US Senate Passes Obama health bill

[Sqrl]

Mr Khan said:

Sqrl said:

While I agree with the majority of what you're saying I don't think perfection is a reasonable requirement for legislation (or really even defineable).  I do agree however, and I think you probably meant this, that they should be striving for perfection when crafting their legislation.

That's the mess of politics, when one side or the other (or both) are determined to not really do anything but try and spite the other side, you have to fight like hell for all but the most basic stuff, and it still ends up coming out lopsided

 

which means that yes, the Republicans are largely to blame for this, as are the Blue Dog democrats (who are going to get broiled in the upcoming primary elections for this, i think). But it isn't a quality endemic to Republicans or lacking in Democrats, that's just the nature of a disgruntled opposition party in general, and it's a decent tactic politically. Do the most you can to upset the other side's efforts, and then claim that the other side has been failing to act

I'm sorry, I just don't know how you can buy into that....

Both the blue dog democrats and the republicans were literally and figuratively LOCKED OUT of the discussion on what would be in this bill.  When you're locking people in your own party out of the room the problem isn't with their obstructionist approach, its with your elitist attitude to crafting the bill.

Don't take my word for it though, believe Obama:

 

 

"Not negotiating behind closed doors, but bringing all parties together and broadcasting those negotiations on C-SPAN so that the American people can see what the choices are.  Part of what we have to do is enlist the American people in this process." 

- Obama (CNN Debate '08)

"I would put my plan forward and I would welcome input and say here are my goals...reduce cost, improve quality, ..uhh...coverage for everybody.  If you have better ideas please present them.  But these negotiations will be on C-SPAN, and so the public will be part of the conversation and will see the choices that are being made.  So if a memeber of Congress is carrying water for the Drug Companies and says "Well we can't negotiate for the cheapest availabel price on drugs because we need the money for R&D research", well we'll have a discussion right there in front of the American people about the fact that the drug companie's do need profits but their also spending a bunch of it on marketing television ads where nobody even knows what the drug is for.  Uhm....that builds in accountability into the system, because now that congressmen is put on the spot.  And I would not underestimate the degree to which shame is a healthy emotion and that you can shame congress into doing the right thing if people know what's going on."

- Obama (Healthcare Presser - San Fran Chronicle - '08)

 

 

 

When Obama argues that the process needs accountability, lays out a plan to bring accountability, later finds out he will have total control of the process, and then abandons accountability....how does that not raise a red flag?  How can anyone who claims to actually represent their district vote yes on a bill they had no input on and have not actually had time to fully read giving it specific attention to how the bill would effect the people they represent? 

I'm sorry but I think voting no on this bill, the way it was handled, the way its being forced, is the only reasonable and intellectually honest thing that an elected official can do.  If this exact same bill with the exact same language came up under circumstances where everyone had input, there had been ample time to revise it, and no bribes were required to secure votes then your argument would stand up a lot better, but that is simply not the case here.