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I will vote for Obama in 2012. Obama is better than the Republican alternative.
This doesn't mean I have to agree with Obama's policies. I don't have to be a "yes" man.
When Obama caved on the single payer national health plan, I was unhappy. But what galls me is the way he caved. He gave it up without getting anything in return.
If he is going to give something up, get something in return. Get something, of equal or greater value, in return.
Obama needs to know when I am unhappy even if what I want doesn't stand a chance of passage. He needs to know where I stand. He shouldn't ignore me just because I will vote for him anyway.
I don't need to know exactly where Obama stands, as long as I can trust him. I don't need to spoil his negotiating stance by knowing what he will not give on.
My problem with Obama, it's hard for me to trust him. I'm worried he will give away the store. I'm worried he won't get anything in return. I'm worried he won't get something of equal or greater value in return.
Maybe this is his negotiating style. Maybe he lulls his opponents into a false sense of security. If this is his style, his style is driving me crazy.
Some will say we should judge him, not be his negotiating style, but by results. It's true we have Obamacare, and I don't mean to be disrespectful when I say Obamacare. People will call our new health system, Obamacare, as more of it is implemented.
But we didn't even get a public option with Obamacare. He should have tried harder. I'd like to think he could have gotten a public option. I still think he caved too quickly.
And to those who say we should have gotten something better because we had majorities in Congress, I disagree. It galls me when Democrats stood in the way, but I can understand.
Our majorities, in Congress, included a number of Blue Dog Democrats. They wouldn't vote for a single payer plan. I have the feeling a number of them wouldn't vote for a public option.
I want to believe, some Presidential arm twisting might have gotten enough of them to vote for a public option that we would at least have a public option.
The question is mute. The Senate Republicans filibustered anyway.
Thank you for letting me rant. I need to rant. It makes voting for Obama easier when the time comes.
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