So you are looking for a Primary Challenger, huh?
Always remember, had it not been for Monica Lewinsky, Presidents Bill Clinton and Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich would have gotten through a privatization of social security. This was to be passed with the express design of sidelining large elements of each party — the principled liberals who find that a bad idea and a disgrace to the legacy of Franklin Roosevelt, and the principled conservatives who found anything Clinton possibly did tainted by whisps of Communism. On that score, it will be interesting to see the final vote tallies for the Grand Bargain of Obama and Boehner — McConnell. The best answer for liberals on how they would proceed electorally is to re-elect Barack Obama, and then figure out how to get him tied into a sex scandal. Then again, in there are key differences between Clinton and Obama — the worsened economy would effect the rationalization process, and the race issue would figure in as well.
Remarks by Ralph Nader and Bernie Sanders that, on Nader’s part he is searching around to find a primary opponent to run against Obama and on Sanders’s part it would be good if there were a primary opponent are interesting — even if, in the end, meaningless. For his part, Howard Dean — who wrote in a health care policy oriented book that the Health Care policy without the “public option” wasn’t worth passing and right up to the eve of the health care vote said that the bill should be killed on that basis — says that such a thing shouldn’t be pursued.
There are uses for these things, beyond Ted Kennedy seeking to usurp Jimmy Carter because of his belief that Kennedys belong in the White House. Richard Nixon had two primary challengers in 1972. John Ashbrook was supported by the National Review for the purpose of establishing a line against Nixon as being on the right-end of national discourse, a point that was worthwhile enough in moving forward to Ronald Reagan and on. Nixon, of course, was pursuing economic policies designed to paper over a stumbling economy up to the level of mediocre economy, essentially handing a ticking time bomb to the Carter Administration — but I’ve already gone over that.
His other primary opponent was an anti-war candidate. There probably isn’t too much to say about him. Maybe he could run again?
In thinking about it, there might be a handful of possible leads that Ralph Nader might want to pick up on,
Possibility Number One: Gary Hart. No, he isn’t really a left-wing firebrand. But he did hold that “ENOUGH! 14th Amendment.” position on the Debt Ceiling. ALso, he had a small ground-swell of a “Draft Hart” movement just two presidential elections past, which means he had more recent election relevance than several of the Republican candidates.
Possibility Number Two: Bob Dole. He doesn’t understand the Tea Party. And, as everyone points out, his Health Care Policy in 1993 was about the same as Obama’s bill — I suppose the only difference being that Bob Dole’s policy was primarily a feign to put out there — but that’s about the same as, for instance, Obama’s implementation of Dodd-Frank with the pursuance of Elizabeth Warren as head of the oversight.
Possibility Number Three: Ron Paul. No, he is indeed far more conservative on fiscal matters. And social matters. You really would not like him. But, if we are going to “What’s the Matter with Kansas” style drop such things, we may as well get a good down-sizing of the military apparatus out of it.
Possibility Number Four: A George Herbert Walker Bush / Jimmy Carter ticket. Flip either way. It’s important that they both be on the ticket, as they’re both old, with every news service having an obituary at the ready. Fond memories follow ex-presidents, and everyone recalls how good they were — particularly if they were elected out of office.
Possibility Number Five:Â Hllary Clinton, John Kerry, Al Gore, Michael Dukakis, Walter Mondale…
George McGovern is anti-Union, the “Even George McGovern” face of the anti-EFCA Act campaign, so we can probably shove him aside.
Possibility Number Six: Bill Cosby. Everyone keeps saying that the Cosby Show was responsible for bringing Obama to the White House. Say — I wonder if we can get a cultural reverberation from The Simpsons to the White House.
We also have third party possibilities worth exploring. This crests in two directions — the left-flank campaigns followed most recently by Nader, and then the “Unity 08” “America Votes” pursuing ever centrist designs. That latter one is always a bit freaky — next blog post, I suppose.
August 1st, 2011 at 1:19 pm
REALITY!!
( http://my.firedoglake.com/iflizwerequeen/2011/05/16/how-about-a-little-truth-about-what-the-majority-want-for-health-care/ )
( Gov. Peter Shumlin: Real Healthcare reform — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yFUbkVCsZ4 )
( Health Care Budget Deficit Calculator — http://www.cepr.net/calculators/hc/hc-calculator.html )
( Briefing: Dean Baker on Boosting the Economy by Saving Healthcare http://t.co/fmVz8nM )
START NOW!
As you all know. Had congress passed a single-payer or government-run robust Public Option CHOICE! available to everyone on day one, our economy and jobs would have taken off like a rocket. And still will. Single-payer would be best. But a government-run robust Public Option CHOICE! that can lead to a single-payer system is the least you can accept. It’s not about competing with for-profit healthcare and for-profit health insurance. It’s about replacing it with Universal Healthcare Assurance. Everyone knows this now.
The message from the midterm elections was clear. The American people want real healthcare reform. They want that individual mandate requiring them to buy private health insurance abolished. And they want a government-run robust public option CHOICE! available to everyone on day one. And they want it now.
They want Drug re-importation, and abolishment, or strong restrictions on patents for biologic and prescription drugs. And government controlled and negotiated drug and medical cost. They want back control of their healthcare system from the Medical Industrial Complex. And they want it NOW!
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL NOT, AND MUST NOT, ALLOW AN INDIVIDUAL MANDATE TO STAND WITHOUT A STRONG GOVERNMENT-RUN PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE! AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE.
For-profit health insurance is extremely unethical, and morally repugnant. It’s as morally repugnant as slavery was. And few if any decent Americans are going to allow them-self to be compelled to support such an unethical and immoral crime against humanity.
This is a matter of National and Global security. There can be NO MORE EXCUSES.
Further, we want that corrupt, undemocratic filibuster abolished. Whats the point of an election if one corrupt member of congress can block the will of the people, and any legislation the majority wants. And do it in secret. Give me a break people.
Also, unemployment healthcare benefits are critically needed. But they should be provided through the Medicare program at cost, less the 65% government premium subsidy provided now to private for profit health insurance.
Congress should stop wasting hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money on private for profit health insurance subsidies. Subsidies that cost the taxpayer 10x as much or more than Medicare does. Private for profit health insurance plans cost more. But provide dangerous and poorer quality patient care.
Republicans: GET RID OF THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE.
Democrats: ADD A ROBUST GOVERNMENT-RUN PUBLIC OPTION TO HEALTHCARE REFORM.
This is what the American people are shouting at you. Both parties have just enough power now to do what the American people want. GET! IT! DONE! NOW!
If congress does not abolish the individual mandate. And establish a government-run public option CHOICE! before the end of 2011. EVERY! member of congress up for reelection in 2012 will face strong progressive pro public option, and anti-individual mandate replacement candidates.
Strong progressive pro “PUBLIC OPTION” CHOICE! and anti-individual mandate volunteer candidates should begin now. And start the process of replacing any and all members of congress that obstruct, or fail to add a government-run robust PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE! before the end of 2011.
We need two or three very strong progressive volunteer candidates for every member of congress that will be up for reelection in 2012. You should be fully prepared to politically EVISCERATE EVERY INCUMBENT that fails or obstructs “THE PUBLIC OPTION”. And you should be willing to step aside and support the strongest pro “PUBLIC OPTION” candidate if the need arises.
ASSUME CONGRESS WILL FAIL and SELLOUT again. So start preparing now to CUT THEIR POLITICAL THROATS. You can always step aside if they succeed. But only if they succeed. We didn’t have much time to prepare before these past midterm elections. So the American people had to use a political shotgun approach. But by 2012 you will have a scalpel.
Congress could have passed a robust government-run public option during it’s lame duck session. They knew what the American people wanted. They already had several bills on record. And the house had already passed a public option. Departing members could have left with a truly great accomplishment. And the rest of you could have solidified your job before the 2012 elections.
President Obama, you promised the American people a strong public option available to everyone. And the American people overwhelmingly supported you for it. Maybe it just wasn’t possible before. But it is now.
Knock heads. Threaten people. Or do whatever you have to. We will support you. But get us that robust public option CHOICE! available to everyone on day one before the end of 2011. Or We The People Of The United States will make the past midterm election look like a cake walk in 2012. And it will include you.
We still have a healthcare crisis in America. With hundreds of thousands dieing needlessly every year in America. And a for profit medical industrial complex that threatens the security and health of the entire world. They have already attacked the world with H1N1 killing thousands, and injuring millions. And more attacks are planned for profit, and to feed their greed.
Spread the word people.
Progressives, prepare the American peoples scalpels. It’s time to remove some politically diseased tissues.
God Bless You my fellow human beings. I’m proud to be one of you. You did good.
See you on the battle field.
Sincerely
jacksmith – WorkingClass 🙂