How Obama and the Dems screwed up on health care.

[BigD_95]

The debate should have been about about Single payer with a compromise for the Public Option.

Instead they wouldnt even let Single Payer at the table and now the compromise talk is for Co-Op plan. Which is garbage.

[SunsetDreams]

1. They haven't screwed up anything yet

There is no final bill, nor has one reached the Presidents desk

[pocoloco]

4. You are right...........

not yet.

[rurallib]

2. Obama always starts negotiating from the middle

Repugs always go to an extreme and refuse to move. Their negotiating consists of "I want things my way and no other." So in order to get something Dems cave or partially cave and then try to tell us how wonderful a deal they got.

[Captain Hilts]

6. Dems play 'nice'. In this case they should not because the US folks ALWAYS prefer Dems on health-

care.

Now, more than ever since the R party has been completely disgraced.

[Bluenorthwest]

11. I agree

[avaistheone1]

17. True. It is a classic way to lose a negotiation to start from the middle particularly when you are

dealing with extremists like the republicans. Obama definitely did not have his best strategy people on this one.

[GreenArrow]

18. True, unless

the intended strategy was/is to come up with a plan like the one they appear to be crafting; in short, a tepid plan geared towards protecting the status quo.

[avaistheone1]

That is my worse fear.

Creating alot of hoopla, smoke and mirrors, patting themselves on the back and calling it "health care reform".

[SIMPLYB1980]

3. Your concern is noted.nt

[YOY]

7. +1

n.t.

[Captain Hilts]

5. They let Single Payer in at the LAST minute and made them sit at the children's table. nt

[patrice]

8. Agree. That's precisely what they SHOULD have done, because what they did only revealed the TRUTH

to us.

[patrice]

9. P.S. This reveals that not only do they NOT work for us, they are also STUPID. nt

[SunsetDreams]

10. I agree Repubs DON'T work for us, and they are also STUPID.

[GreenArrow]

12. No, they're smart

on both sides of the aisle. They play both ends against the middle in support of the status quo, and then, regardless of issue, "win" or "lose" they can go into fundraising mode to further justify their existence, utility, and ultimately, their necessity.

[SunsetDreams]

14. Repubs are smart? Tell me then...

How in the world did they lose the last Presidential election and the last two House and Senate elections?

[uponit7771]

If what is proposed does NOT lower cost overall then Obama has failed. Lower cost and

....more coverage is what is needed.

[Oregone]

20. It has to lower it significantly, but coverage amount is a moot point as is...

...without making that coverage mean something.

After all, 48% of all bankruptcies are from people with medical problems that are covered.

The bill should also make coverage effective. There is no reason for insured people to still go bankrupt. Helping people purchase shit, well, still leaves everyone with a shit sandwich in the end.

Although I recognize Obama could of accomplished these goals quickly and assuredly with single-payer, I understand that if insurance is much more affordable and more effective after 5 years, then this reform "succeeded". I think they are definitely going about it the hard way to come together with something "uniquely American", that may or may not work. Whatever it ends up doing, thats what you get for a few decades I bet.

[WI_DEM]

13. I love how people know that all is screwed when nothing has been done yet.

[SunsetDreams]

15. Don't you just love it?

[OHdem10]

16. They are making the same mistakes Bill Clinton made. Appeasing

Republicans.

[debbierlus]

19. They didn't screw up - they are representing the people who bought them

The insurance industry.

It would only be a 'screw-up', if it weren't deliberate.

The dems have HUGE public support for a single payer system or a public option.

Their problem lies with the fact that people want real change, so they have to play a nice pretend game of 'bipartisanship with the toothless Rethugs' to make it appear that they are actually working for change. They are working for the health insurance industry.

It is so obvious. It is right before our eyes.

Where is Obama's impassioned speeches on this life and death issue? All we get is the wishy washy - all option are on the table except single payer and there are no bright lines in the sands on the public option and all the committee advisors are health care lobbyists but I am for change and affordable care now...

Bought and paid for.