides.

[PoliticAverse]

7. There seems to be a lot of opinion that Verrilli had a rough day...

( For example see: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/obama-solicitor-general-donald-verrilli-had-rough-start-200423085.html )

But don't jump to conclusions on the outcome. People really will have to wait until the end of June to find out what happens.

[COLGATE4]

11. Verrilli just didn't seem to be prepared for the type of

question he should have known was coming. I don't know what to attribute this to, but he had a chance to at least attempt to point Kennedy in the right direction and, frankly blew it. That may turn out to be a fatal error, particularly since Obama decided to make it an 'all or nothing' fight by stripping out the severability provision that normally would have been in the law. So, if mandatory insurance falls, the entire law falls. Bad strategy, bad lawyering.

[jeff47]

28. Obama didn't strip the severability clause.

Congressional Democrats failed to include it. They wrote the law.

[COLGATE4]

31. I understood he was OK with that decision? nt

[jeff47]

33. It wasn't a decision, it was an oversight.

Some staffer forgot to cut-n-paste the boilerplate and nobody caught it.

[elleng]

8. No, the White House is not inept,

and its extremely foolish to bet on what actions the Supreme Court will take after oral argument. (And, of course, there is another day of argument tomorrow.)

[enough]

10. Maybe he's not playing every single possible game. Maybe he played it when it happened and is

allowing it to play out. Not defending him, just suggesting a possible different picture. The law is so flawed that it hardly seems necessary for the President to spend all his time "playing" it.

[izquierdista]

12. Forget about the politicians

Obama and the Supreme Court are there to make sure the Owners get what they want. The real Owners of America, Big Insurance and Big Pharma.

[applegrove]

13. I think if Obama really sells his policies he wins. Remember they didn't go all out to sell health

care reform during the 2010 elections.

[deaniac21]

25. Obama doesn't even mention

healthcare now.

[marmar]

32. The problem is we have a Supreme Court whose majority has an agenda......

....... and that agenda has nothing to do with justice or fairness.

[bigtree]

14. it wasn't fucking solitaire

. . . and it wasn't a game where he had every advantage over the outcome. The issue was whether we were going forward with a flawed bill or do absolutely nothing. that's still what most critics and opponents haven't bothered or managed to overcome. Most anyone can come up with a better plan, but, very few plans have enough support to advance into action or law. That's the game -- finding something with enough legislative support which will advance the issue and remedies. Nothing more inept than refusing to compromise and leaving the entire system at the status quo that existed at the time of passage.

[Mojorabbit]

29. Single payor polled huge and still does

I can't help but wonder what would have happened if he had called on the population to pressure their congress people and really rolled out the pressure. It still polls very high.

[AndyTiedye]

15. He Was Dealt a Really Weak Hand

in the form of a weak, divided party.

[Motown_Johnny]

17. Jumping to unfounded conclusions isn't helping anyone

Things will be fine.

It is very unlikely that the entire law will be struck down.

[kenny blankenship]

18. What, in the debauched creation of this horrid legislation,

gave you the impression he was NOT inept?

[jwirr]

19. I think it will depend on how the American people react. This issue could push the anger at the

rethugs even further - but then again maybe the people really don't want this bill. Either way many of us are going to get hurt by a repeal of this law. And once they get this one repealed they will double their efforts to get rid of the others - Medicare/Medicaid, etc.

[kenny blankenship]

22. I agree, he could play this for HUGE sympathy and direct all anger at the Pukes

People WANT health care to be sorted out. Desperately. They don't want the govt to kick them into the clutches of the insurance mafia, and they therefore rightfully distrust and resent the Individual Mandate. But they know the traditional system is outmoded and breaking down even if they are unsure about how&why it is happening. The Individual Mandate is nothing more than mortar stuffed in the cracks of the traditional private insurance system - a last ditch attempt to shore it up and make it stronger with the force of law. Private insurance screwing you over, taking all your money giving you shitty care? Too bad, now it's the LAW. Kneel before your Masters. You cried out for Reform and we gave you a Mandate: love the System as it is, or we sick the IRS on your ass. Foisting that on America was incredibly stupid. But if it is struck down in court then Obama can point to the Republicans as getting in the way of anything better, and obstructing all the good points of the ACA. Politically a loss like this can be a positive, and if he chose to become A LEADER he could actually seize on this issue and bring real reform to America. That would be very out of character for him, but I believe people can change.

[madrchsod]

27. these points were discussed on thom hartman the other day

no matter what the court rules the president can come out the winner.

[UTUSN]

20. well, who knows with all the crap in the air. Yet reactionary crap has always been there

My boyz FDR, HST, and, yes, LBJ tired all this before. That's why my heart is Dem!

[madrchsod]

24. inept? really ?who have you been reading?

no one knows what the supreme court will do. what ever the outcome is this will not be the end of this issue.

[GusFring]

26. chess?

[spanone]

30. the outcome is yet to be determined... chill