Well, the big health care summit is now over and if the analysts are to be believed, absolutely nothing was accomplished. I must admit that I didn't even bothering watching this useless exercise in public relations. Anyone who believed some kind of bipartisan compromise would be reached doesn't even have a tenuous hold on reality anymore.
I don't even think the president, who continues to talk about bipartisan solutions, believes that a real bipartisan compromise can be reached at this point. And this meeting was not held to reach a bipartisan solution -- just the opposite. It was held as a public relations gimmick to appeal to voters.
The Republicans wanted to assure their right-wing base (and their corporate masters) that they were holding firm in their opposition to health care reform. They don't want anything to happen that might effect the profit margin of large private insurance companies, and they're willing to tell any lie to get that accomplished.
Meanwhile, the president and other blue dog Democrats also wanted to put on display the opposition to health care reform. Then when they pass their pitiful excuse of a health care bill, they can point to that as the reason they couldn't pass any "real" health care reform. The whole thing has passed the point of being disgusting -- it is approaching the proportions of an epic failure.
Meanwhile, the few real progressives who would like to actually reform the health care system, are being marginalized a bit more each day. Recently, I had revived a little hope of actually getting some health care reform this year, but I can now see I was wrong. This Congress is not capable of making real reforms in ANYTHING! And the president must accept his share of the blame for that. He promised a lot during the campaign, but hasn't had the political courage to follow through on any of it.
Frankly, I'm glad I didn't waste my time watching the "health care summit". At my age, I don't have the time to waste on such nonsense.
they make me wish I still drank.
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