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Before Obama gives his speech tonight everyone seems to agree on one thing. Obama has made a mess of health care reform. He has revealed the kind of inexperience and lack of grasp of the job he holds that has turned something that only two months ago had 72% of the American people supporting it, into a controversy and putting his own presidency in the balance.
He did it by showing no conviction or moral center about the public option which he has flipped flopped on so many times in the last month that he has almost become irrelevant.
His speech tonight in the end might not matter since health care is congress' prerogative not his.
Obama failed on drafting his own legislation, undoubtedly because he specifically didn't want to be held accountable for any specific component. He failed in rebutting Republican attacks which were all misinformation, lies and political subterfuge and saw his own approval ratings plummet. He failed to give any direction to congress, drew no lines in the sand and failed to stand up to a small minority in his own party, The Blue Dogs, who were resisting some of the most important aspects of reform for trite economic reasons. And he seemed to buckle under pressure, any pressure, depending where it was coming from, in his stance on the public option, being ready to drop it one day when Republican heat got to him, and then embracing it the next when Democrats made it clear there will be no bill in the House without it.
After floating the idea that he was going to embrace a "trigger" idea regarding the public option, an idea roundly rejected by just about every Democrat, Axelrod countered over the weekend that Obama supports the public option. No one really knows what he supports and the reason is Obama might not know himself since his actions so far seem to based on pure politics not conviction. Another reason his approval ratings have plummeted.
It remains to be seen both what he will say and whether it will matter. In the end it probably wont. The Democrats in congress are not going to be moved off the public option and the Republicans wont support it. The Democrats can get it passed without Republican votes and that is probably what will happen. Its taken Bill Clinton to point out to Obama that he should stop wasting time trying to get Republican votes, something Obama could have done months ago when the Republican anti-health care reform circus put up its tent.
Obama's speech is no doubt going to be analyzed to shreds by the pundits but this speech is probably more about him than the fate of a health care reform bill. That is going to pass with or without him. But if he doesn't take a strong stand in his speech, draw some lines in the sand and make the public option non-negotiable, it might not matter even in terms of his own political fortunes what happens with health care reform. It will be nothing for which he will be able to take any credit.
Comments
Excellent analysis, Marc.
"No one really knows what he [Obama] supports and the reason is Obama might not know himself since his actions so far seem to based on pure politics not conviction."
That's the whole crux of it. Obama has no fixed positions on anything, much less any "convictions." It's all about trying to win popularity contests--to be the belle of the ball. Except now, he seems to be trying to win his popularity contest only with the richest and best connected, and only those who can help him get re-elected. Obama is the ultimate anti-statesman, the ultimate anti-populist, and always a politician. He has no deeply held views, and all the substance of cotton candy.
www.examiner.com/x-17571-LA-Populist-Examiner
You are correct, health care is the perogitive of Congress, not the President. What you so clearly miss, in your small minded, authoritarian vision of the world, is the difference between cramming specific details down the throat of opponents and the more difficult task of attempting to bring a group as large as Congress to a common resolution.
Clearly Obama would like to see a public option. If he had to choose himself, he would choose a public option. A public option has many of the elements that meets the overall goals. It is possible that a not-for-profit co-operative might achieve the goals. I doubt it. But politics and management is about small wins. Better a co-operative now then no healthcare plan at all. You seem to be unable to grasp the subtle but important difference between negotiating and bullying.
And I hope that your right, health care will pass. Something that has happened because he made it a priority. And while he is President which is "with him."
I know exactly what Obama is and that is a Marxist. Read his books, look at the circle of power around him, nothing but far left loonies. Look at Van Jones and ask yourself why we are not impeaching a president that would bring this man into the government.I for one do not believe that compelled health care is Constitutional. That is another reason to impeach Obama. Why don't people read the document that is th rule of law and ask why it is not followed. We do not have a government of the people, we have a government run by looters.
Bias crap you write. Obama's is trying to do something and you say he's made a mess of it. Nobody else even attempted it, you are the most bias writer ever. GTFO! plz
There is a large part of me that doesn't want to see this reform pass without Republican support. Then again, if it does, methinks alot of the Democrats may be ousted come next election. I really do not think this is what the majority of the American people want.
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