Podesta: White House needs juice on health care

[tj2001]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-08-14-podesta-health-care_N.htm

WASHINGTON — John Podesta says it's time for the White House and its backers on health care to get as fired up as the opponents are "Supporters of health care … have to recalibrate the passion with which they want to get the job done," Podesta said. That's needed to combat attacks on proposed legislation now being waged by conservatives at raucous town hall meetings.

Podesta is a voice the Obama administration listens to: A former White House chief of staff for Bill Clinton, Podesta led President-elect Obama's transition team. He invited a half-dozen reporters to breakfast at the Center for American Progress, which he heads, to discuss where things stand on health care...

"My own advice would be: We've gone long enough to kind of have the Congress figure it out," he said. Obama needs to "put down a stronger marker" about the details of a bill he wants. "That's something members (of Congress) could rally to."

Opponents have Obama in their sights: "This is less about health care," he said. "It's really about tearing him down."

[bluestateguy]

1. Another person instructing Obama on how to do his job

:eyes:

[abq e streeter]

5. How dare he express his opinion--just because Obama appointed him to head his transition team

, was Clinton's chief of staff, founded , and is CEO of the largest liberal think tank in Washington, and is widely credited to have played a crucial role in the recent diplomatic triumph in North Korea, how the hell does that qualify him to have a perspective on government policies, much less express them. The nerve of him.

[OHdem10]

2. Podesta is right. Add to that the fact that Democrats on the Hill

dropped the ball by not being on TV from the get go--making
a serious case for Health Care Reform. The Republicans on
the Hill had people on the air 24/7 slshing and burning.

IMO, this is why the Congressional Ratings in Polls are so
low. To an observer of TV daily, there is a clear impression
there are no Democrats. The Narrative then became how the
Democrats are fighting among themselves--BlueDogs v Progressives.
Not what the Health Insurance Reform Provides. A vacuum was
born and the GOP especially the Conservatives were happy to
fill the vacuum.

The Democrats would do well to follow Podesta's advice and
get fired up.

[waiting]

3. The American Plan for Fair Health Care

It's time the American Plan is realized. And that the practices of the insurance companies are exposed. They use the Triple D attack to ensure their profits, Deny, Delay and Drop. I'm sure someone here has either been denied authorization or delayed from seeing a specialist, or dropped from their plan because they lost their job or became sick.

(I'm trying to use the speak that repeats in the synapses of the unenlightenment thinkers as per Lakoff)

[OHdem10]

4. Excellent;;Hope someone picks up on your suggestion.

[Romulox]

6. The reality is that there is no grass roots support for mandatory, for-profit insurance. nt