If my initial take turns out to be accurate, it’s a sad moment for the country, as it appears the Democrats have caved once again. “Oh what a night!” said Speaker Pelosi, my representative, and in that she did not lie.
When will people learn? Homer Simpson asks. Democracy doesn’t work! Or at least the Democrats don’t. First the Presidential candidate takes the only reasonable solution off the table, possibly fearing that he’ll follow in the footsteps of Jay Billington Bulworth and be assassinated by a representative of an insurance company. Of course, he was only following one of the leaders of his party, the Speaker of the House, who took her Constitutional duty to investigate White House crimes off the table to increase her party’s shot at power.
Next the now-elected President, who promised transparency and openness, negotiates a back-room deal that lets the drug companies, about a third of the problem, off the hook for the equivalent of pocket change.
Gradually the usefulness of the health care bill is eroded by the majority Democrats continuously moving toward the corporatist Republican right in the vain hope of getting some political cover.
And it turns out they’ll need a lot of cover. Giving away so much in the abortion-rights area won’t play well with the country, let alone the Democratic base. Setting up a public option that will cost more than private insurance, while requiring everyone to have insurance of some sort, simply caves 100% to the insurance companies, who constitute the other two-thirds of the problem.
Such an option is a slap in the face to anyone who wanted what the term was supposed to mean. The point of a public option is to do the function as efficiently as government is capable of. Medicare shows that such a method works, and provides society with some means of controlling costs. That’s why the Republicans and the insurance and drug industries oppose such a plan. Now we know the Democrats do too.
Everyone knows the reasons Congress won’t allow us decent health care: they’re owned by the insurance and drug companies. And the banks, of course. It’s not because they can’t find the money; eliminate insurance altogether, and presto, you pay for universal health care. And we’re not even talking about the couple billion a week we waste on foreign wars to enrich the oil companies. That’d pay for a lotta health care.
Yes, the bill does appear to strip insurance companies of their antitrust exemptions at the same time it compels millions of new customers to purchase their products. If you trust corporations, and you don’t mind the restrictions on abortion funding, then you’ll be fine with that.
We need a second political party in this country. If this travesty is what the Speaker and her majority call a strong bill to take to the negotiations with the much more conservative Senate, God help us. I wonder if we might not start to see challengers to the Democrats from the center (what the TM calls the left), similar to those conventional Republicans are seeing from the far right.
Perhaps Chuck, but I prefer to keep hanging on to the remnant of the Democratic party, and those who keep me hanging on to that remnant (and you know who you are), those who say that we can resurrect it to perhaps the greatness of FDR, who was complained about furiously by those on the left who had supported him during that time. Neither party can control the need for reallocation of resources on the planet. We are going to have to work that out for ourselves. But I prefer to keep pushing the current party left.
Are they now just a Mob outfit? Old Albert Jay Nock said it has always been that way. But you may win out in the end. But I'm going to just keep pushing the Democrats onwards and leftwards, no matter how many times the barrel rolls back further down the hill than it was. There is a remnant of integrity left in the party, unlike the alternative, and we just need to encourage that part and do our best to foster it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
But I understand your view too and I personally think another party would be great. But it sure would be nice if you would give us a hand at crucial moments when voting for something else means making things worse for the great majority of those of us struggling along, finally understanding that we'll never make sense of any of it. Despite our use of that old wicked thing called ideology to get folks to come along with us when we need them.
Buck
You true believers make me puke. I went through the sixties with the "democrats" firing up the war machine for fun and profit. I spent 11.5 months in the Nam due to your great stinking "democrats." Yes, I was there during the rule of richard I nixon, but it was always a "democrats" war.
I want a second choice. The democrats could best be described as the almost moderate republicans. Between the two "parties" there isn't enough space to slide a piece of paper through.
I will support with time and money the creation of a second party for the americans. I may have to support a "democrat/republican" at times since I am resolved to support any attack on any politician that had their snouts in the trough that reached its climax in this horrible legislation. If a right wing insane transvestite runs against Nancy Pelosi, I'll chip in a couple of dollars and a letter of support.
The legislation as I understand it will move the United States up from #37 in the world for health care to #36 and will pour billions into the insurance thieves' coffers.
My program is "Screw the oligarchy and their party, let's try democracy for a change."
Posted by: less is better on November 8, 2009 12:28 PMWell, the problem is that you're we're so locked down by the parties that it's impossible to escape their clutches. True Believer? Hell no. I know I'm living in a national security state and trying to figure it all out is a waste of time. Timothy Leary had it all figured out a long time ago, although I don't care to follow in his footsteps. What's that slogan? Or quote?
Take your pick.
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/t/timothy_leary.html
Posted by: Buck on November 8, 2009 4:08 PMIt's starting to look attractive to leave the country, sad to say.
Posted by: Bendra on November 8, 2009 4:10 PMBendra, Joe Bageant is traveling all over South America on 5 grand a year. I don't know how he does it but you ought to write him and ask him. Or just go to his website as he does have an interesting and excellent ex-pat pro and con essay and response on his website right now.
http://www.joebageant.com/joe/2009/10/the-iron-cheer-of-empire.html#more
http://www.joebageant.com/joe/2009/11/sausage-gravy.html#more
I think that voters have some rights. We have the right to representatives that actually act in our best interests, rather than kowtow to the big banks and insurance companies. We have the right to representatives who care more about America than their party's chances in the next election. We have the right to a real choice at the ballot box and a level playing field for candidates.
We have a right to be disillusioned because we aren't about to get any of those other rights. We have the spectacle of the House "Progressive Caucus", 70+ members who allegedly want progressive change, voting for a bill that mandates purchase of worthless insurance from the very companies whose greed has destroyed our health system. Most of the "progressives" voted for a bill that denies women basic reproductive rights not only from a government run program that few will qualify for, but from private insurance as well.
This is not only bad for America is is the death knell for the Democratic Party. Once Americans discover that they are paying more for less and that a year of political yammering about health care actually made things worse, they will ditch the Democrats in droves. Already in VA and NJ they stayed home because they know that there is no hope and will be no change they can believe in.
Posted by: Charles on November 9, 2009 9:16 AMShortly after the health care vote, I received the email excerpted below. Wade Randlett, a co-host of the event described, is one of the most active political consultants behind the criminalization of poverty in San Francisco. I somehow don't think the folks who wrote this are on my side either.
"Dear Bay Area Democrat:
The House of Representatives just passed landmark health care reform by a 220 to 215 vote.
This major triumph for Speaker Pelosi came on a voting Saturday session which saw President Obama leave Camp David to address the Democratic Caucus and successfully persuade them to stick together despite innumerable controversial elements.
We have a unique opportunity to receive a day-after debrief from Cong. Paul Hodes, who is the only Democrat in the race to replace GOP Senator Judd Gregg in 2010....
...Join hosts
Wade and Lorna Randlett...[and other couple I know nothing about]...
For a dinner in support of Paul Hodes for US Senate...
...Sponsor $4800
Host $2400
Individual Ticket $500."