Yes, the mandate reminds me of what happened when Alabama became the 49th state to mandate car insurance. Drivers were warmly reassured that our rates would go down. In the decade since then, our rates are up 300%.

Thank you Bob.

I am in violent agreement with your post.

As you have so deftly shown, the COCS are the problem. The Republicans don't matter.

Ignore the Republicans and concentrate on the corrupt tools that are holding things up.

Disappointing, isn't he?

@Tony, Bob:

The overall approach is working; otherwise there would be no noise.

This is what happens when you have a President that gets the last minute jitters. He starts going forward but then either he or the people around him starts thinking up bullshit excuses for not doing something. Either because of money or because of fear-mongering from inner circles.

Full-court press forward. There isn't a debate to win, healthcare reform is needed and the public option is the minimum part of that effort.

As Bob would say: Healthcare reform now Mr. President! Stop with the excuses and go!

"we're going to end up with healthcare reform that mandates everyone to have it -- but with only the private mobster health insurance companies to provide it. In other words, we'd all be government-mandated slaves to the private health insurers.

This is unacceptable. Political parties be damned. The Obama administration be damned."

I completely agree, this is not acceptable.

"We ought to be focused on winning this debate." - President Obama

When is he going to figure out that the Republicans, the insurance industry and the COCS are not interested in debate, are not interested in bipartisanship, are not interested in "being heard" or "being at the table", they are interested only in stopping this before it ever gets off the ground. They oppose a public option of any kind that forces the private industry to compete and will do whatever is necessary to stop it.

I'm happy with putting whatever pressure is necessary on weak Democrats to make sure they understand their jobs are in jeopardy. And Chris is right. The pressure is working or they wouldn't be holding conference calls seeking a way to alleviate it. Get off the fucking phone talking about how awful it is that we are exercising our constitutional rights to petition our government for redress and get this fucking thing done already!

Basically we have the White House and Congress bitching that we are not being nice compliant sheeple.

You haven't seen the best part of me not being a sheeple. I get to vote your crooked asses out of office you arrogant corrupt bastards.