We've gone from "hurrah, public option!" (courtesy of Pelosi, minus legal abortion) to today's New York Times headline proclaiming "Senate Democrats see room for hope in health care bill" (courtesy Reid, minus public option).
“Any big agreement is progress,” said Senator Bob Casey, Democrat of Pennsylvania. “Even if we do not know any of the details.”
Uh huh. There's a room-sized gap between public statements and grim reality.
Mr. Reid described the broad outline of the plan at an hourlong meeting of his caucus late Wednesday afternoon. But as they emerged from the session, many senators, including some who helped broker the agreement, said that they had learned little and that there were many outstanding concerns.
Let's face it. Most liberals want to see at least meaningful progress in reducing corporate power over our personal and political lives. But what we're having to accept, instead, is the sight of our elected officials as the toadies of the very corporations that have been doing us the most damage.
Until the powerful health industry lobby is leashed, the job isn't done.
