What the hell is the Obama White House doing?

Yes, what the hell are they doing?

This stance on cutting deficits will wipe us out, totally in November.

Why?

This country wants the government to SPEND MONEY FOR JOB CREATION, but the Obama White House is on the side of Republicans for cuts.

This is totally, fucking, STUPID amidst 9.5% unemployment and close to 20% underemployment. I mean fucking stupid.

All this cutting will throw policemen, firemen, teachers, in the pile of unemployment.

All this cutting will blow the unemployment numbers up even more.

All this cutting will double and triple classrooms across this country, along with massive school closings. These cuts should anger ALL AMERICANS across this country for schools.



Look, it is nice that Washington, D.C. is full of rich ass people, yes, RICH ASS PEOPLE. They are so far removed from what is happening out here that they don't get it. The Obama White House is starting to look like that.

It is very dangerous to keep very mum while millions of Americans checks are being revoked due to fucking games being played in Washington, D.C. It is even more dangerous to try to frame the unemployed Americans as lazy bums or "Welfare Kings or Queens". Many of these folks have worked ALL THEIR LIVES and have lost or are losing everything that is equal to the American Dream. Playing around with this is a political bomb that the Democrats need to be in front of. And I mean 24/7.

Also, being bold means bringing plans, ideas to get this country BACK TO WORK. Even if it means SPENDING. If you have a solid idea that can get this country back to work, the American Public will stand with you. They will not stand with you if you are perceived as not knowing what the hell to do about it. It also does not mean to play into the Republican meme of cutting the deficits. Not when this country is sinking into the abyss.

Want to cut something that will bring big time revenue? What about that fucking defense budget? What about getting out of Iraq and Afghanistan? What about that? What about nation building HERE in this country instead of in Afghanistan and Iraq? What about plugging the corporate loop holes for companies off shore? We are arguing over keeping teachers and first responders who are NEEDED in this country, but just let that defense budget continue to bloat. But cutting money to educate our kids, our future leaders is just OK.

We need to stop this shit.

As long as folks are not working, as long as the the unemployment roll continues to rise, as long as this White House is acting clueless on what to do about it, we lose in November. ****And if the Obama White House has a massive program to get folks back to work, SHARE IT, I have not seen or HEARD IT. Just putting that out there....****

Barack Obama needs new advisers and a new White House. The ones he has now are unimpressive and clueless as to what is going on out here. If the Democrats lose massive in November, expect messaging and communication to be key here. This White House is the worst White House for making sure the public understands what they have accomplished, because many believe they have not done ANYTHING. How is that? The right track/wrong track numbers. This is about the public not understanding what this White House has done and that is an Obama White House problem.

Finally, the deficit is #4 of what Americans care about, behind the economy/jobs, oil spill and health care. That should tell the Democrats something, but it seems they are just ignoring this.

From The Dylan Ratigan Show:



President Obama touting his economic policies, which is all nice, but what about talking about JOB CREATION IN THIS COUNTRY:



Update [2010-7-7 17:56:28 by icebergslim]:

Usual suspects are angered and good. Let it ALL OUT. We all should be angry because November can be a slaughter house. We don't have the juice, excitement on our side. If we lose massively, the question is this, "Why?" And many can write a book on that one.

Update [2010-7-7 20:16:17 by icebergslim]:

To be clear, in case you forgot or did not know, President Obama asked congress for 50 billion dollars for the states to save the SAME JOBS he saved last year from the stimulus bill. If President Obama had 50 billion lying around, he surely would have sent it to the states from the stimulus package, but he does not. The Republicans are stating to get it from the stimulus money and asking for more money in their eyes is a second stimulus.

President Obama urged reluctant lawmakers Saturday to quickly approve nearly $50 billion in emergency aid to state and local governments, saying the money is needed to avoid "massive layoffs of teachers, police and firefighters" and to support the still-fragile economic recovery.

In a letter to congressional leaders, Obama defended last year's huge economic stimulus package, saying it helped break the economy's free fall, but argued that more spending is urgent and unavoidable. "We must take these emergency measures," he wrote in an appeal aimed primarily at members of his own party.

The letter comes as rising concern about the national debt is undermining congressional support for additional spending to bolster the economy. Many economists say more spending could help bring down persistently high unemployment, but with Republicans making an issue of the record deficits run up during the recession, many Democratic lawmakers are eager to turn off the stimulus tap.

Since D.C. is all about "deficits" does anyone believe that congress will actually save all these jobs? The only jobs congress cares about is their own, certainly not ours.

Update [2010-7-7 22:5:8 by icebergslim]:

Arguing about points in the diary is warranted and wanted, but personal attacks as some are doing do nothing but discredit you. Don't like what was written, you write a diary explaining, the Obama Administration's JOBS PROGRAM. We all are waiting, along with millions who need a job, but as long as we continue to see this administration kowtow another point AGAIN, this time for the deficit in one of the worse recessions if not DEPRESSIONS ever, then they deserve to be criticized.

Update [2010-7-7 22:56:5 by icebergslim]:

Final update and h/t to divineorder on this administration's mixed messages:

During the recent G20 in Toronto, more mixed messages emerged, with our President encouraging member nations to spend more to prop up their failing economies while his administration seeks to gut Social Security and Medicare at home. Europe is also cutting back on public programs, hitting the most vulnerable. The major world economies, including us, need to pump money into jobs, new technologies, infrastructure and manufacturing to increase revenues, not cut services. Instead, the G20 ended on a down note, with little accomplished and governments throughout the world agreeing to shirk their responsibilities to their citizens all at once by withdrawing stimulus.

How encouraging.....while we have congress just press the mute button on the jobless....

An international economic organization criticized the U.S. Congress on Wednesday for allowing extended unemployment benefits to lapse at the end of May, a move that thus far has denied more than 2 million Americans a critical lifeline during the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

In its report on the global employment outlook, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development noted that a "particularly worrisome feature" of America's deep recession is the high number of workers who have been unemployed for more than six months.

Cross-posted @ Daily Kos

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President Obama's remarks about the health care insurance reform vote pending in the House of Representatives (Video)

The Democrats remarks for the pending vote for health care insurance reform:

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Democratic voter turnout declines (Video)

From Countdown with Keith Olbermann:

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25 Blue Dogs on board for the public option

Again, the progressives always had the votes and the blue dogs? Anyway, this is encouraging, especially when your district or state if FOR the public option.

Read it all, here.

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Rachel Maddow exposes and destroys Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR), who is in lockstep with the insurance companies against health care reform (Video)

I would say that Mike Ross is in trouble, trouble....

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Speaker Pelosi "NO DEAL" to Blue Dogs

Again, who needed to be whipped in the first place? The Blue Dogs, not the Progressives. Count the votes folks, count the votes, the White House finally got that message.

Speaker Pelosi is nixing a deal she cut with centrists to advance health reform, said a source familiar with negotiations.

Pelosi’s decision to abandon the agreement that was made with a group of Blue Dogs to get the bill out of committee would steer the healthcare legislation back to the left as she prepares for a floor vote.

Sorry, no pity party here for the Blue Dogs. This group have been obstructionists in health care matters, just read here about Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR) and his sweetheart deal with USA Drug. The problem with Ross is that his district is FOR THE PUBLIC OPTION, while he is trying to kill it. With this stuff going on, how can you possibly trust the Blue Dogs to do anything on the up and up?

Pelosi is planning to include a government-run public option in the House version of the healthcare bill. She wants to model it on Medicare, with providers getting reimbursed on a scale pegged to Medicare rates.
"The speaker is full-steam-ahead," said a senior Democratic aide.

Blue Dog Democrats, many of whom represent rural districts where Medicare reimbursement rates are low, vehemently oppose tying the public option to Medicare.

Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.) and a group of fellow Blue Dogs had negotiated a deal with Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) in July that would remove the link to Medicare. Under that plan, officials with the government-run plan would negotiate individually with providers.

That move, which drew howls of protest from liberal members, prevented the bill from getting stuck in committee. But Ross returned from the August break saying he couldn't support a public option under any circumstances, essentially withdrawing his support for the deal.

What will happen when the vote comes around is this, members of congress, especially the Blue Dogs who are in districts that want the public option will have unparalleled pressure to vote NO on the health care bill. If they don't they will then be told by their insurance lobbyists paycheck pals that another candidate will be backed, the blitzkrieg of ads will run in their districts and they will be defeated.

Now these blue dogs can go against their constituents at their peril, but they won't get cover from the White House, in the end.

Source

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The Heat is on: Tell Blanche Lincoln and Mike Ross to Act Like Democrats (Video)

These Blue Dogs who have had a cushy job in congress acting Republican-Lite, their time is coming up. Target Arkansas. Politicians, Blanche Lincoln and Mike Ross will not vote for a public option, though their state is up to 80% for it. Whose payroll are these two listening to? You got it, insurance lobbyists.



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No one likes the Baucus Insurance Welfare Bill

It is welfare for the insurance companies, who are currently pushing the Baucus plan. For them, no public option (no competition), mandates (Americans MUST purchase insurance, just like car insurance), the middle class will get hit HARD with the premiums. Now, if you are an executive for any health care insurance company, how would you feel about this? Over the moon with glee.

On the surface, it appears that no one is happy with Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) -- and that may be the best news President Obama has had in months.

Within minutes of the release of the Senate Finance Committee chairman's long-awaited health-care reform bill Wednesday, the attacks started flying. Liberal Democrats and allies, particularly labor unions, fumed. Republicans, after being courted for months, denounced the work as pure partisanship.

Baucus actually had a presser and guess who showed up from his Senate Finance Committee? NO ONE. And that bipartisanship courtship, a big ol' bust.

Is this good for the Obama White House? Yes, since they have seen the revelation that the Republicans are not voting on squat and that Baucus is a compromised politician who did not write this bill, but had his good old buddies from the insurance lobby to do so.

Howard Dean, former Democratic National Committee chairman, minced no words about Sen. Max Baucus's healthcare proposal, unveiled to the public this morning. "The Baucus bill is the worst piece of healthcare legislation I've seen in 30 years," Dean said last night at a healthcare town hall and book signing in Washington. "In fact, it's a $60 billion giveaway to the health insurance industry every year," he said. "It was written by healthcare lobbyists, so that's not a surprise. It's an outrage."

Senator Max Baucus is not a Democrat, but a Blue Dog corporatist. Health care reform or insurance reform will be the 21st Century biggest change legislation since the 1960s.

Seems to me, that many politicians that go to Washington, D.C., go there for very little change or increments and that is supposed to be ok. Unless you are wealthy, don't have to worry about health insurance, why should you care? Why should politicians care about their voters who have no insurance? They have the best that any money can buy and they know it.

It is time for many Americans to look these politicians over and say ENOUGH. Just enough of THEM. We have people dying that could be saved because some bean counter from an insurance company, who gets bonuses for denying claims, says so, overriding what an insurer's doctor's prognosis and diagnosis states. Every single American should be outraged.

And if you think that you are OK, even if you are not wealthy, think again, most Americans are NOT OKAY. Many are one job from NO HEALTH INSURANCE. That is only not fair but straight up wrong.

Lastly, all these teabaggers or whatever, mostly older Americans covered under the bosom of MEDICARE and at these protest rallies, what if the shoe was on the other foot? What about your kids or your grandkids? Health care in this country is not a privilege it is a DAMN RIGHT. And the Max Baucus' need to be defeated and removed from office, ASAP.

These type of politicians are the obstructionists, not the visionaries that is needed in this country to move forward. Blue Dogs, you are on notice.

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Senate Leader Harry Reid, "..bill must contain a public option..." (Update)

Well, it is about time that Reid drew his line in the sand. And I love this pay line quote:

Reid opened a private meeting of health care providers in Las Vegas on Tuesday by saying, according to one attendee who took notes: “We have a problem in America and it’s called the private insurance industry.”

Can I get a witness? An AMEN? for real.

There has been serious hand wringing about this health care insurance reform, or whatever it is called now, and it has been warranted. When you do not have the White House along with the Democratic Party in lock step, in tandem motion people get concerned where this is going.

“We’re energized and we’re also confident that Sen. Reid is on the right side on this issue,” said Michael Ginsburg, a community organizer at the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, who attended the meeting. “That’s something we can take to our supporters and reassure them.”

Reid has been traveling throughout the state talking to constituents about health care and other issues while Congress is on summer recess.

Now, if the Blue Dogs will just get in line. Stay tuned.

[UPDATE]

Well, it is this miscommunication that have the Democrats in bad polling numbers, just read this and then wonder why Obama and the Democrats polling numbers are tanking. Until we get one cohesive message, it will continues as it is, disarray.

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These Blue Dog Democrats better get it together for the public option or deal with defeat at the polls (UPDATE)

These blue dog democrats touting from various states and districts are finding out, THE HARD WAY, that their constituents do want a public option as part of the health care reform bill.

Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee is the most compromised senator that is currently in the hot seat. Mr. Baucus has taken MILLIONS of insurance, health care lobbyist money and his slow walk and lack of commitment to the public option has enraged folks. Thus the pressure and heat is on Baucus to back a public option. His poll numbers have slipped in Montana, thus making him actually STATE that he is for a public option. But seeing is believing from Mr. Baucus, at this point.

U.S. Senator Max Baucus has finally broken his silence regarding his personal position on including a public option in health care reform legislation. Last Monday night (8/17), in an unprecedented conference call to Montana Democratic central committee chairs, the powerful leader of the Senate Finance Committee told his strongest supporters that he supported a public option. While discussing the obstacles to getting a public option through the Senate, he assured his forty listeners, "I want a public option too!"

The conference call was groundbreaking in that none of the recipients could ever remember this kind of call ever happening before. The teleconference was set up seemingly in reaction to rising discontent among the local Democratic leaders with the Senator's failure to take a clear position on the issue.

The discussion, which became contentious and rancorous at times, also touched upon The wisdom of creating insurance cooperatives as an alternative to a public option. When several of the county chairs objected, commenting that they did not trust the health insurance companies to police themselves and limit their outrageous corporate
profits, Baucus commented, "Neither do I."

This is the sticking point. Why should we trust the insurance companies to do the right thing for the consumer? They have not for years and have benefitted in record profit. The insurance companies are mounting the largest MISINFORMATION campaign in record history against any health care reform. If one industry is doing all this to keep things the SAME, you know that the system is not working to benefit us, the consumer.

Then Blue Dog, Jim Cooper out of Tennessee. This man was instrumental in destroying the Clinton Health Care Reform in the 90s. He is another one who has been slow walking things in the House of Representatives and now a new poll shows that his constituents don't like how he is handling the health care reform bill and they too, want a public option.

Let's be frank here, many of these Blue Dog Democrats are from districts with working class and below poverty folks, these people want a public option in this health care bill. The one thing that Barack Obama did right during his campaign was the continuous pounding of health care reform, the continuous talking of the American public having "health care like congress". That resonated with the public and the public wants it. What is happening now is all about the money, the lobbyist money. It is up to these politicians to either vote their district, state or deal with defeat at the polls.

It is that simple.

It did not take long for Cooper to respond to the poll on his district, read it here.

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Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) on the reality tip about Obama and these Republicans (Video)

This continuous bipartianship stuff of the Obama White House is to die for, especially when you are not getting nothing in return. Sure, the public respects attempting to work with the Republicans, but eventually you got to cut these CLOWNS loose. Yes, cut them LOOSE.

U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) said she would refuse to vote for a healthcare reform package that did not include a provision for creating a government-run medical insurance plan that would compete with private insurers -- a statement that drew loud cheers Saturday at a town hall meeting at Los Angeles Southwest College.

The statement appeared to illustrate hardening lines in the battle over healthcare reform in Congress. Waters voiced dismay with comments made by White House officials last week that have been widely perceived as backing down from the so-called public option.

"President Obama has been trying to reach across the aisle" to win a compromise with Republicans, Waters said. "It is not going to happen."

Then Waters made a public appeal to Obama.

"The people of this country elected you and gave you a Democratic majority in the House and the Senate. . . . Yes, we know that you are a nice man, that you want to work with the opposite side of the aisle. But there comes a time when you need to drop that and move forward," Waters said. "We're saying to you, Mr. President, 'Be tough. Use everything that you've got. Do what you have to do. And we have your back.'

Yes, we voted for you and the Democrats for the platform that you RAN ON, not on this utter bullshit that is happening in Washington, D.C. It is time to CUT and RUN on these Republicans.

And memory lane, Congresswoman Waters calling Rahm Emanuel OUT on what is now the health care fiasco. This is what you get with Blue Dog Democrats, not much.



L.A. Times

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Obama White House, In 1990s Mode...

I just finished reading the Frank Rich piece in the New York Times.

This piece is disturbing, it talks about these crazies walking around with guns slinging on them, but he takes the ridiculousness of Barack Obama and his constant niceness towards the very Republicans that have stabbed him repeatedly in the back.

Again, if there is a teachable moment here for being nice to someone who continues to stab you, let me know, because I just don't get it.

Even now the radicals are taking a nonviolent toll on the Obama presidency. Obama complains, not without reason, that the news media, led by cable television, exaggerate the ruckus at health care events. But why does he exaggerate the legitimacy and clout of opposition members of Congress who, whether through silence or outright endorsement, are surrendering to the nuts? Even Charles Grassley, the supposedly adult Iowa Republican who is the Senate point man for his party on health care, has now capitulated to the armed fringe by publicly parroting their “pull the plug on grandma” fear-mongering.

Well, with staff like Rahm Emanuel and Jim Messina, no wonder Barack Obama is where he is at.

Let's talk about them for a minute.

I am from Chicago, understand the "fuck you get out of my way", mentality of a Rahm Emanuel. He was a young gun, rising star with the Clinton Administration and from there this is the problem. Emanuel is still STUCK on the 90s and how Democrats were then. He has not come to realize the change, power and progress we Democrats have made. That is the real issue here.

Barack Obama is listening to a Chief of Staff that is on the 90s, Clinton Adminstration mode. That worked in the 90s, but this is 2009 and not only has this country voted for a black man to be POTUS, but we voted for CHANGE, PROGRESS. The shit that Emanuel is doing in the White House is disastrous. You don't have the President of the United States continue to compliment, praise the very Republicans that are tearing him down in the national press and on television, DAILY. What the fuck kind of shit is this? Again, this is 2009 not 1993. For the Chief of Staff to the President of the United States repeatedly having him go out there and praise the very persons who are determined to undermind him at every turn is looney and I am being nice.

Emanuel like Clinton never respected or cared about the left, it is true, though Clinton learned a hard lesson from the primaries about the POWER of the left. So, if Emanuel don't care about the left and how WE put Obama in the White House, it is not a shock that he gave the left the big finger of "FUCK YOU". In return, Emanuel got the pressure from the left like he never saw in his life while working for Clinton. But he remains on the course of "loving the Republicans and working for any bill that have their stamp of approval, though the Democrats have 60 in the senate and majority in the house, it really does not matter, getting that stamp of approval from the Republicans in the senate is the major goal". Can I type, "Go blow yourself Rahm?"

Jim Messina worked for Senator Max Baucus and it does not take a rocket scientist to put 2+2 together and come out with a 4. He is the point man for the "bipartanship lovey-dovey bill" and he is the one saying, we are almost close and he is the one telling Rahm and the President that we MUST HAVE A BIPARTISAN BILL, that it will look good for the President and country. Yes, a bipartianship bill would look good, but this White House must have forgotten that we are negotiating on strength not weakness. We, won the White House and Congress, not the Republicans, but we have to listen to the Gang of Six to get a health care bill passed? From Robert Reich:

Last night, the so-called "gang of six" -- three Republican and three Democratic senators on the Senate Finance Committee -- met by conference call and, according to Senator Max Baucus, the committee's chair, reaffirmed their commitment "toward a bipartisan health-care reform bill" (read: less coverage and no public insurance option). The Washington Post reports that the senators shared tales from their home states, where some have been besieged by protesters angry about a potential government takeover of the nation's health care system.

It's come down to these six senators. The House has reported a bill as has another Senate committee, but all eyes are fixed on Senate Finance -- and on these three Dems and three Republicans, in particular. But who, exactly, anointed these six to decide the fate of the nation's health care?

It is these folks in the White House that Obama is listening to. Sure, a health care bill will pass, but will it mean anything? Does it matter that we must have Republicans who have repeatedly dissed President Obama on board? Don't these White House folks get it? The Republicans are not going to vote ANYTHING Obama. Yet, we continue to see our President yuckin' up to these Republicans, though we are the power in Washington, D.C. Are the Democrats that dumb? Apparently, the ones in the White House are because we just don't matter:

Obama's brain trust has decided the base doesn't matter. Rahm Emanuel, Jim Messina (and probably Jim Margolis) have focused on the false promise of bipartisanship, which has required scaling back what we were led to believe was Obama's agenda. They're obviously the smartest people in the world and think the rest of us are stupid and wouldn't notice. But, we have. The numbers speak for themselves. Many of us in the base aren't happy.

I am one of those on the left that raised over 12K for the Obama Campaign under the grassroots fundraiser, I am one of those who knocked on hundreds of doors for the Obama Campaign, I am one of those who was swinging a big stick over here EARLY at Daily Kos for the Obama Campaign, I am one of those who worked across state lines for the Obama Campaign, and I am one of those who are PISSED at the Obama Administration.

I am one of millions who took a chance on change, not this weak milquetoast performance that I am witnessing out of the White House.

This is 2009, not 1993 and millions voted for change, not this tap dance we are witnessing from the White House. Change also means bringing forward THINKING along, not this 1990s shit we are witnessing from Rahm and Friends.

I am a Democrat and will vote Democrat, but the Obama Administration got voted in by millions who never voted before, millions who were cynical in the process, millions who left the Republican Party to vote for Obama, millions of independents who voted for Obama. And ALL these millions knew Obama's position and wanted CHANGE. Obama Adminstration, what are you afraid of? If this White House can not get it together, why should the millions that voted for you, vote for you again?

Yes, I am pissed. And yes, Obama White House, get it together....

P.S. Guess where Rahm is on vacation?

Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, is fishing in Montana.

And this is coincidence?

Cross-posted @ Daily Kos

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Somebody or "bodies" needs to be FIRED at the White House

How in the HELL can the White House not know or understand that the insurance companies, lobbyists and GOP would mount pressure against ANY CHANGE in this country's health care?

After reading this Washington Post article, my only thought somebody or bodies needs to be fired. Truly.

I have to start in the Oval Office, President Obama. He of all people KNOWS and have talked REPEATEDLY that change would be hard, the status quo would resist, that they will say anything or LIE, etc. But then we witness this White House on turtle motion while chaos, misinformation, planted operatives in town hall meetings, continued GOP talking points, death panels, etc., continue to dominate the media and headlines across this country. So, no one should be shocked or surprised that the public actually believe that the health care bill will cover illegal aliens, pay for abortions, the public option is a government take over and it will pull the plug on grandma or "death panels". These misconceptions are killing the White House and the Democrats, how it took so long to finally figure this out is unbelieveable.

Then the constant mis-message of this White House, its surrogates and the Democrats in congress does not help anything either. Message is about cohesiveness, speaking as one, not the muddled crap that we have had to listen to and scratch our heads with the WTF look over the past few weeks. One thing is this, Barack Obama is the head of the Democratic Party, no dispute, so as head he needs to get these folks in LINE.

The GOP or Republicans were never your friend, Obama White House. I will give Obama credit for this, he tried to broker a consensus with the Republicans and got very little or nothing in return. In Obama's trying, the public will remember and as things go down the road, the public will be reminded that the Obama White House tried but it was the Republicans that refused to participate, it was the Republicans that said NO to everything all for political points.

The Obama White House and their shock and awe on the public option tells me one thing, they do not have their hands on the pulse of what is going on out here. That sitting in that bubble, got them what has played out thus far. The left is not going to sit back and say it is cool not to have a public option, not when Barack Obama has campaigned and repeatedly said, "this will keep the insurance companies honest." No, we are not sitting back and listening to any vague White House noise, we want that public option, we want what CONGRESS and the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES have a CHOICE.

Administration officials insisted that they have not shied away from their support for a public option to compete with private insurance companies, an idea they said Obama still prefers to see in a final bill.

But at a time when the president had hoped to be selling middle-class voters on how insurance reforms would benefit them, the White House instead finds itself mired in a Democratic Party feud over an issue it never intended to spotlight.

"I don't understand why the left of the left has decided that this is their Waterloo," said a senior White House adviser, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "We've gotten to this point where health care on the left is determined by the breadth of the public option. I don't understand how that has become the measure of whether what we achieve is health-care reform."

"It's a mystifying thing," he added. "We're forgetting why we are in this."

Another top aide expressed chagrin that a single element in the president's sprawling health-care initiative has become a litmus test for whether the administration is serious about the issue.

"It took on a life of its own," he said.

Yes, it took a life of its own. There are too many people out here Obama White House that are depending on you and the Democrats to deliver. We voted for you, worked our asses off for you, dealt with a bunch of crap the past two years, so you should not be surprised or shocked that we are a hardened bunch. We are not playing around here, we want that public option, period. Along with it we want that pre-existing clause to be yanked and removed from all insurances companies language in this country, we want fair and affordable premiums, we want our doctors LISTENED to and not a damn bean counter telling our doctor what treatment WE NEED, we want all of this and Obama White House and D.C. Democrats you better deliver it because you said YOU WOULD.

And after all this playing out for us to see, how the White House did not understand all of this, yes, dammit somebody needs to be fired for this mismanagement of the MESSAGE.


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Democrats alone on health care bill

This is not breaking news, as some may think it is. When the Republicans did not stand with the stimulus bill, did anyone think they would stand for heath care reform? Not when many Republicans take huge money from health and insurance lobbyists.

Finally when you see bad polling numbers, misinformation, confusion, and actual congress members continuing the lies of health care reform, it is time to let these Republicans GO. Forget about catering to those that do not want reform or those DEMOCRATS who are tied to the bootstraps of the insurance lobbyists. The health care debate has become a political football, one the Republicans are using to drive the polling numbers of Barack Obama down.

The Democrats and White House need to explain what the public option is and what it will do for them. Until they can grasp the message, chaos and confusion will continue.

Top Democrats said Tuesday that their go-it-alone view was being shaped by what they saw as Republicans’ purposely strident tone against health care legislation during this month’s Congressional recess, as well as remarks by leading Republicans that current proposals were flawed beyond repair.

Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, said the heated opposition was evidence that Republicans had made a political calculation to draw a line against any health care changes, the latest in a string of major administration proposals that Republicans have opposed.

“The Republican leadership,” Mr. Emanuel said, “has made a strategic decision that defeating President Obama’s health care proposal is more important for their political goals than solving the health insurance problems that Americans face every day.”

The Democratic shift may not make producing a final bill much easier. The party must still reconcile the views of moderate and conservative Democrats worried about the cost and scope of the legislation with those of more liberal lawmakers determined to win a government-run insurance option to compete with private insurers.

On the other hand, such a change could alter the dynamic of talks surrounding health care legislation, and even change the substance of a final bill. With no need to negotiate with Republicans, Democrats might be better able to move more quickly, relying on their large majorities in both houses.

Source

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Ed Schultz just snapped off on Linda Douglass, Communication Director under the Obama White House

What is going on now is frustration.

Sheer frustration of the Obama White House.

I feel it, I saw it on Ed Schultz's face in talking to Linda Douglass.

I do believe that the Obama White House is not dumb to know what is going on and props to the lobbyists and GOP, they have made a dent.

If the dent works, as in changing or eliminating the public option, we lost this one.

It is obvious that the Obama White House have let congress take the direction in the health care bill.

We know that the Republican Party is the minority and in disarry, until now. The lobbyists and insurance groups have partnered with certain factions of the GOP and have made significant strides.

Let's be real here, the communications of any health care plan has been non-existent from the Obama White House. I know it is August, things are slow in August, but you don't let congress go home with the single most important piece of legislation that can make or break you and give the GOP and its operatives a chance to dissimate your legislation.

That is what is happening.

I am not big on polls until it is up to when it matters, but this poll is different. From NBC, what bothers me is that a plurality or close to a majority believe the following about Obama's health care bill:

1) illegal aliens are covered
2) abortion is covered
3) this is government take over
4) death panels

I read the Daily Kos poll and one thing out of it is that I was not comfortable that the unknown/unsure was pretty high on some of those questions.

What has happened is that the Obama White House has not been in constant step with the Democratic Congress on the MESSAGE of the health care plan. It is hard to defend any plan, at this point, when you have 6 to 8 bills floating out there.

Sarah Palin, for all that we don't like about her, had a very small message that resonated and have grabbed the public out there, "death panels". The GOP and their operatives targeted the right group, "seniors", the very group that will NEVER give any INCH on Medicare or Social Security. Muddle the message, make them believe that we have a "death squad" going and you have chaos in the message.

The GOP/Republicans. The Obama White House catered too much to the Republicans. When you have a "so-called" moderate like Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) making inconclusive statements supporting bogus death panels, you got a problem. Along with Senator Max Baucus who is compromised by his taking of large sums of money from insurance lobbyists and Senator Kent Conrad who will just say NO on any public option. It is a problem, unless Obama plans to do a switcheroo, and at this point I don't see it.

Roger Simon of Politico wrote a piece today, Does President Obama have the guts? I put this link here because I happen to hear Simon on Ed Schultz's radio program today and this stuck in my mind, "..this is why so few senators get elected to the presidency, the senate is a life of compromise...." That is Barack Obama. And that is what the battle is about right now, compromise.

The Democrats are all over the place. Forget the Republicans, they are laughing at us right now. Why? Because they pulled an old trick out of their play book and it is working, stirring it with pots of money from the lobbyists against reform and they are laughing at us twist in the wind. Democrats are speaking out, saying what they want, these "conservative/moderates" are out right not with the President and they are getting air time stating this. It is called, "I am not afraid of the President". That is being played out on television.

The media is a culprit it is a slow summer, the GOP insiders are supplying the juice and all of a sudden the cameras on on a bunch of people at town hall meetings and we are seeing small amounts of chaos.

All of this was on Ed Shultz with Linda Douglass. Frustration.

One thing I will write is that Douglass was cooler than a cucumber, she let Ed go and stuck to the talking points of "it is only August, nothing has changed, the Democrats are united."

I am still waiting to actually SEE all the talking points from Douglass come to fruition.

Lastly, the Democrats are negotiating against themselves which is equal to detrimental legislation coming down the pipe.



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6 Lobbyists for EVERY LAW MAKER ON HEALTH CARE. Is that change you can believe in?

SIX LOBBYISTS for every law maker.

That is every law maker in congress.

When you are influenced this is what you get.



Let's talk about Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA). He has been a proponet for keeping the dialogue open about health care reform. President Obama gave him a shout out for working it through at his NH town hall. He does a bait and switch and we saw the above happen. Why?

Influence. He has taken a large amount of lobbyist money from the health care industries. He did exactly what his Democratic opponent Bob Krause said he would. From the Rachel Maddow Show, Krause specifically said that Grassley wanted an EXCUSE to pull away from the negotiations. He did not want to own it, though he is a moderate republican and has been working for it. Krause also said that Grassley has taken huge amounts of money from the insurance industry and if he wants to keep it he will disavow his association with this health care bill. Well lookey here, this is what Grassley is saying NOW:

"I'm not walking away from the table; I'm being pushed away from the table," Grassley said in Afton, Iowa, warning that Democrats might go it alone on health care.

Grassley's Iowa road show shows just why Democrats feared this August recess.

While, I agree about the need of having a cohesive health care bill, where all Democrats are on the same page, with ONE BILL, Obama White House nor the Democrats should be surprised at Grassley. Grassley is up for his seat in 2010, he has to do what is best for GRASSLEY to remain in the distinguished senate, that is lie if he must.

We are seeing the money being played out here and the communication message of the Democrats muddied up. I give the GOP, lobbyists and health insurance companies credit because they are doing a damn good job. So, good that we have lobbyists running around the hill and in all 50 states after these politicians, now even as I type.

If there is any doubt that President Barack Obama’s plan to overhaul U.S. health care is the hottest topic in Congress, just ask the 3,300 lobbyists who have lined up to work on the issue.

That’s six lobbyists for each of the 535 members of the House and Senate, according to Senate records, and three times the number of people registered to lobby on defense. More than 1,500 organizations have health-care lobbyists, and about three more are signing up each day. Every one of the 10 biggest lobbying firms by revenue is involved in an effort that could affect 17 percent of the U.S. economy.

These groups spent $263.4 million on lobbying during the first six months of 2009, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington-based research group, more than any other industry. They spent $241.4 million during the same period of 2008. Drugmakers alone spent $134.5 million, 64 percent more than the next biggest-spenders, oil and gas companies.

You read that? $263.4M for the last six months. The pressure is on. But what needs to happen is we, the people, not only show up at these town hall meetings but to continue to call, email and FAX these congress critters. Doing it ONE TIME is not enough, it should be DAILY.

We know what is going on here, these influx of "upset people" are organized by the lobbyist groups, pushed and pumped by talk radio. The woman from Rep. Steve Kagen's town hall who was supposedly, "just a concerned mom" was exposed as a GOP operative. We have now found out that Katy Abram, who said on Hardball with Lawrence O'Donnell, that she was just in town visiting family for a vacation and ended up at a town hall meeting is a liar. She had been organizing for the 9/12 group, the Glenn Beck group.

This is why the fire must be put on congress. The Democrats must grow a steel spine and pass this legislation. Why? Because if our health care system was so great, why are we having in the hundreds of thousands show up in the Los Angeles area for FREE HEALTH CARE.



The King Rushs, Glenn Becks, Katy Abrams, GOPers, insurance lobbyists, etc., don't care about the thousands of folks that showed up in an urban area for free health care nor do they care about the thousands of people that show up every year at the Wise, VA for free health care.



Forget these orchestrated incidents at these town hall meetings. The total responsibility should be on the congress. You need to contact them EVERY SINGLE DAY. Their feet need to be held to the fire because they are crafting the bill and they must VOTE.

We are witnessing the most outrageous excuse for greed in this country at the hands of the insurance lobbyists. And we all should be saying, together, NOT THIS TIME.

Fax, call and email your congress critter, EVERYDAY until this bill is passed.

If we don't, yes there will be hell to pay for the Democratic side, but more importantly we will lose the many who came through for President Obama and the Democrats in 2008.

Remember, what is the Republican health care plan? They were in charge in congress for years, yet they have never done anything with health care with the exception of taking their lobbyists money. The Republican plan, RIGHT NOW is to do everything in their power to DEFEAT this bill. Remember, they are the minority so in a nut shell, fuck 'em. The ones we need to target are the Democrats, as we see the GOP operatives are ALREADY DOING THAT.

Lastly, President Obama. A recap of what I wrote yesterday:

Please, for God's sake, stop trying to talk to a party that never have and never will give a rat's ass about health care reform. That bait and switch from Grassley, yesterday, should be the HANDWRITING ON THE WALL. Move on without the Republicans. If they don't get it, fine. That is on them. But please, Obama White House stop making a mockery of yourselves because in the end, these Republicans don't give a shit. These Republicans have no moral courage or leadership to do the right thing. The right thing is to denounce all this rhetoric at these town hall meetings; instead they are mum and have nothing to say.

The obstructions do not want health care reform or health insurance reform. They want business as usual; they are with the status quo and their lobbyists cronies. It is time to cut them at the knees and get on with it.

BI-PARTISIANSHIP IS A MYTH, DEMOCRATS, OBAMA WHITE HOUSE. GET ON WITH IT.

Call your congress critter EVERYDAY until this health care legislation is passed.

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Dear Democratic Leadership:

Dear Democratic Leaders:

All of this pandemonium at these town hall meetings is highly and well orchestrated by the lobbyists groups of the insurance companies. We know this.

We don't like how the White House has been slower than a tortoise in any response. Right now the final say is out on whether these mob style tactics will work. Most Americans are pretty middle of the road and like to have conversations to discuss issues, not what we are seeing on television.

The main stream media has been all ginned up with these town hall meetings. Why? Because there is nothing else going on and why not show angry, mob style, people on television. Hell, even bring them on various shows to question them, give them a voice, give them a platform. That’s what is going on.

Whatever happens, this is a small number of groups that are protesting. Along with racists that are hiding behind a cause to keep the anger flowing. Now is not the time to waver and Former Governor Howard Dean is right that people put Democrats in office for a reason and one of the main reason is health care. Now is not the time to do nothing, now is the time to do it.

Former Democratic National Committee chair Howard Dean fired one of the clearest warning shots at hesitant Democratic lawmakers on Thursday, insisting that if the party was unable to produce a health care bill with a public plan, there would be electoral consequences.

"I do think there will be primaries as the result of all this, if the bill doesn't pass with a public option," Dean said, in a phone interview with the Huffington Post.

The former Vermont governor added the caveat that he thought "cooler heads" would ultimately prevail and that a government run option for insurance coverage would be passed. But his remarks are some of the most threatening yet to be directed at Democrats from within the party.

DAMN RIGHT.

Congress has the pleasure of having some of the best, cost efficient insurance in this country. They can pick and chose their plans to fit their families and cost needs. It is the best. For them to deny the country the same is down right disastrous.

The insurance companies are worried. The insurance companies are worried about the mass public shopping for a plan that is not THEIRS. If you don't understand all of this just watch the Bill Moyers, PBS program dedicated to why the insurance industry does NOT want to change. How the insurance companies are the ones who makes the decision on you and your family's health. How the doctors are TOLD what procedure will be covered and what will not. How small businesses have taken a large part of the brunt when it comes to insurance premiums. How the insurance companies look at individuals as "bean counters" and don't blink an eye if they have to remove you and your family from their insurance roll. And how the insurance companies bottom line in all of this is about their PROFIT and not a PATIENT'S health.

Democrats need to grow a steel spine and I mean quick. There will be NO TOLERANCE for anything less than a public option and I mean a robust one, not a CO-OP.

Democrats we worked our ASSES off to get you elected. Some of you, well, we could frankly CARE LESS, but voted for you because you have the (D) beside your name. Now, with this show down, you better SHOW UP. We understand that you have to take a hard vote, because it will be for some in their districts, but never the less you must take it. You must remember that everyone in this country, which is the majority do not have the luxury as you for health care. Many are not insured or vastly UNDER INSURED. This is a moral vote here. It is a vote that people in this country need desperately.

Democrats we gave you a lot of money. We know there are many who are compromised by the lobbyists and insurance companies. Let me be clear, we know who you are and are watching your actions very closely. If you crater and fold, don't expect us to be there to pick you up. Simple as that.

Democrats you have the majority. How in the hell do you think you got it? It was from voters all across the aisle who voted for you and CHANGE. If you whimper, fail, fall you will not have us there to pick you up. We know the heat in the kitchen is hot right now, but that is LIFE, you keep on keepin' on and we expect, demand that you do the right thing.

Lastly, President Obama.

Please, for God's sake, stop trying to talk to a party that never have and never will give a rat's ass about health care reform. That bait and switch from Grassley, yesterday, should be the HANDWRITING ON THE WALL. Move on without the Republicans. If they don't get it, fine. That is on them. But please, Obama White House stop making a mockery of yourselves because in the end, these Republicans don't give a shit. These Republicans have no moral courage or leadership to do the right thing. The right thing is to denounce all this rhetoric at these town hall meetings; instead they are mum and have nothing to say.

The obstructions do not want health care reform or health insurance reform. They want business as usual; they are with the status quo and their lobbyists cronies. It is time to cut them at the knees and get on with it.

Sincerely,

A very exhausted and angered icebergslim

Cross-posted @ Daily Kos

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Unions jumpin' in to take on the Teabaggers at these town hall meetings

All I can type is, "About Damn Time....."

The nation's largest federation of labor organizations has promised to directly engage with boisterous conservative protesters at Democratic town halls during the August recess.

In a memo sent out on Thursday, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney outlined the blueprint for how the union conglomerate would step up recess activities on health care reform and other topics pertinent to the labor community. The document makes clear that Obama allies view the town hall forums as ground zero of the health care debate. It also uses the specter of the infamous 2000 recount "Brooks Brothers" protest to rally its members to the administration's side.

"The principal battleground in the campaign will be town hall meetings and other gatherings with members of Congress in their home districts," reads the memo. "We want your help to organize major union participation to counter the right-wing "Tea-Party Patriots" who will try to disrupt those meetings, as they've been trying to do to meetings for the last month. ...

And this from AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer Richard Trumka:

Every American has the inalienable right to participate in our democratic process. Our politics is passionate, heartfelt and often loud -- as was the founding of our nation. But that is not what the corporate-funded mobs are engaging in when they show up to disrupt town halls held by members of Congress.
Major health care reform is closer than ever to passage and it is no secret that special interests want to weaken or block it. These mobs are not there to participate. As their own strategy memo states, they have been sent by their corporate and lobbyist bankrollers to disrupt, heckle and block meaningful debate. This is a desperation move, meant to slow the momentum for change.

Mob rule is not democracy. People have a democratic right to express themselves and our elected leaders have a right to hear from their constituents -- not organized thugs whose sole purpose is to shut down the conversation and attempt to scare our leaders into inaction

We call on the insurance companies, the lobbyists and the Republican leaders who are cheering them on to halt these 'Brooks Brothers Riot' tactics. Health care is a crucial issue and everyone - on all sides of the issue - deserves to be heard.

AMEN. Again, when you have no plan, nothing NEW to offer, you go back to the old play book. America, wake up, don't be fooled by this. And Democrats get this damn bill passed ASAP. Damn.

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No health care bill, muddy waters, fake outrage, bad polling numbers = ?

What do you think it equals?

Mix all that into a huge pot, what do you get?

NO HEALTH CARE BILL.

Watch Rachel Maddow, below who exposes and lays it on the line about the heavy lobby influence in the health care battle:



Again, we have democrats out there talking about health care with NO DAMN BILL. Meaning, they are just TALKING about wanting health care with no talking points to expound on here.

It sucks, don't it.

These lobbyists groups are doing something they have done for years, stoke anger or faux anger at these town hall meetings of congress critters and make HEADLINES of the ANGER in AMERICA. Well, it is working. But I don't fault the lobbyists for doing this. We knew their deal for years, they are not hiding behind a bush, they are out there and have been for decades. They don't give a damn. I fault the Democrats. Yes, the D.C. Democrats.

When my mother called me and asked me about what is Barack talking about in this health care debate, the call took me for a loop. But the reality is that many don't know what he is talking about, nor do they understand what the Democrats are trying to sell or what it means for THEM, since many have health care that they love or are seniors, thanks to Medicare. And the lobbyists are doing a good job. They are targeting seniors who will NEVER give an inch on Medicare, muddy the waters that Medicare is "not a government program", arm them to these town hall meetings and we hear the ridiculous. During the AARP town hall meeting with President Obama, the Obama Adminstration should have been ALARMED at many repeated calls about taking their Medicare away, the misinformation that many did not know Medicare was a "government program", and the lie that is being repeated that the Democrats want seniors to die. Yes, many are believing that. And why should we be worried? Mid-term elections are coming up and SENIORS VOTE.

For all the great things the Obama Campaign and Administration has done and represented, they have ALWAYS been slow off the mark in REACTING. For some, they react too late, this may be one of the times. I am in agreement with Markos, if the public option of the health care reform plan is stripped or dummied down to nothing, it is up to the progressives to KILL THE BILL and come back in a couple of years (if they can):



Qunnipiac has a new poll out on the health care debate and it is not good.

Do you think President Obama's health care plan would increase the taxes that you pay, decrease the taxes you pay, or not make a
difference?

Increase: 66%
Decrease: 6%

Do you agree or disagree with the following: Congress should
approve a health care overhaul plan even if only Democrats support
it.

Agree: 36% (Independents 33)
Disagree: 59% (Independents 63)

President Obama has pledged that health insurance reform will not
add to our federal budget deficit over the next decade. Do you think
that President Obama will be able to keep his promise or do you think
any health care plan that Congress passes and President Obama signs
will add to the federal budget deficit?

Will Keep Promise: 21%
Will Add to Deficit: 72%

American voters, by a 55 - 35 percent margin, are more worried that Congress will spend too much money and add to the deficit than it will not act to overhaul the health care system, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released today. By a similar 57 - 37 percent margin, voters say health care reform should be dropped if it adds "significantly" to the deficit.

These numbers are directly related to the Democrats lack of push back, no bill or specifics and letting the Republicans continue their noise that it will RAISE YOUR TAXES, it will INCREASE THE DEFICIT. That concern is warranted and is settling into the minds of many Americans, especially the independents who are the swing voters, here.

We have a lot going on here. We have teabaggers, birthers, whatever you call them out in force to muddy the message and get on television, it is working. We have our congress critters and the Obama Administration talking about health care reform with no specifics or talking points to hold it up. We have polling numbers coming out, Quinnipiac is not the only firm with eroding numbers, on the health care issue with Americans. We have lobbyists performing shadow dancing with the Democrats to erode or totally destroy health care reform for Americans. Finally, we have D.C. Democrats, many who are so tied to lobbyist monies that they are playing along with Republicans to stall any advancement of the argument for health care reform.

If we don't have a strong public option for ANY health care reform, the Democrats can kiss this all goodbye. It comes down to this ad running against Senator Ben Nelson. This man, Michael Snider was on Rachel Maddow's show last night and said, "Barack Obama was elected to get health care reform done." Democrats do you get that message? Right now, you are acting like you don't.



Cross-posted @ Daily Kos

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The "MOB" element at congressional town hall meetings from The Ed Show (Video)

with Lawrence O'Donnell hosting for Ed Shultz talking with Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)

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