Here's something people don't seem to get:

[ProSense]

Whatever Obama says next week, he will own. He will have made his decision, and everyone will have to deal with it, in whatever way they deem appropriate.

Encouraging the President to stick with the public option is a good thing. Making threats about what will happen if he doesn't is beyond ridiculous.

As of today, there is one known: Nobody knows what President Obama will say in his address to Congress.

[kid a]

1. here's a K...it needs a pin at the top.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. It's like slaying the insurance company dragons

[lordsummerisle]

3. Do we have a viable third party yet?

Because after reading this:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/29988909/sick_and_wrong/1

I'm not sure I want to remain a Democrat...

[ProSense]

5. Be a leader

start your own.

[Douglas Carpenter]

22. been there! done that! can't fly! is NOT an option!

[rwheeler31]

4. Thank you

We have been trying to change this system for so many years if we get anything done it will be worth it.

[Captain Hilts]

6. X months into this debate & "nobody knows" what the prez will say about this vital issue?

[ProSense]

9. Do you know?

Enlighten us.

I can make a guess based on his past statements, but I'm unable to read his mind.

[tkmorris]

12. Which is a pretty clear indication of the problem isn't it?

I want Obama to do well, I WANT his presidency to be a success, but this is a good example of why people accuse him of not leading on this issue. How can you follow someone when you don't even know where they're going? He has never fully committed to the Public Option, nor to any other specific idea, just generalized reform that Congress is supposed to work out the details on.

I hope he comes out Wednesday and sets his foot down. I hope he articulates a clear, detailed expectation for any health care reform bill. I hope that his demands are strong and providing of meaningful reform. I hope it includes at a minimum a Public Option without triggers or other watering down measures. I hope he wields the clout and is willing to use it in order to twist whatever arms are necessary to get it done. If he commits to meaningful Health care reform, REALLY commits himself to it, I will go anywhere and do anything he asks me to in order to help get it done. Anything. Anywhere.

Lead me Mr. President.

[ProSense]

13. The clear problem is

too many people pay attention to hyperbole and spin, and not enough attention to facts..

There has been a parade of conjecture and opinion being passed off as insight and analysis.

[Sebastian Doyle]

7. Like you said, he will "own" it.

And if he owns a failed bill, then he owns one term in the White House.

[BzaDem]

8. A more likely scenario is that he owns two terms, both with Sebastian Doyle screaming at him.

[Sebastian Doyle]

14. Wow, all the DLC'ers are coming out of the woodwork to call me out by name tonight

New strategy from Mr. From?

Sorry, if he drops the ball on health care, he's toast. Congress will be more fucked up after 2010, and Chimpy fucked the economy so bad that there's no way it will be truly recovered by 2012. Health care was his best chance at a true victory. And he appears ready to throw it away. :evilfrown:

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

16. Negative. More then likely the economy will have improved enough for an easy re-election.

That's all that really matters as far as a second term is concerned, much to your dismay, I'm sure.

[Sebastian Doyle]

17. Much to my dismay?

You really have no clue, trust me. I'd love nothing more than an economic recovery. And I mean a real one. Not million dollar bonuses for the criminals at Goldmine Sucks.

[ProSense]

10. Idle threat, check. n/t

[rwheeler31]

11. Please read the history on this issue this is tough.

[guruoo]

15. k&r

[Clio the Leo]

18. Is it Wednesday yet?

Crap ..... well, at least Sunday is here (or it will be when I wake up) and the much anticipated Axelrod appearance on the "Meet the Press" in the morning.

Should be fun. ;)

[demwing]

19. He's the President, not the Puppet Master

and though I trust that Obama WILL say and do the RIGHT things, I know that if Obama is wrong, then it is my duty (and yours, and everyone else's as well) would be to show him that he does not represent the best interests of those who put him into office, and to act and work to bring he change required.

[depakid]

20. On that, we agree

One can only hope that he makes the right choice.

And also that he realizes that there are are worse things than getting into a knock down drag out fight and taking the chance that you might lose a round.

[quakerboy]

21. Unless of course he says something ambiguous.

Then what? We will come back here, and one side will say he said x, one side will say he said y. And the rest of us will still not know what he really said, even after it is said.

But, assuming he says something really solid and tooth sinkable, there is a difference between "making threats" and stating where our particular line in the sand is drawn. Some of us don't have that line. Others do. And its perfectly fair to state it publicly, personally or as a group. If saying one thing or another will effect the support that the President will receive in upcoming efforts, it is only fair that he know that before hand.

And, for those of us here, there is(or at least should be) no stigma attached to trying to logically think through the potential consequences of the many things that seem to be happening. Predicting the future, while by no means a sure thing, is not nearly the same as "threatening".

[saltpoint]

23. Agreed, endorsed, cheered, and recommended.

Let's have more of this notion of supporting the public option, let's have less of the nay-saying and negativism, and let's throw some support to a president with a view toward much-needed health care reform.

[southernyankeebelle]

24. Your right. Yet I voted for Obama to get important issues passed.

I only have one vote. If I don't like what I hear I will vote for another democrat or stay home. I voted for Obama mainly on healthcare reform. He isn't a member of the republican party. I want him to keep his promise and get the fucking single payer or public option passed. The working poor in the country can't wait. People are fucking dying in this country. I don't care about getting republicans on board. They don't want to and they hate Obama because he is black. Period.

[Honeycombe8]

25. Good, rational post. But...we DO sort of have an idea of what he'll say, since he's

spoken on this subject several times already this year.

As Obama says (and I believe him)..."I mean what I say, and I say what I mean." So we DO know his position on health care reform, really.

We do NOT know EXACTLY what he'll say, though. The words he uses. What he will emphasize and what he will de-emphasize. So you're right about that.

[saltpoint]

26. As well, there is a strong chance of Barack Obama serving two terms,

which means that consequent to those 8 years his detractors must sustain the voltage of their zoo-like conduct against him.

I don't think it is sustainable and that Obama, likely anticipating fierce resistance, is capable and willing to wait them out.

One computer model, in fact, suggests that we are in the preliminary hold period of a very historic triumph by this president.

[jenmito]

27. K&R.

[azmouse]

28. k&r

[Motown_Johnny]

29. It is a pretty fair bet that the speech is already written (for the most part)

so Someone knows what will be said


and since I think he wants to be forced into backing the public option it isn't a bad thing to voice our opinion of how essential it is