Will the President sign health insurance legislation...

[SHRED]

...if it has a mandatory purchase clause?

---

[SteppingRazor]

1. At this point, the president will sign health insurance legislation. Period.

I don't care how big a stinker crosses his desk, he's signing it.

[SHRED]

3. This is what happens when ...

...you have a corporatist leaning President who leaves the writing of a "reform" bill up to the Lobbyist controlled Congress.

We get screwed.

[SteppingRazor]

4. This is what happens when you have a political process.

The alternative to mealy-mouthed compromise is actually less preferable.

[SHRED]

5. It's only "mealy-mouthed" because...

...the powers that be, including the majority of Democrats, care much more about the PAC money than they do about us.

----

[SteppingRazor]

7. I think that's a little simplistic.

I don't deny that there are Democrats who are wholly beholden to insurance companies, or whatever corporate villain du jour. But there's also Democrats for whom the best possible health-care reform varies from the norm established by progressives. If you're a congressman representing a certain district, you have to do what's best for that district. If, for example, CIGNA employs a few thousand people in your congressional district, then you're certainly not going to be for single-payer, and it doesn't matter whether you get money from the AHIP PAC or not. Now, keep in mind that the health-care industry makes up a huge portion of the American economy, and it stands to reason that there are actually quite a few congresspeople in this position.

And that's just one example of why a congressperson might deviate from what we'd like them to do as progressives. There are many others that similarly have little to do with simply giving in to whomever dishes out the most cash to the congressperson.

[geek tragedy]

8. "who leaves the writing of a bill up to Congress"

Someone flunked Civics 101.

[C_Lawyer09]

9. Well, Congress in name only

Actually Congressional staffers and policy wonks.

[CTLawGuy]

12. yeah

like Congress is some sort of "legislative branch" or something...

[C_Lawyer09]

10. Historical reference for a President whom suffered hugely

Because of failure to prioritize and push legislation/Jimmy Carter, the opposite who had a four year honeymoon/Ronald Reagan. Obama can't afford to get pulled down into the weeds, he has to stay above the fray.

[phantom power]

2. Absolutely.

[damntexdem]

6. He'll sign anything he gets from Congress.

As good or (more likely) bad as it may be.

[quiller4]

11. Yes. I believe and hope that he will. n/t