Tars
12-16-2009, 03:28 PM
I joined the Democratic Party on my 18th birthday; been one ever since. Like millions of others, I was proud to tears, when Obama was elected. I'm a firm believer in, "Yes we can". I have been exercising patience with Obama as he tried to promote bi-partisonship, while at the same time doing the things he was elected to do, albeit at a slower pace than some of us would like. In good faith, I assumed (and urged) he'd deliver, when all was said and done. Now, daily, more and more, I'm losing my faith...and my patience.
He was elected primarily (no pun) to bring affordable health care, and get us out of wars, as expeditiously as is reasonable. Affordable health care means either "Medicare for all", or at least a government administered public alternative. If he allows the currently proposed-watered-down-insurance-company gimmee to be passed instead, this lifelong Democrat will drop that party like a bad habit.
If Obama does not start leading the Democratic congress people in enacting true healthcare reform, I am going to leave the party, as I'm sure millions of others will do. Looks like we're headed towards a 4-party national-level system (at least): Tea Bag Party, GOP, Democratic Party, Progressive Party. One need just look at Italy and France, for example to see how that type of setup works. Fractured and dis-functional.
For one thing, I believe Howard Dean should have a much-more powerful voice in the Democratic Party. Unfortunately, instead, his article from ABC captures fairly succinctly, the state-of-the Democratic Party at this moment. I won't quote it, I get too pissed off trying to do so:
White House Says Howard Dean’s Arguments Against Democrats’ Health Care Reform ‘Simply Weren’t True,’ Suggests He’s Not Rational (https://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/12/white-house-says-howard-deans-arguments-against-democrats-health-care-reform-simply-werent-true-sugg.html)
I don't agree with Dean that it should just be voted down. It seems more logical to me, that the "reform" portion of the bill should be voted on, and the "one-payer" proposal should be handled as a budgetary matter in "reconciliation" (51-votes needed to pass).
For what miniscule value it may have, I'm going to write highly critical letters to all Dem representatives from Obama on down. I encourage other registered Democrats to do the same.
He was elected primarily (no pun) to bring affordable health care, and get us out of wars, as expeditiously as is reasonable. Affordable health care means either "Medicare for all", or at least a government administered public alternative. If he allows the currently proposed-watered-down-insurance-company gimmee to be passed instead, this lifelong Democrat will drop that party like a bad habit.
If Obama does not start leading the Democratic congress people in enacting true healthcare reform, I am going to leave the party, as I'm sure millions of others will do. Looks like we're headed towards a 4-party national-level system (at least): Tea Bag Party, GOP, Democratic Party, Progressive Party. One need just look at Italy and France, for example to see how that type of setup works. Fractured and dis-functional.
For one thing, I believe Howard Dean should have a much-more powerful voice in the Democratic Party. Unfortunately, instead, his article from ABC captures fairly succinctly, the state-of-the Democratic Party at this moment. I won't quote it, I get too pissed off trying to do so:
White House Says Howard Dean’s Arguments Against Democrats’ Health Care Reform ‘Simply Weren’t True,’ Suggests He’s Not Rational (https://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/12/white-house-says-howard-deans-arguments-against-democrats-health-care-reform-simply-werent-true-sugg.html)
I don't agree with Dean that it should just be voted down. It seems more logical to me, that the "reform" portion of the bill should be voted on, and the "one-payer" proposal should be handled as a budgetary matter in "reconciliation" (51-votes needed to pass).
For what miniscule value it may have, I'm going to write highly critical letters to all Dem representatives from Obama on down. I encourage other registered Democrats to do the same.