Obama Needs to Get in Touch with His Inner Head-Banger
That's a paraphrase of Mike Tomasky's terrific piece on the Guardian site. His immediate subject is health care and the heads that need to be banged belong to recalcitrant Democrats. It's excellent advice for other fights down the pike, too.
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Yes, he does and we need to start helping him bang those heads.
I'll start. Senator Amy Klobuchar! Come out, come out, wherever you are! Healthcare is 8 issues down your web-stie list and no one but a DLC attorney could decifer your position on healthcare.
Come on out Amy! Let's hear you back universal healthcare for ALL Americans. Let's hear you back the public option, better yet single-payer.
We're waiting Senator Amy!
June 22, 2009 11:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
And what if he doesn't have an inner head banger as I suspect is the case? Remember, our President called Joe Lieberman his mentor and no matter how vile the insults during the campaign, Obama never even attempted to defend himself.
What makes anyone think he has the will (or desire even)to fight for anything other than keeping the crimes of the Bush years covered up or trampling civil liberty while expanding executive power even more than Bush did? I dont'think he's got it in him. Those are the only things he has demonstrated he is willing to go to the mat over thus far. There's no evidence he is willing to fight for anything else thus far. I think the Republicans and the pathetic, cowardly, craven Congressional Democrats share that evaluation and that is why they feel free to oppose him at will.
June 22, 2009 11:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
Isn't this why he chose Rahm Emanuel?
June 22, 2009 2:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Right now it is the democratic politicians that need to be smacked about the head. They are cravenly using the bogus 'it needs to be bi-partisan' meme to be able to do their part with the republicans to watch out for the industry's best interests. And I think that us liberals/democrats need to smack around each of our representatives in DC to help the cause along. I am sure the money is nice for those elected D's in DC but what good is it once you've been voted out of office? Time for the rubber to meet the road...
June 22, 2009 2:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
That there would have to be a showdown between the people and those who have been profiting and abusing their profit making from health care should not be a shock to us.
The idea that this congress or the president will move the mountain for us is NOT realistic. WE must move it for them. WE must demand and insist no matter how many times they refuse or reject it.
Let the Iranian people be an example to us. We can have the healthcare system we need and deserve if we are willing to fight for it. Is it worth fighting for? I say 'absolutely' not just for myself but for everyone of you.
There is a demonstration in WA on June 25th per this blog by Oleeb:
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/oleeb/2009/06/some-easy-effective-things-you.php?ref=reccafe
WE are responsible for this fight and WE must not let it be 'defined' by the congress or the white house.
I think we should ignore whatever steps they take to try to appease and make a committment to see this through until we have a truly 'healthy' healthcare system that serves all americans.
(Yes, I recycled this comment and adjusted it for this blog but it works:)
June 22, 2009 3:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
The whole goddamned party needs to start acting like Democrats, and the first thing they need to do is inject some Viagra into their spines.
June 22, 2009 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was listening to Big Ed's radio show today and I don't know when I've heard such passion and outrage on any issue as he was getting today on the healthcare issue and it is every bit as much directed at Democrats as Republicans. People are fed up with the excuses and the hiding behind the 60 votes.
June 22, 2009 5:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yep, the lies that have worked in the past about the mean old Republicans and their magical power of being able to require 60 votes as an excuse for not voting for the things they told their constituents they support just isn't working any longer. People are wise to them now but the dumbass corporate Democrats still think they can pull the same ol schtick and get away with it. I see this as one more sign of a general failure on the part of DC Dems to really "get it" in terms of the overall picture. People know and understand we are in a depression. People know and understand that fundamental changes are required if we are to maintain any semblance of the lifestyle we've come to enjoy. People are very well aware that both political parties participated in fleecing them on behalf of Wall Street, etc... The only people that don't seemed to have realize that the fundamental equation of politics, government, and the economy has changed are the corporate Democratic whores who are holding health care and many other progressive agenda items hostage to their corporate paymasters.
June 22, 2009 9:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
bluebell,
if we took down a few old line corporate friendly Democrats in a primary maybe that would get their attention.
June 22, 2009 6:03 PM | Reply | Permalink