How about this as a strategy?

[Stinky The Clown]

1. The president gets out on the bully pulpit circuit and extolls the virtues of single payer universal health care.

He is met with wild enthusiasm.



2. The party machinery brings enormous pressure to bear on the recalcitrant members (mostly in the Senate) and threatens to cut their legs off come their next election.




3. Back on the bully pulpit, the president exhorts the citizens to let their congressional delegations know what the deal is with universal single payer health care - everybody wants it.

He is met with wild enthusiasm.




4. The party machinery dispatches the never ending supply of media hungry politicians with one big talking point - single payer universal health care is good for business and will help lift us out of the Re(De)pression.

They are met with wild enthusiasm.




5. Using our maybe-once-in-a-generation supermajority, put a single payer universal health care bill on the floors of both houses of the Congress.

The citizens cheer from coast to coast. All but the diehard 20% backwash cheer this bold move and vow to vote Democratic for the rest of their now-enhanced lives.







Why will this not work?

[napoleon_in_rags]

1. A major question to me is: What is the conservative strategy for containing epidemics?

Keeping 47 million Americans from healthcare doesn't seem like a productive strategy to contain things, as they can't see a doctor even when they are sick. I think Obama should build some consensus by putting questions like this on the table for conservatives to answer. Then the question becomes about WHAT healthcare is necessary for the well being of the nation, for national security. And from there we can actually have an intelligent conversation.

Just sayin' :shrug:

[Stinky The Clown]

2. Not arguing ....... but wouldn't that be a perfect way to start Step 1? Particularly if .........

....... Step 1 were to start before this pig flu thing is behind us.

[napoleon_in_rags]

5. Well, to me single payer is one form of solution...

...but as with alcoholics, the larger challenge with Republicans is getting them to admit they have a problem at all. If we can reach that stage, we can start discussing solutions, such as single payer. But we're not at that stage yet, it my eyes.

[zbdent]

12. praying ...

[razors edge]

3. The talking heads say we can't afford it.

And soon after the commercial break they tell us we must give more money to Wall Street and the Fed or we will be left without jobs and insurance.

Lather.

Rinse.

Repeat.


:banghead:

[Stinky The Clown]

4. Step 1

Bully Pulpit vs Talking Heads

That's precisely what Bully Pulpits are for, no?

[razors edge]

6. It will take work.

Lots of long overdue work, and all our support.

But we may not get a better time to start than now. I'm with you.

I say let the torture investigations go their own way, they are what they are and they will always be there when a little leverage is needed.

Go for it.

[Warren Stupidity]

7. 1. The president gets out on the bully pulpit circuit and extolls the virtues of

... something like the Masscare disaster. Obama has shown no inclination to change course.

[Stinky The Clown]

8. Ah .... and therein lies the rub

Why would he not return to his original position on this? The majority of the citizens favor it. Even those who oppose it mildly will be happy once they get it. He has little to lose and much to gain.

If find his opposition inexplicable ..... other than some remote political calculations.

[scarletwoman]

9. I want what you're smoking.

I'd say that this will happen when pigs fly, but considering that we're all going to die from a combination of swine and avian flu virus, that metaphor just isn't really working anymore. :(

sw

[Stinky The Clown]

10. Why do you think he won't do it?

[scarletwoman]

11. Why? Because he's been pretty clear that he's not interested in that particular solution.

Even during the primary race he was talking about Mass. type of mandatory health insurance.

I've never thought of Obama as a progressive, so I have no expectation of him pushing for progressive policies.

sw

[Stinky The Clown]

13. I never made that mistake, either

I think it is time to start pushing for it. Lead him to that bully pulpit and cause him to speak.

[blindpig]

14. The only way that could happen

is if millions got out in the street and demanded that it be so. I do not see the party supporting that, more likely the opposite. That would take astute extra-party organization, and who knows where that would lead.

[cali]

15. it's pie in the sky.

you can't assume wild enthusiasm. thet's simply not a given.