PEW shows americans opposed to the health care reform bill
An ABC poll shows americans more for the dems doing something.

A lot of polls have showed people want specific changes, but they don't want the bill-- a sign that, as always, the right's echo chamber has been effective.

I hate the way the bill was created, particularly Obama's selling we the people out for a deal with Hospitals that cut out the Public option, as was reported here: NY Times Reporter Confirms Obama Made Deal to Kill Public Option.

But we need to do something. We all know that if this bill, in whatever form it takes, fails, no politician will try again for decades.


flickr image by by Homer Township Public Library

I'm holding my nose, and like Kucinich says, "treating this like castor-oil"-- a first step that stinks. Perhaps this bill will help the Democrats find their spines and get smart, dealing with republicans with tougher determination.

I don't know anyone who is happy with this bill, but it is a miracle that anything which takes on the health insurers at all will pass. Yes, the insurers are being bought off. I'm hoping that within the next few years, there will be a way to add medicare on demand, for all, which would change everything. I think it' might be possible, by framing the legislation right, to get Kucinich's amendment, which blocks insurers from using ERISA and greases the skids for single payer and health reform at a state level. States rights are supposed to be Republican values, right?

I'm seriously considering becoming an independent. I'm asking colleagues who are progressive leaders "what do progressives do now?" It looks like we should hold a summit on this, to discuss where we go. I think we need to fight very hard for equal treatment for third parties and some form of Instant Runoff Voting, or some way that enables people to vote for their first and second choices.

They were right. Nader and McKinney were right about Obama being a corporatist. Rahm Emanuel was right, assuming he could ignore the progressive caucus, that they'd bend, fold and go along with nary a whimper. We have to assess what can be done with the lot of them. Can we use their folding to push SOMETHING through? Will Obama throw us a bone-- maybe criminal investigations of the Bush people, or a solid election integrity bill?

Please consider this article a space to vent, to suggest ideas on where we go next.