We on the left apparently have 2 positions on the health care debate:
1. Pass it even though it sucks,
or
2. Vote no because the bill is not what anyone wants.
Obama ran on health care, and touted the public option as the only way to control costs. I think just about everyone who voted for Obama knew he was settling for a public option because single payer would never pass. Democrats aren't stupid; we are self-defeating.
As Obama and the Democrats caved on everything to the insane right, the left apparently realized they had no cojones, and they had better try to get whatever Republicans would let them have. They forgot that Republicans won't let them have anything. We have to fight for it. But Obama wanted bipartisanship. So we ended up with a year-long fight.
There were some Progressives in Congress who stood up to the nonsense and presented a united front in favor of a public option: Weiner, Kucinich, Grayson, among others. They were considered fringe, even though the left (among others) wants exactly what they want--universal health care--but we decided to settle for a public option.
That was our first mistake.
Now we find ourselves making the last of the Progressives cave into the debacle that has become the health care reform debate (there is no debate about the need, just who will profit). And it isn't reform. And Kucinich caved, just like the rest of them.
Yeah, yeah, don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Well, what we have is not good, and what we will get is not good; it's just less bad. And that is what Kucinich and Grayson and Nader and all the rest have been saying. But they are too far out on the fringe (except they are not) to take seriously. Even though they are correct that this bill is a disaster. Mark my words, the insurance companies will find a way around most provisions, especially those that don't take effect for a couple years.
We are doomed, but at least a few folks who don't have health insurance now will get it (and they will pay, because it will be the law). In their minds, going to the ER was a much better deal, I am sure.
We know that America needs universal, single payer health care. We know it, but won't do it.
We know Bush, Cheney and the rest lied and tortured, but we won't prosecute.
We know they spied illegally and sent prisoners away to black sites for even worse torture, but we will do nothing.
We know the banks are stealing from us, but we will do nothing.
What is the point of living here? America, the greatest country in the world? You decide.
Kucinich should vote no. He said he would. But now he feels like he has to help Obama, or something. Voting for Obama is turning out to be something of a mistake. Would Hillary have been better? Probably. Oh hindsight.
I am so tired of Democrats trying to be reasonable. Reason is not what drives most people. We need less reason and more "vim and vigor," based on reason. We need to match Republican resolve. We need to fight with the same weapons, and reason is NOT a Republican weapon.
Democrats fucked this thing up. Now it's Hamsher v. Moulitsas. Hamsher is our conscience--she fights for what we need, deserve and actually want. Moulitsas is now, and I guess it's kind of funny, the establishment, arguing for what we can get.
We need to be both Firedogs and Kossaks.
Maybe Next time.
