President Obama is either incredibly WEAK . . .

[Krashkopf]

or incredibly SMART and STRONG. We are about to find out which.

He is either such a slave to bipartisanship that NOTHING will ever get done during his term . . . or he has intentionally, strategically, boxed "the party of 'NO'" into a corner, knowing that he needed to do that BEFORE moderate D's and moderate I's would accept a "Democratic" HCR bill.

If we end up with a Public Option, now, it will be pure genius on the President's part.

On the otherhand, if the Democrats go it alone, and we don't end up with a Public Option, then WE DESERVE to be swept out of office in November, and in 2012.

We will see.

[babylonsister]

1. Something will get done, and soon, but the PO won't be

in there unfortunately. And the Dems will be going it alone. I will consider passing of a bill an Obama and Dem success which is what the rethugs are so darned afraid of.

Having a pre-existing condition and in a situation where I'm about to lose all medical insurance makes me more flexible than you, I guess.

[Krashkopf]

2. I'm self-employed. My wife has a preexisting condition, and we have two kids . . .

so I can relate to your situation. But, this is not JUST about me, and my family. It is about what is right for EVERYONE. If the Democrats CAN'T get 50 votes for a watered down Public Option, then, the Democratic Party is USELESS.

[babylonsister]

4. A PO is not going to happen, so I'm not setting myself up for

disappointment. If it does somehow happen, I'll be ecstatic. And no, I'm not just thinking about me. Millions of people in this country have nothing; to call a plan a failure because it doesn't include what you want doesn't take into account those who have nothing who would welcome some basic health care.

And have you been paying attention this year (yes, I know you have)? We haven't been able to get even a basic HCR bill passed, what makes you think the PO would make the odds better? I agree this whole debate has been handled poorly, but we are where we're at. I think the Dems will be doing well to get anything passed, and it's not just the obstruction by the rethugs that is to blame. Some of our Dems are our own worst enemies.

I think we should pass what is possible, and build from there.

[flpoljunkie]

9. Rockefeller's strong public option was never on the table, just a weakened house version.

I agree. We need to pass the Senate bill with Obama's fixes and then build on it. Strong insurance regulation is the key. Failure to pass the bill is not an option.

[karynnj]

11. You have to compare the entire package to what we currently have

It is a major improvement. The public option was proposed as a means to try to control costs. There are other measures in the bill to do this as well. I agree that including it would be a great idea, but I don't think it the complete Godsend some here do. Some have confused it with single payer, Medicare for all or think that it means healthcare will be free, paid for by taxes.

Now, if the HCR passes without it, and as many think the various provisions to control costs are inadequate, I assume that one of the first solutions that will be proposed is ... adding a public option to the exchange(s).

Remember that none of the 200 plans included a public option, but Kerry, and I think Dean, did include allowing people near 65 to buy into Medicare. Now had Kerry won and I by a miracle gotten the dysfunctional 109th Congress (or the better 110th Congress where we won back the leadership) to pass his plan, adjusted as Congress would do, there would have been elation. This is a case where the bar was raised in a time of euphoria over what could be done.

[midnight armadillo]

3. keep drinking that kool-aid

If we end up with a Public Option, now, it will be pure genius on the President's part.

LOL. If there's a public option at this point it'll be because of the pressure brought to bear on Congress and the WH by activists. Obama lost interest in the PO as soon as it looked like it was going to take effort to get through the Senate.

[polichick]

5. True - if we get the po, it's because of activists and a few progressive Congresscritters...

...who ignored all the bullshit from the WH - including Rahm's "retarded" comment.

[Krashkopf]

6. Absolutely TRUE . . .

As FDR said - "I agree with you, I want to do it, now make me do it."

[Frustratedlady]

8. Good comment. I think Obama has been running on that philosophy from day one.

I can't figure out if he's playing chess or waiting for an uprising, but I truly believe it's the latter.

[salguine]

7. You don't realize which it is yet? Seriously?

[Krashkopf]

12. Seriously

The Jury is still out for me.

[Kermitt Gribble]

10. Let me know

when they vote on a "Democratic" HCR bill - so far all I've seen is "republican" HCR bills proposed by so-called Democrats.

[quantass]

13. I'd bet my kids future that NO PO will ever make the passed Bill.

Not a chance....it is clear the WH and many democrtas who are secretly taking money from the health industry do not want the PO to even be considered because well, it would be a REAL solution: lower costs, more competition, and would save America from going bankrupt. I bet my $300,000 home and my kids future that the PO is dead!