Quote:
Originally Posted by Weiser Wonder
[B]
That's the thing though, he watered down the healthcare bill for no reason whatsoever. All the Republicans voted against even though he conceded on several issues. Which makes me think the Obama admin isn't that progressive and is somewhat corporatist.
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The way US politics works is that there isn't really some sort of party whip to vote the way the party wants. That's good and bad. It's good because in many instances the senator or congressman actually listens to to constituents. It's bad because you can get excessive pork added to bills to buy votes and a broad party vision doesn't exist. I truly believe Obama has a vision as every president does...the parties simply don't buy into the vision at times. IMO, the healthcare is one change they needed people to buy into things for the eventual greater good but too many were concerned with lining pockets and getting re-elected.
The bill was watered down not to get Republicans to vote for it but to get Democrats to vote for it. The healthcare revolution hasn't happened in the states like it did most everywhere else decades ago. In the states it is ingrained in far too many people that healthcare is a privilege and not a right. Many people firmly believe that the only thing universal healthcare will do is cause more lazy people to collect welfare checks now that they don't have to work to pay hospital bills (I'm not kidding. I wish I was).