The promise of health care for all--" The question now is whether he really meant it."

[snowdays]

Blue Double Cross
By PAUL KRUGMAN
May 21, 2009

That didn’t take long. Less than two weeks have passed since much of the medical-industrial complex made a big show of working with President Obama on health care reform — and the double-crossing is already well under way. Indeed, it’s now clear that even as they met with the president, pretending to be cooperative, insurers were gearing up to play the same destructive role they did the last time health reform was on the agenda.

So here’s the question: Will Mr. Obama gloss over the reality of what’s happening, and try to preserve the appearance of cooperation? Or will he honor his own pledge, made back during the campaign, to go on the offensive against special interests if they stand in the way of reform?
The story so far:…………………..



…………Which brings us back to Mr. Obama.
Back during the Democratic primary campaign, Mr. Obama argued that the Clintons had failed in their 1993 attempt to reform health care because they had been insufficiently inclusive. He promised instead to gather all the stakeholders, including the insurance companies, around a “big table.” And that May 11 event was, of course, intended precisely to show this big-table strategy in action.
But what if interest groups showed up at the big table, then blocked reform? Back then, Mr. Obama assured voters that he would get tough: “If those insurance companies and drug companies start trying to run ads with Harry and Louise, I’ll run my own ads as president. I’ll get on television and say ‘Harry and Louise are lying.’

The question now is whether he really meant it.

[rocktivity]

1. And look at who's ASKING the question...

:boring:
rocktivity

[snowdays]

4. It is a very IMPORTANT question. Mocking the messenger

is a Rovian tactic.

[rocktivity]

5. No problem, them--there is no messenger who I mock more than Rove!

:rofl:
rocktivity

[Cha]

31. You mean like you're always "mocking' President

Obama? You mean like that?

[dionysus]

2. now he's an expert on health care too, eh? maybe paul should run for president.

[firedupdem]

6. hey! Maybe newsweek will come calling for a cover on the July issue! n/t

[avaistheone1]

12. Do you think Baucas or Obama is an expert on health care?

:think:

[dionysus]

18. obama has a team of experts to help. krugman has his own bias and axe to grind, as do many here.

[avaistheone1]

21. I see. I am sure there are plenty of experts at Yale and throughout the academic community and

beyond that Krugman can and does consult with. Krugman doesn't have the political baggage Obama has and he can speak candidly and freely. Heavens, Obama wouldn't even allow single-payer a seat at the table at the White House Consortium on Health. So much for Obama and staff's expert opinions. This administration's bias is glaringly blatant and unjust.

[dionysus]

23. face it, nothing he does will ever impress you.

:shrug:

[avaistheone1]

24. Perhaps you are right. Obama campaigned that he is for single payer then he is against it.

Then Obama says he will listen to all opinions and literally bans those opinions that disagree with his - even though the banned opinions are supported by most Americans. If Obama continues down this path you are correct he will not impress me at all.

[dionysus]

25. he never campaigned on single payer, and you know it. try again.

and he isn't banning shit.

[avaistheone1]

26. Wrong. Look here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpAyan1fXCE


Told you so.

[dionysus]

27. i saw the thread where you were called on taking shit out of context with a youtube video yesterday.

with the single payer stuff...is this the same one? :eyes:

[avaistheone1]

29. Bull pucky and you know it. What was taken out of context? I called them out to witness

the video, and they could not handle it and neither can you.

Sorry you can not handle the truth. Speaks volumes about you.

[avaistheone1]

30. ...

[PBS Poll-435]

40. Obama's wife is certainly closer than Krugman

[Larkspur]

3. Krugman, as usual, is right

Obama has been a disappointment when we needed him to stand up for the moral principals of this nation, like investigating and prosecuting all who approved and executed torture policies. Just hope he won't disappoint us on health care. Without a public option, we won't have change in our health care industry.

[snowdays]

7. A big REC

[Name removed]

32. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[stray cat]

8. Obama lied - he doesn't want Americans to have access to health care

:sarcasm: I actually suspect the truth is he is trying to figure out the best thing and way to implement it considering the cost and getting it through congress. I actually want a president to think and ponder before he jumps into something huge!

[eridani]

37. The notion that cost is a problem is bullshit. We already pay twice per capita--

--what every other industrialized country does. We are ALREADY PAYING for universal health care--we just aren't GETING it.

Increasing taxes in order to eliminate private insurance premiums is a big win, because taxes would be less. Go on--ask me whether I would prefer paying a $450/month COBRA "premium" to paying a $150/month "tax." Don't want to raise taxes? Just call them premiums instead.

[progressoid]

9. I hope Obama calls Krugman's bluff.

But something tells me, he won't.

[glitch]

10. A real debate with all the players would be great.

I guess that's not allowed because the real solution isn't profitable to the few that matter.

[snowdays]

11. Obama is NOT having an open process about health reform as he

promised--except for the insurance industry!!!

[avaistheone1]

13. That pisses me off the most. All the stakeholders are not really at the table.

This health care reform process is a sham if all the players including single-payer don't have a seat at the table.

[bvar22]

17. The Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party....

..do NOT have a seat at ANY of Obama's tables.

HR 676 (MediCare for ALL Americans) has 93 co-sponsors in the House, but you wouldn't know this if you listened to Obama or the other conservative Democrats....
93 Co-Sponsors.....but it's off the table.

Election 2008 was a crushing defeat for the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party.


"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans. I want us to compete for that great mass of voters that want a party that will stand up for working Americans, family farmers, and people who haven't felt the benefits of the economic upturn."---Paul Wellstone

[Captain Hilts]

19. Someone's got to pull the healthcare debate further to the left. I guess it's up to Krugman. nt

[snowdays]

28. Well, many on DU will not pull it to the left. Right now even Republicans

are like many of Dem plans. !!!

[Uzybone]

14. Paul (Obama has already failed) Krugman is back again

None of this, including the actions of the insurance companies, should be a surprise to no one. Did anyone think they would go quietly into the night?

[lonestarlib]

15. Stand With Dr. Dean

I am 57 years old & haven't been able to afford insurance for 2 years. Please, please, please sign Dr. Dean's petition & get everyone you know to do the same. Only 341228 have signed.

http://www.standwithdrdean.com/

[progressoid]

16. Welcome to DU lonestarlib!

I know the feeling of being without insurance. Hang in there. We're all in this together.

I signed it. Hope we can make a difference. :thumbsup:

[lonestarlib]

20. Thank you twice!

[Cha]

33. I already signed on to that a couple of months

ago. The last I heard from Dean is that he was "standing with President Obama".

I know there was a thread on it here and, of course, there were those who were reaming Dean for supporting our President.

[jsamuel]

22. If I remember, Edwards said that the special interrests shouldn't get a seat at the table.

With Baucus leading them, the special interests seem to be the only ones allowed at the table.

[Cleita]

36. It does seem odd to bring to the table the special interests who caused

the problem to begin with, but that seems to be what's happening across the board, like with banking and Wall Street.

[jeanpalmer]

42. If you allow wolves at the table

they will eat you.

[Cleita]

34. I keep getting emails from his camp asking me to join in health care

reform and of course to donate to the effort. I wrote back today and said I would join any effort the President makes toward health care reform when single payer advocates are given full and equal participation in any committees or summits about it.

[eridani]

38. Yes. I use that link several times a week

The message is that if they want me to volunteer and donate, they'd better give me a plan that's worth the effort.

[PBS Poll-435]

39. Come on, Paul. You were wrong about the banks.

Now this is all you have?

[depakid]

44. LOL- ya think so?

No, the jury's still out on that- just as it is on health care.

One thing for sure though- at this point the perennial apologists will get a certain answer. The ball will fall squarely in Obama's court to either stand up and fight for something tough- or once again, go along to get along as the public option goes down in flames.

[quidam56]

41. Profit Care comes way ahead of Patient Care in America.

We need a cure for health care STAT !

http://www.wisecountyissues.com/?p=62

[ima_sinnic]

43. the sycophants here for the travesty that's passing for "reform" are appalling

what is there in the article that is NOT true?

We The People who want single-payer health care have been shut out of the process, CONTRARY to Obama's "promise" that special interests would not take over the debate and that EVERYBODY would be included.

The same way he stood up for Wall St's right to pick our pockets, and his LIE that bonuses and perks would NOT be allowed from our tax money, he is also blatantly ignoring the fact that single-payer advocates are not represented at the table. Obama can't wait to sign that bill mandating health insurance for all--health insurance that will cost you an arm and a leg, literally, and end up giving you very little. (Oh, but you'll have a "choice" of insurance company! isn't that special!)

And if it's a "requirement" to buy health insurance, he can "preventively detain" me NOW, because I fully intend NEVER to buy health insurance, as I never have. I am self-employed and have not seen a doctor for 8 years. If I become seriously ill, I will let nature take its course. Actually, I would prefer that to taking any pills being pushed by big pharma these days--the pills and medications that end up as the subject of class-action lawsuits.

I've responded to his wishy-washy e-mail appeal for support of his health care "reform" twice, as have so many others, and found that he doesn't give a rat's ass about any "reform" that doesn't make his insurance company campaign contributors very rich and very happy--he just ignores us. He can take this "reform" crap and shove it.