“I’m not going to get into a semantic battle over what is socialism and what is not socialism.”

Long day.
I see I’m not going to get any details. I thought so.
Oh well.

Polling on HCR hasn’t really changed since November, when Coakley was 30 points up in the poll. Obama hasn’t fallen much either. He fell below 50% and started hovering around the number a while ago. I think there is a general dissatisfaction and desire to throw out anybody associated with the establishment. Congress is polling poorly, but Republicans have higher negatives/lower positives than Democrats. And the majority of Americans blame Bush for the current economic crisis.

If we had been able to get HCR behind us in the fall, we would be talking about winning issues for us–jobs, the economy, and Wall Street reform. Instead, we have spent the last six months fighting about who is going to come out on top and blaming each other for not getting what we wanted. This has been drug out so long, that the American people are sick of it. They’re tired of hearing about it. I’m freaking tired of hearing about it and I support the president on this. They want to hear about jobs, Wall Street, other things. All they see on the news is bad economic news and all they hear from Washington is public option this and Cadillac tax that. The only coherent message they’re getting is from the teabaggers who say that we want raise taxes and take over their health care.

We need to get the damn bill passed, get it behind us, and move on. If Democrats can’t do that, they we don’t deserve to win elections.

As my husband and I visited our friend in Pa on our emergency Christmas week trip – we saw the Insurance Company death panels in place and at work. Real ones – not Sarah’s fantasy political work – the same one’s who’ve been saying who got care and who didn’t for years – the insurance company’s. Just think – your employer, because they typically pick your insurance company, also has a say in how you and your family will be cared for in good and poor health. How’s that make ya’ feel. That CEO needs to watch that line when it comes to bonus time.

It’s the right-wing theme that reinforces political warfare: truth has nothing to do with it; if the perception sticks, use it, aka Sarah Palin’s “death panels, which was an outright lie, but it fit into people’s hysterical fears, something the right knows how to do very well.

Maybe the disagreements will inspire serious challenges around here instead of comfy name calling, because *everyone* is welcome. Debate is hard to have when everyone agrees. It’s also boring.

If we can all keep it on issues, even with using snark and rhetorical slaps, respecting what others believe regardless of our disagreements, the discussions will be a lot more interesting going forward.

Awww shucks…ya meanz it?!!!!
I’m all blushin an stuff!

By the by, several sources are reporting heavy turn out early.

Not much can be said..

Of course not. It would mean having to explain why you’re screaming “Socialism!”

Because he/she/it hasn’t the faintest idea what socialism IS. He/She/It just likes throwing around repugnantklan and teabagger talking points as given out. How pathetic is DAT!

DB, being a true “liberal” does NOT mean you listen to any shithouseratcrazy ranting from folks who have demonstrated they haven’t got anything worth listening to to say. You listen till you see where they’re coming from aka “Obama and his EXTREME Socialism”
and you safely shunt them off into the moron room and close the door. Frankley at this point in hostory there is NOTHING any repugnantklaner or teabagger has to say I give to fu*ks at a rolling doughnut about.

That goes for the “totalitarianism of our Democratic leadership”, the “authoritarian attitude” of some pundits, and can even be applied to bloggers. I have left several sites because the bloggers haven’t been able to accept any views other than their own without resorting to ad hominem attacks.

This also applies to the “experts” in any field. There are people on this blog, or any blog, whose views are just as important as any in print. If you scroll up you will see the ones I mean, besides others. That’s the basis of democracy.

If we’re going to find our way through the current messes we eventually have to work with others, some of whom don’t completely agree with us. IT’S OKAY. Let’s be true liberals with open minds, and set an example for the clowns in the news.

But instead I think it’s relevant that Democracy Corps poll shows that fully 2/3 of Americans oppose this bill because they believe it’s too much government intrusion in their lives.

Indeed, it’s ironic that Obama attacked Hillary for having mandates in her plan and Obamacare’s weakness is the requirement of everyone to purchase health care, subject to penalty.

As I continually say, Obama presented himself as one thing to the broad middle of the electorate and signaled to his left wing that he was something else. The middle feels betrayed, the left feels betrayed, and the Republicans are reaping the benefit.

This hits the nail on the head. Thanks again for an excellent piece.

“not understanding that Democratic candidates can’t simply run on being part of Obama’s orbit, which so far is leading Dems into a 2010 ditch.

Candidates also need to follow their own instincts, as Coakley’s candidacy proves.”

things are ugly.

Oh please, go somewhere and fu*k yourself in your own teabagger/repugnantklan ass huh?

Taylor Marsh says:
19 January 2010 at 10:57 am
I’m hearing turnout is EPIC.

Let’s hope so.

One of them said that the State Department had called and told them they had paved the way for us to bring more orphans to the US. That would be great! Get those kids with no one to care for them out of there and let them have a chance here.I’m sure many Americans would love to adopt them or at the very least they would be safe until family could be located.

It’s not just the leadership. That’s what’s REALLY enraging. Not a single Democratic senator has said what needs saying, and hardly any representatives. But the leadership is certifiably insane, true. The coming slaughter will be a thing to behold…