That's my question. Of course he's going to say to the Congress people that he dislikes the pressure from the left on them. That's politics. The question I have is whether or not he means it. Now, based on what I've seen so far, I believe he probably does, but I want to see if he actually follows up his words with actions. He so rarely does.

* NOTE - the politics is not only telling this to Congress, but leaking it so the press can see that he isn't aligning himself with those DFHs, giving Versailles its center-gasm.

that the little members of Congress might start listening to the chorus of calls for Health CARE For All and might be lured away from the planned Insurance For All initiative.

Or maybe he's worried that the longer this gets dragged out by little single payer advocates and little health CARE advocates, the more obvious it will be that Obama's got his eye on the Health Insurance Salesman of the Millennium award.

And he wants that award, bad.

He used you, lied to you, ignores you, blames you (didn't save enough, bought homes you couldn't afford, spend to much on health care and want too many diagnostic tests) and calls you names (little single payers" for example) and he lectures you night and day. Now he is forming a coup against you:

Obama also hinted that efforts are under way to discourage allies from future attacks on Democrats, according to the source, who did not have permission to speak on the record about the discussion.

This is a guy who is talking down to you every time he opens his mouth.

Radical acceptance: He does not like you progressives. He really, really doesn't.

(I'm a liberal :-); I know what he thinks of us)

What delusion will they hide behind now? Before, the assumption was that Obama secretly wanted us to push him on the left (think: good cop, bad cop). Now, that Obama himself has said, "Sit the fuck down," I wonder if that will finally be what it takes for them to admit that they've been had.* Not until they see Obama for who he truly is (and has been since his rise to national politics), a Reagan fan boy, will we have a chance at checking him in time before it's too late. We're way too small in number without them. We need to frame Obama as the corporate conservative he is or else his failures will be seen as the failures of liberalism.

I'm not hopeful that we'll get anything fundamentally similar to single payer, but we've got to try. I'd rather have this wretched bill fail now than pass supposed "reform" only to FAIL later. By then it will be too late to pass any actual reform (and that's probably the point).

So, "progressives," please wake the fuck up and help us.

*They're still clinging to, "Well, it's not like Clinton would have been any better" which really is an admission of error since the whole point of Obama running was judgment and change, which was to compensate for Clinton's "experience" factor.

Per this MSNBC report:

...DeParle, President Barack Obama’s health policy czar, served as a director of corporations that faced scores of federal investigations, whistleblower lawsuits and other regulatory actions, according to government records reviewed by the Investigative Reporting Workshop at American University.

Several of the companies were investigated for alleged kickbacks or engaging in other illegal billing schemes, while others were accused of serious violations of federal quality standards, including one company that failed to warn patients of deadly problems with an implanted heart defibrillator. Several of the cases ended with substantial fines paid to the federal government, even though the companies admitted no wrongdoing.

Since leaving her government job running Medicare for the Clinton administration, DeParle built a lucrative private-sector career. Records show she earned more than $6.6 million since early 2001, according to a tally by the Investigative Reporting Workshop.

of talk about a third party, no? Oh, are we afraid this might push him even further to the right????? Well, we're damned if we do and damned if we don't, but it might just take a hint on our part, but it is always good to remember that if we make a threat, we best be ready to deliver. As for me, a life long liberal, who did not vote for him in the general, I have no place to go!

the fact that Obama mentioned it is a sign the campaign is having its effect. Right now the best I hope for is some language in the legislation protecting the state's rights to have their own single payer plan.

Obama never had any intention of having his feet held to any fire. He ran a beautifully orchestrated campaign and used the people he least admired to get him where he wanted to be and now he is finally making "changes". When I tried to enlighten people about his politics and intentions they said "Oh, you are so cynical, do not destroy my hope" Where is your hope now???? Mine lies with the few vocal liberals that are left to keep "speaking truth to power". We are being "okeydoked" with this proposed health care initiative which will do nothing but line the Pharma pockets. Happy Fourth of July America, wake up!

Susie has a brilliant post at Crooks and Liars.

In every way I like Obama less and less.