Count me in (0.00 / 0)

will email

Extraordinary progressive star in the making

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by: JDS @ Wed Feb 17, 2010 at 16:45:18 PM UTC

packaging (4.00 / 1)

Hey Chris; I don't have the bandwidth to help w/this now, but I strongly suggest getting someone who can volunteer a bit of time doing graphics. Branding this sort of thing will really help it get attention.  

Me | My Work | Future Majority

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by: Josh Koenig @ Wed Feb 17, 2010 at 17:49:03 PM UTC

if there were 50 Democratic senators (4.00 / 1)

in favor of using reconciliation to pass good health care reform, Reid would have been working on this months ago.

Anyway, I see no evidence Obama even wants to pass a good health care bill through reconciliation. He seems more in favor of the scaled-back bipartisan bill, which would allow Republicans to take credit for saving the country from socialism, or something.

Join the Iowa progressive community at Bleeding Heartland.

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by: desmoinesdem @ Wed Feb 17, 2010 at 17:51:52 PM UTC

I think that's about right (0.00 / 0)

He's desperate for the GOP to sign on to anything at this point so he will try to fashion a bill that they will, of course, reject as too socialist. But, he will then think he has an argument for the American public to hear about the GOP being obstructionists, which only works if the GOP is the majority, not in the minority, or at least the perception that the GOP matters. This is why I keep saying our interests are not the White House's interest.  The White House's interest is in 2012.  The problem, of course, is that 2012 will not turn out as they want if the economy remains as it is, and this is what too many are projecting will be the case.  

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by: bruhrabbit @ Wed Feb 17, 2010 at 17:56:43 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Follow up (4.00 / 1)

I am not sure what the numbers are in the House or Senate. Especially with the Senate, we should not confuse the leadership's suppression of progressive efforts with what the level of support is. Again, the leadership's interest is not necessary for a good bill or to pass any bill, but to pass the crappy bill with an excise tax on the middle class. I think they showed their hands when it became clear that they would not even compromise on that one point. They had gotten everything else they wanted, but still they were not happy over one issue. That tells me how extremism or ideological rigidity now dominates the Democratic Party top levels. So, I am saying all of this to say that I have  no idea what the vote count is because part of the calculus has to be the question of dealing with the leadership which is attempt to suppress progressive changes.  

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by: bruhrabbit @ Wed Feb 17, 2010 at 18:01:06 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

supposedly Harkin told some Iowa Democrats (0.00 / 0)

last month that he would support passing part of health care reform through reconciliation.

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by: desmoinesdem @ Wed Feb 17, 2010 at 18:06:21 PM UTC

I do not understand why there aren't already 51... (4.00 / 1)

...I mean, these guys are a joke.

Only 21 of them?  out of the 59 of them that voted for the original bill, right?

Why in the world don't they want to finish the job?

I know, I know.  I am just a naive little fool about this, but these people are dispicable.

Remind me again why the american people should let these people piddle around with governing after the mid-term election.

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by: d @ Wed Feb 17, 2010 at 18:23:30 PM UTC

Chris... (0.00 / 0)

You need to start "charting" this to make things nice and clear:

* Yes
* Maybe
* No

Similar to how you did the PO last year.  It's very useful for people to be able to work the phone on their Senator.  For example if DiFi gets wishy-washy out here in Cali.

John

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by: tosh @ Wed Feb 17, 2010 at 23:00:05 PM UTC