My e-mail to President Obama

[JDPriestly]

Today, I heard in the news that you told the "left-wing" to stop pressuring Blue Dog Democrats. President Obama, I am very hurt, disappointed and deeply troubled by that news. This is the time to criticize the Blue Dog Democrats who are opposing you on health care reform. It is not the time to criticize those of us who are working to get a good health care bill passed.

More profoundly, President Obama, you disappoint me because I do not see you keeping your promise to change the way business is done in D.C. You promised to get lobbyists out of your government. The Blue Dog Democrats, every last one of them, are on the take from the corporations who want to stop health care reform. That is corruption, and that is why we on the "left" are so critical of the Blue Dogs.

Legitimate differences of opinion can be talked through, But when the person you are talking to pretends to be negotiating sincerely but is really being paid to maintain a certain point of view, the negotiation is not in good faith.

When you defend the Blue Dog Democrats and ask us on the "left" not to criticize them, you are actually defending the corruption that has prevented health care reform for over 50 years.

President Obama, instead of studying the Team of Rivals of the Lincoln administration, you need to study the arm-twisting techniques of Lyndon Johnson. Remember, it was Lyndon Johnson who pushed Civil Rights legislation and Medicare through Congress. He did that in spite of the fact that Southern Democrats were fighting him on civil rights issues. The Blue Dogs are the last remnants of the Southern Democrats in Congress. Don't think you can bring them to your side by giving in to them or by insulting those who are loyal to you.

Today you went to Indiana to announce a huge investment project in Senator Bayh's district. Is he supporting you on health care reform? Or is he siding with the rest of the Blue Dog Democrats against you, against the American people and with the corporate health care interests?

Senator Bayh's wife allegedly receives a generous salary as a member of boards of directors of companies in the health care industry. When your administration grants Senator Bayh and his state favors and then he votes against your health care initiatives, you give an appearance not just of weakness but of naivete. It is downright foolish to celebrate huge grants to the state of a senator who is opposing you on your hallmark health care initiative.

Don't be naive and don't become just another part of the corrupt D.C. culture. Stand up to the Blue Dog Democrats.

[stuball111]

1. Good one!

Johnson went through a hell of a lot more flack and unrest passing civil rights than Obama is getting on health care! But the issues are almost equally important, (Civil rights a bit more so) It should be a damn cakewalk to get this passed, and it would surge this country out of recession and free up gazzillions of dollars into the economy by allowing the profits the insurance industry is gobbling up to be put back into the consumers pockets, not to mention how it will help small business!

[LooseWilly]

8. Speaking of civil rights...

... ohh, right... GLBT rights are scheduled for... 2010?... 2012?... 2014?... 2016?... Biden's term?... when is it scheduled to be politically safe to do something on LGB rights again?...

I don't suppose talk of increased spending (stimulus) from increased weddings?.. ahh, right... 2010?... 2012... 2014... the time will come...

[stuball111]

10. What's GLBT and LGB?

Use real words please...

[LooseWilly]

11. Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender

Kind of a mouthful to type all the time...

also Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (when the T is not omitted due to the dumb on my part).

[stuball111]

12. Thanks...

And yes, I think Gay rights are far overdue, as a matter of fact,I find it ridiculous that gays/lesbians/transgenders should even have to prove that they are and deserve equality. I thought just being a human being was qualification for equality. Makes me sick to see any form of discrimination.

[t0dd]

2. thank you for sending this nt

[crickets]

3. Excellent! -nt

[MarjorieG]

4. Obama may be playing a different game with Congress, and getting them re-elected.

He wants us to concentrate on bringing home reform as the grassroots, not ruining Blue Dog's chances in problem states. Takes time to win over some districts; may take years of Reagan de-programming.

I wish he could wave a magic and say no to lobbyists, but he did limit quick entry to lobbying from government.

Obama may have the votes, and all this is to allow the regional differences to play well and give them cover. Hopefully. Bi-partisan appearance is as important for future legislation. Hopefully, he is more adept than you give him credit for. Our biggest problem is the misinformation about even the health care basics, by media, about a public plan at all.

You're calling him out for being corrupted and Grassley called him too idealistic.

[JDPriestly]

5. Blue Dogs ruin their own chances.

I would not have written that e-mail had Obama not criticized those of us who have expressed our dismay at the Blue Dogs. The Blue Dogs are corrupt. They are taking money from the health care industry and allowing that to influence their votes.

Why do I say that Blue Dogs are ruining their own chances? Because health care reform will be passed in some form. Our economy cannot recover without it, at least the jobs part of our economy cannot recover without it. We have to have health care reform. And the most important we have to cut health care costs. Unfortunately, it is the cost-cutting that the health care industry opposes the most. The Blue Dogs are simply being paid to help the health care industry to try to stop cutting costs for the American people. They side with the Republicans on that.

And so the Blue Dogs are in a tug of war in which they are pulling against us, against Obama and against friends of health care reform in Congress. We are going to win that tug of war. We may not win enough to really cut health care costs and insure everyone. But we will win the tug of war.

The Blue Dogs are going to lose. And when they lose, their Republican opponents will gleefully point out the fact that the Blue Dogs have lost their battle against health care reform. They will look like -- losers. That's not how you want to look to your voters when you run for office.

If they want to be re-elected, the Blue Dogs should be get out there and explain health care reform and its advantages to their constituents. Because then they will be on the winning side, and they will win huge savings for their constituents. They are wasting an opportunity in exchange for being paid off in the short term. They are gambling against health care reform. Their constituents can get a senator or representative who will vote against health care reform by voting for a Republican. And they all know that. The Blue Dogs are not standing up for anything that identifies them as being on the winning side. They are siding in a kind of sneaky, sniveling way with health care insurance companies. Huge mistake on their part. It'

[JDPriestly]

6. Dup.

[AdHocSolver]

7. Being conciliatory at an inappropriate time looks like weakness.

Republicans have demonstrated to most Americans that Republicans are not interested in helping the American people. It is no longer necessary or desirable for Democrats to continue to appeal for Republican support. Being conciliatory to the rabble only looks like weakness.

It is time for Obama to stop being concerned with the political status of Blue Dog Democrats and start twisting their arms on health care reform. If Blue Dog Democrats side with the lobbyists against the people, then let them lose. They are politically worthless if they are not reliable.

Instead of criticizing progressives who want worthwhile health care reform, Obama should show some strength and a willingness to fight for the people.

[DonCoquixote]

9. Nice,. except

No need to demonize Indiana jkust because they happen to have a jackass senator, they need jobs too, and if you were to starve them, Bayh could play the old "look what the mean scary Black man is doing to us" game.

[Orwellian_Ghost]

13. Obama's not naive

He gravitates towards the center of power. That is the story of his political career.