An American Lion

If you saw this coming, good for you.

If you knew that there was going to be a moment as to when the Obama Administration would tire of the attacks from the left and turn on the people who worked tirelessly for it, you're an original thinker who can differentiate between a fad and a dangerous possibility:

President Obama, strategizing yesterday with congressional leaders about health-care reform, complained that liberal advocacy groups ought to drop their attacks on Democratic lawmakers and devote their energy to promoting passage of comprehensive legislation.

In a pre-holiday call with half a dozen top House and Senate Democrats, Obama expressed his concern over advertisements and online campaigns targeting moderate Democrats, whom they criticize for not being fully devoted to "true" health-care reform.

"We shouldn't be focusing resources on each other," Obama opined in the call, according to three sources who participated in or listened to the conversation. "We ought to be focused on winning this debate."

Specifically, Obama said he is hoping left-leaning organizations that worked on his behalf in the presidential campaign will now rally support for "advancing legislation" that fulfills his goal of expanding coverage, controlling rising costs and modernizing the health system.

It is a pretty bold statement by the President, isn't it? Allow me to translate: stop attacking, get in line, do as you are told, stop questioning our efforts, never mind the corrupting influence of lobbyists, thugs, and fools, and shut your yaps.

Here's a sampling of the reactions:

Jennifer555wrote:

The comment by President Obama, quoted above, show that he his headed for a one term presidency. He simply "doesn't get it" that Democrats DID NOT drink his Cool Aide, and we are not so stupid that we will be happy with the half-arsed health care he proposes.

We Democrats are not going to accept the fact that slimy pond scum Corporate Democrats like Senator Max Baucus should be allowed to destroy this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to give all Americans the universal health care which other civilized Western societies enjoy.

We true Democrats are keeping a list of which Senators and Congressmen are "Corporate Democrat" weasels in the pockets of the insurance, managed care and hospital industry, and which of them are truly deserving of being called Democrats because they support our party's campaign plank for universal health care.

We true Democrats can see that President Obama is going back on his campaign promises on many issues. Unless he "straightens up and flies left", where he promised he would be, when President Obama asks us for our money to run for re-election, it will not be there.

We true Democrats who have money will not be supporting the Corporate Democrat Congressmen and Senators who fail us in this campaign for universal health care. We will be vocal in our opposition to traitors to our party's ideals. We will spend our money on candidates who, one way or another, will take votes away from the Corporate Democrats and defeat them.

At least, with the Republicans, they are "the devil you know". They are honest about what they want.

In contrast, these dishonest, Corporate Democrat weasels in Congress must be watched all the time, to try to keep them on the straight and narrow path of loyalty to our party's ideals. A Corporate Democrat cannot be trusted on ANY ISSUE. That is proving to be the sad truth. Real Democrats must work to remove these dishonest Corporate Democrats from the House and Senate in 2010, and to defeat President Obama in 2012 if he doesn't "Do the Right Thing".

President Obama needs to learn that it's more important to "Do the Right Thing" and lose a Congressional battle, than compromise and make matters worse for the lives of America's working people and for the sanctity of America's Constitution.

And:

freedom9wrote:

If health care reform is passed that is not single payer or, at least, includes the public option, we will have lost the health care debate.

Perhaps it is time for President Obama to listen to the people on this issue. The Republicans won't vote for it anyway.

As for the Senators who are betraying us on this issue because they are in the pocket of the health insurance lobby, if they don't adjust their votes to the will of the people, they ain't seen nothin yet in term of negative publicity and finger-pointing. Not threatening, just saying.

Oh, and unless the government offers free medical education to doctors willing to become general practitioners, ANY health care plan they come up with will fail as badly as it is failing in Massachusetts.

There are not enough doctors in this country to provide healthcare if everyone is insured.

Demanding that everyone buy healthcare when we are in a deep recession makes no sense either.

The heathcare legislation reported out of committee will be a political disaster for Democrats. It is not what the people want.

The left will now consume itself in an orgy of blogging, accusing, demanding, and making those hilarious statements of finality, as in, I'll never work for Obama again, and I'll never organize for the Democrat Party again.

Sad, really. I figured they'd turn on each other at Thanksgiving.