For over half a year now progressives have drawn their line in the sand, both the progressives in the House and progressive base. We wanted the public option that 75% of Americans supported, that Obama campaigned on, and that almost all Democrats campaigned on.
They didn't listen.
And now they're trying to blame us. Progressives were furious that the public option was watered down in the Senate to become opt-out and weaker than the House version, but we accepted it because we knew compromise was needed to get some of the more Conservative members of our caucus. Fine. But Joe Lieberman and other assorted health industry whores said that wasn't enough, they needed it gone COMPLETELY. So they did that.
Progressives were pissed again. Then they gave us the Medicare buy in as an olive branch. Yet again holding our noses and compromising, most progressives including Howard Dean caved and accepted it. But that STILL wasn't enough for the saboteurs in our caucus. They demanded that be removed and the health care bill be watered down even more. And they did it, without so much as peanuts to placate progressives.
And now we're pissed - and opposing the bill. And the Democrats are shocked, shocked they say! How dare we petulant liberals kill this great bill that enriches the insurance industry? We gave them no warning! Forget we several times went past our line in the sand for compromise while Lieberman and the Conservadems got everything they wanted. Forgive us for being pissed the White House, who sat on the sidelines for the entire debate, only comes out of his hole to praise a Republican saboteur Lieberman but bash progressive hero Howard Dean.
It's time for progressives to show we're a forced to be reckoned with in the Democratic Party. Either kill the bill or use reconciliation, those are your only choices. We refuse to accept the Lieberman Health Insurance Industry Welfare Act of 2009.