Check out this excerpt from a NewsHour report on the health care debate:
MITCH STEWART: I think having this face-to-face conversation happening across the country is something that's never happened before. And I think our leaders in Washington are going to take note of that.
THOMAS MANN, Brookings Institution: Yes, it's unprecedented in the scope, in the reach.
BETTY ANN BOWSER: But congressional scholar Thomas Mann of the Brookings Institution thinks the effort won't have much impact on health care reform.
THOMAS MANN: This is a movement and a tool in its infancy. It will take years and years to develop into a potent political force. The only time thus far that they've actually tried to put it into operation was on the budget resolution, and all of it was geared towards signing petitions that were then carried physically to the House and the Senate by all accounts without any consequence.
Once again single payer advocates have been completely shut out of the discussion, while I know for fact that single payer activists were present at the meeting in Charlottesville.
Have no doubt that we are having a major impact, otherwise it wouldn't be necessary to bring this stink tank denizen forward to discourage us.
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This
may be OT but I found it interesting and very affirming;
They thought they could hold a health care town hall meeting.
And exclude single payer advocates from the event.
And in fact they tried.
revolt
So the activists
And when Dean left
A small group of activists were able to confront Dean and Blumenauer as they left, chasing them out of a back door as they got into a car and drove away.
Dean was not appreciative at all.
Does Dean mean the Democrtic Wing of the Democratic Party is now "far left'?
Yup, that's the Company line and Dean is sticking to it--alas.
We're all obnoxious now.
Given how he's been treated, you'd think he might at least let single payer reps into the meeting! But, of course, he was head of the DNC when all the crap went down in the primary....
When I watched the NewsHour segment on the (thnx, DCB, remembering the city) Charlottesville, plus the follow on discussion, I noted they managed to have two pieces on healthcare reform where any mention of single payer was kept away from the public.
I think we need big street demonstrations. Single payer. Medicare for All. Real Change!
How to overcome the feeling so many have that nothing can be done?
DCBlogger, can you get some quotes fromj that OFA meeting from the single payer folks who were there? Did anyone record the meeting? Other than the fabulous staff of NewsHour, with their magic editing skills? It would be nice to have for our emails to the ombudsperson and Bill Moyers.
Yup, I've been trying to get people to stop kissing Dean's ass
He's moving the window right when it needs to go left. Or rather, the American public needs it to go left.
BTW, here's the direct link to that item:
http://www.singlepayeraction.org/blog/?p...
You are right, and I am sorry I didn't pay attention
Not a progressive leader after all. That's disappointing.
What *happened* to Dean?
I voted for him in 2004, even though the race was long since cinched for Kerry by the time Cali rolled around.
His argument with Russert on abortion was one of the best televised moments for any democratic politician in my adult lifetime.
Now, he's part of the same Bastille he once tried to storm, and raining down boiling oil on the people who are what he once appeared to be.
I don't get it. . .
Thanks
I don't know what happened, I was switching back and forth.
Thanks for posting the link.
Matt Bai in latest NYT mag
It's a must read regarding the process within the Obama administration, the "arc" of health care reform, and the dynamics of the Versailes politics. All told in interviews with Baucus, Emmanuel, Biden, Pelosi, Reid, their staffers, etc.. Certainly overly fawning and with tons of CDS (just read), but absolutely necessary reporting.
I stumbled on a hard copy and was in the midst of underlining passages when I got word my truck was broken into in the parking lot and my laptop stolen (beyond a bummer folks).
Anyway, read it and learn.
Sorry, I don't fall in love with politicians. I'm not that desperate.
Sorry for the laptop loss
That sucks. Here's a link to the Times Magazine article. Terrible, shows that I don't read the Sunday Times regularly any more -- I never even noticed.
"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." -- Mahatma Gandhi
NYT article
I would like to do a long post on that article because there is tons of meat, tons of quotes, and tons of Versailles
speak that needs to be addressed.
Unfortunately, I'm in complete both barrels blazing damage control for several days due to this setback.
If someone else doesn't get to it, I will next week, but here is a brief quote, even from the front page:
In other words, the NOW, NOW, NOW is more important than whatever comes out of the meat grinder.
Sorry, I don't fall in love with politicians. I'm not that desperate.
And Rahm defines success how?
Not from a policy perspective, or a results perspective, for sure.
"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." -- Mahatma Gandhi
When it's in the "Out" box
that is a success.
That really is the point of the article really. That whatever comes out will be a success, for the simple reason that it was able to come out of the process. There is apparently no desire to see anything particular. Hence the telegraphing in advance the "bargaining" position.
Kind of like a stock broker or mortgage broker who gets paid no matter what the deal is. Maybe that's what they mean by "financial" democrats.
Sorry, I don't fall in love with politicians. I'm not that desperate.
Life imitates snark
They've collected their "rent" (and please, all, do read Newberry's commment on this key concept) and that is success. To them. Since the finance guys are the rulerz, it's natural that their mindset permeates the people who are running the government for them (this administration, the Finance Wing of the FKDP
).
And notice how process Democrats play into that mindset. How conv-e-e-e-e-n-i-e-nt...
"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." -- Mahatma Gandhi