According to news reports, the Obama administration — which seemed, over the weekend, to be backing away from the “public option” for health insurance — is shocked and surprised at the furious reaction from progressives.Me, too.
Well, I’m shocked and surprised at their shock and surprise.
Krugman goes on to describe progressives' reaction and the nature of the "public option", how it's supposed to lower costs and how the "co-ops" are a sham.
But here's the important stuff:
But there’s a point at which realism shades over into weakness, and progressives increasingly feel that the administration is on the wrong side of that line. It seems as if there is nothing Republicans can do that will draw an administration rebuke: Senator Charles E. Grassley feeds the death panel smear, warning that reform will “pull the plug on grandma,” and two days later the White House declares that it’s still committed to working with him.Win it back.It’s hard to avoid the sense that Mr. Obama has wasted months trying to appease people who can’t be appeased, and who take every concession as a sign that he can be rolled.
Indeed, no sooner were there reports that the administration might accept co-ops as an alternative to the public option than G.O.P. leaders announced that co-ops, too, were unacceptable.
So progressives are now in revolt. Mr. Obama took their trust for granted, and in the process lost it. And now he needs to win it back.
5 comments:
What's terribly disheartening is just how much of a weakling Obama is showing himself to be. For me, the first hint was the complete and utter capitulation on Gitmo; an issue that isn't as hard as it's been made out to be, and one in which he totally lost credibility. From there, it's been downhill.
I felt powerless and hopeless for eight years under Bush...and right now, today? I feel the same.
I've got a new meme for you: Wussbama
So... I take it that "Hopey Changey" thingy isn't quite working out for you? /snort
I'd still take it over a McCain/Palin administration any day of the week.
As George W. Bush said after beating John Kerry "I have political capital and I intend to spend it." Bush and the Republicans never cared what the Democrats thought.
I respect Obama for trying to be inclusive. However, he has political capital and he needs to spend it. America spoke loudly last November as to what we wanted. That agenda needs to take priority over bipartisanship.
The Democrats just need to move on without the Republicans.
I'd take Hayek over Krugman any day of the week.
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