I guess I wanted to bring this up to stimulate a little debate on a nagging question. It seems like (1) Obama has completely given up on the progressive wing of the Democratic party, and (2) the very structure of government seems to be dead set against getting things done (well, things that aren't massive transfers of wealth to the powerful).Obama administration officials were not pleased when word leaked out earlier today that the White House was leaning on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to cut a deal with Joe Lieberman on a public option alternative--and they gave their counterparts on the other end of Pennsylvania Ave. an earful about it. But in the end, sources are unanimous: The White House wants Reid to hand Joe Lieberman the farm.
An aide briefed on discussions with the White House says that there would be no story if Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel hadn't interceded. The aide confirmed an account, reported by Huffington Post, that Emanuel visited Reid personally, telling him to cut a deal with Lieberman.
Then the aide provided more detail.
Emanuel didn't just leave it to Reid to find a solution. Emanuel specifically suggested Reid give Lieberman the concessions he seeks on issues like the Medicare buy-in and triggers.
"It was all about 'do what you've got to do to get it done. Drop whatever you've got to drop to get it done," the aide said. All of Emanuel's prescriptions, the source said, were aimed at appeasing Lieberman--not twisting his arm.
This is the second Senate aide to provide nearly identical accounts of the White House's intervention. It seems very much as if officials there desperately want the Senate to pass a bill, at all costs.
At this point, the Medicare buy-in isn't in exactly what you'd call "good health." But the fact that it hasn't been officially nixed by Reid suggest there's some remaining tension between Reid and the White House over this issue. We'll know soon who wins.
So the question is this - what, if anything can we do? I don't mean this in a macro-political sense of what the Democratic party should do, or what Obama should do; I mean what can we as individuals (those that read and participate in this forum) do to significantly influence the direction of our government? Democracy doesn't seem to produce puppies and rainbows in any case, but I can't see how anyone would not fall into a state of inconsolable cynicism over the events of the past year.
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