Dick Durbin, the Majority Whip and a senator from Illinois, who seemed dead set against the idea of a public option being passed through reconciliation just a few days earlier this week, released a statement that spun his initial statement into support for a House passed public option including reconciliation bill, and that he would aggressively whip for passage of such a bill. Finally, after such an excruciating year-long war of attrition, the progressive spirit had finally broken through! We were going to get our public option and, maybe in my lifetime, a single payer health care system!
Except.
Nancy Pelosi, what the fuck?
There is absolutely nothing else I could force out of my mouth with the exception of my shock induced vomit and the few microcosms of hopes and dreams that still clung to my soul. Nancy Pelosi, one of the most liberal congressional members in the United States with seemingly undying support for a single payer health care system and the most control over the activities of the House of Representatives, is giving up on the public option because she thinks the political reality is against it? She's going to let some scraggily old foggies defeat the best chance our country has had at real health reform in a century, without even giving it an up or down vote? The most powerful woman and figure in the legislative branch of our government is going to just let this opportunity pass by? It's so difficult to put my absolute rage into words; I just want to scream!
Do you know why Speaker Pelosi won't move forward with the public option? Because she lacks the will. She does not have the will to fight for the people of the United States. And it's disturbing. There's such a lack of will to do anything of value in today's Congress that when somebody stands by their core values and doesn't let corporate interests and cash push them in their favor, they're labeled as mavericks and extremists, like Barney Frank (D-MA) and Alan Grayson (D-FL). It's because they don't feel up to it, they don't want to because it would be too difficult. The truth is that these men and women are public servants, and every American should expect them to have the will to work for them or, if they don't, vote them out. And with Speaker Pelosi's dramatic turnaround and departure, I have come to understand that we will not see real health reform until a Congress of men and women who all have the will are elected to power with a strong Speaker to lead them. Unfortunately, until then, we'll have to deal with band-aid solutions like national marketplaces and insurance mandates. And when it becomes apparent again one day that the private health insurance industry is taking the American people for a ride at the expense of their well-being and happiness, then I hope the people will make the right choice.
Back to you Madam Speaker.
Nancy Pelosi, I trusted you. The Democratic Party and the Progressive Movement trusted you. The American people trusted you, to always push for the interests and values of the people of this country. You've broken that trust and this is one of the single issues that it cannot be forgiven or forgotten. You have let down the American people at a time when they needed you to stand by your convictions the most. I hope you're satisfied with your safe win.
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