#158 The "Fall" (Or Rise) of Obamacare

It's the Autumnal Equinox, and the beginning of what may be the bloodiest battle in both houses ("a plague upon ... etc.") of Congress since the Clinton affair (or "affairs"--take your pick: Hillary or Monica). Dr. Obama may be able to resuscitate his dead patient--yes, he is a god--but I fear whatever zombie-like creature emerges won't be viable enough to break the amazing stranglehold that Big-Med has on our health-care system in this country, and on so many people-of-power who have sold out. Frankly, the last few months have been positively shocking in this regard, and I'm about ready to give up.

One patient is as dead as Rembrandt's cadaver in the "Anatomy Lesson"--Single Payer. Obama and his minions toyed with this idea some months ago. Pity, because we had English-speaking, tax-payer-funded models across the pond and just north of our border as examples of just how good such a system could be. (Have you noticed, however, that cheap pot-shots at Britain and Canada have pretty much ceased since they have been proven to be so mendaciously off-the-mark?) Or, Wouldn't a sweet, cradle-to-grave, morning Danish be nice right about now? Alas.

That being moot, Public Option had better be an option ... or the battle is lost. I marvel at my senior senator from NC, Aaron Burr--er, Richard, though his family claims distant cousin-hood-- a Republican who won the election to replace the can-he-possibly-bring-even-more-opprobrium-upon-himself Democrat John Edwards. Ranked as the 3rd most conservative senator, Burr at least makes no secret about where his particular GRAFT is coming from. In an interview on a local news show he characterized the debate over the public alternative in baldly good-ol'-boy terms:

Well, you know, they [Obamacare supporters] just don't realize whose toes they're steppin' on here. They'd be steppin' on the toes of the insurance companies, the pharmaceutical companies, the doctors, lawyers, hospitals ... a whole lotta people you don't want to be doin' that to.

I swear. Maybe he thought this arrogant revelation of his true power-base wouldn't do him any harm at the local level. Little wonder that he was #1 across the country in corporate contributions for those 2004 Senate elections. And "lawyers" too? There's a wrinkle that I wish he'd elaborated upon.

At any rate, and no matter the plan submitted by the White House and worked-out with the Democratic leadership, Sen. Burr will vote against it, because it will be submitted by the White House and worked out with the Democratic leadership. He's been paid-off well before the fact. And anything "Obama" is anathema, anyway, for the party of NO.

Have Obama and the Democrats forgotten that they are the politics of "YES, We Can"? And that they are now in control of the elected government of these United States? Temporary amnesia maybe. They need to start remembering, and to stop pandering to the loser/obstructionists. Most important, they daren't forget the 70% of the electorate who are behind them on this. If it comes to a fillibuster, I say get it on. Love to see it on C-SPAN. What a circus it would be for these venal reactionaries to expose themselves for what they are on national TV. I say, bring on the clowns.
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