I am reminded that in the weeks just prior to Obama taking office, the news media were running stories comparing Obama to FDR. But one major difference between the conditions that existed when FDR took office from those that greeted Obama, was that the US was facing civil unrest by the time that Roosevelt was sworn into office versus the relative quiet that greeted Obama. Hence, the differences in the actions that the two presidents took in their first months in office.
Jim F.
---------- Original Message ---------- From: Carrol Cox <cbcox at ilstu.edu> To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] AP: White House appears ready to drop 'public option' Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2009 08:04:15 -0500
Left-Wing Wacko wrote: "It seems Obama's position is that he will sign whatever Congress can come up with. Shit, ****if there were enough left leaning Dems**** pushing for single payer, he might even sign it. They really are just abdicating any real leadership on the details.
As they say, if wishes were horses beggars would ride. Do you think there will in (say) the next 10 years enough "left-leaning Democrats" to pass single payer? Why and how should that happen?
Electoral power at the national level tends to swing back and forth between RP & DP on a 8-12 year cycle.
If you want single-payer, think not in terms of a Congress and President who want it but of what the conditions have to be for a President and Congresds who oppose it to nevertheless pass it. Most significantg 'progressive' legislation is passed under such conditions. The Congrress that passed the Civil Rights Act almost certainly didn't favor it but recognized that they had no choice.
Carrol
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