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hah! another article suggesting Obama is walking back on the public option, followed by outrage, followed by reassurance from the WH that Obama is behind the public option. I feel like I’m in the movie Groundhog Day.It’s become clear that supporters are waiting and searching for reasons to give up rather than coming up with effective ways to get the Senate Finance committee to include a public option.

Fuck!

Yeah, it just sucks!I don’t like it, I don’t like it at all!And, I hope I’m wrong here, if we lose this my greatest fear is that progressive voters will NOT turn out en masse in 2012 as they did in 2008.So the rethugs win big time and we lose, not only on health care reform, but really effing lose!Prepare for Reaganomics chapter four – right at a time when Social Security begins paying out more than it takes in! Prepare for privatization and pirate-ization of every-effing-thing!!!!!!!!!!!

There are absolutely no conclusions that can be drawn from this that aren’t couched in subjectivity and irrationality.Given the syntax of her answer/statement as quoted above, I’m assuming that she was answering a direct question: “Could the White House accept…”, “Why yes, the White House could accept…”Obama has said this same thing before, followed by the heavy qualifier that a co-op would have to accomplish the same thing as a public option. No comment, indeed.

Now THIS is a problem, Lee. I wish you had commented on this one.Plus, the president said yesterday:

“The public option, whether we have it or we don’t have it, is not the entirety of healthcare reform. This is just one sliver of it, one aspect of it,” Obama said. “And by the way, it’s both the right and the left that have become so fixated on this that they forget everything else.”

The public option is the core of this whole thing. It’s pathetic that the president is backing away from it instead of pushing HARDER for it.

This is from the Op-Ed in the NY Times..

First, if you don’t have health insurance, you will have a choice of high-quality, affordable coverage for yourself and your family — coverage that will stay with you whether you move, change your job or lose your job.

Also, I listened to the Town Hall with Valerie Jarrett yesterday morning from Netroots Nation.. I don’t know how many of you all did.. The video is out there.. if you want it.. it’s on Facebook and several other places.. I think NN even has their own website.. Not sure if Matt was at that one or not.. But she stated unequivocally that a PUBLIC OPTION was on the table and was the only way the President was going. He was still standing strong on it but that he couldn’t say for sure what was going to be in the final bill because .. and I am going to get “LOUD”..THERE IS NO FINAL FUCKING BILL.That’s why he has to say it like he does.. good god people.. will you stop nitpicking every little word or letter of what he says… he has been consistent since day one of saying he wants a public option.. but if he doesn’t say it everyday, 100% strong and loud you all jump on him like stink on shit that he is failing…Again from the Op-Ed:

In the coming weeks, the cynics and the naysayers will continue to exploit fear and concerns for political gain. But for all the scare tactics out there, what’s truly scary — truly risky — is the prospect of doing nothing. If we maintain the status quo, we will continue to see 14,000 Americans lose their health insurance every day. Premiums will continue to skyrocket. Our deficit will continue to grow. And insurance companies will continue to profit by discriminating against sick people.

The emphasis is mine, because you are running scared, just like the right wingers and all the insurance companies and the lobbyists want you too. I don’t know what Sebelius is talking about.. I didn’t hear it.. and I haven’t a clue what is in her mind.. But there is no one, NO ONE other than Michelle that is closer to the President than Valerie Jarret.. and she said she asked him Friday, before being there Saturday to make sure she said the correct thing.So, take it for what it is worth, ignore me if you want to.. but I am sick and damn tired of all of you putting this President down everytime time you think he isn’t doing just what you think he should or saying the exact words you think he should use.Chuck Todd is doing the same thing… Yep, it’s dead.. So, then lets just give up and stay home and quit writing anyone..Well.. Gov. Dean, and Bill Clinton didn’t agree with either of those principles and neither do I, for what that is worth.

I for one would rather have no reform than what we are faced with today. Obama’s base is being ignored at this point. They think they can peck away at what he campaigned on and we won’t notice or care. He’s wrong.

I think Obama’s supporters, like myself, have to make sure our voices are being heard. If there is no public option, JUST SKIP THE WHOLE THING. Forget reform. Let’s let the insurance industry keep ripping people off until everyone figures it out. There will never be another change to do this right.Can anyone answer my question? Insurance companies will be required to sell me insurance even though they denied me due to a ridiculous pre-existing condition. But, will they have to sell me decent insurance without a 10,000 dollar deductible???

EGB, probably they won’t. In theory, in the White House webpage message, where Obama is talking about health insurance reform, there is a mention of getting rid of “exorbitant” out of pocket expenses for the private insurance customers. Including deductibles.However, it’s not clear whether those out-of-pocket expenses mentioned there include the premiums. If there are no premium caps, then of course insurance companies will take everyone with “preexisting condition” on, but will raise their premiums to levels that most won’t be able to afford.Additionally, in his town hall meeting in CO yesterday, Obama mentioned something about giving insurance companies time to adjust to the new demands. Watch for the tactics similar to those used by the credit card companies now, who also have been given time to “adjust to the new laws.”BTW, my health insurance deductible is $10,000 and my monthly premium close to $1,000. I cannot afford to pay for the insurance these days, but I also cannot afford to drop it (because I’m uninsurable, you know, preexisting condition, requiring, quite possibly, very expensive treatments in the future).Either way we look, we are screwed. Sorry.