I sense a turning point here at DU

[Jersey Devil]

I haven't been posting much lately and frankly DU has been depressing to read. But in the last few days I have seen much more optimism and the type of positive "can do" attitude that I haven't seen here since the inaugural. I can't put my finger on it precisely, but it is as though there has been an epiphany and suddenly everyone realizes - yes, we can and will get this health care thing done and the realization that Obama is playing this thing like Itzhak Perlman plays a Strativarius.

Monday's depression about the weekend statements on the "public option" are gone. Now I look all around and see blue sky. I feel good.

Let's get this damned thing done already by backing up Obama whenever and wherever we can!

[cleveramerican]

1. I'm with ya

[liberal N proud]

2. I saw someone post today...

We won the election, we can win health insurance reform.

[Salviati]

15. The Congressional Progressive Caucus standing up for their (and our) principles is a nice pick me up

[CurtEastPoint]

3. Me, too. I sense a rising tide of...dare I say... hope? n/t

[madmax]

19. Yes we can

The operative word is 'we'. It's not in Obama's hands alone.

:bounce:

[DrToast]

4. Manic depressive. Just like the election.

[MercutioATC]

5. Yes, I know this is like the family dog pissing on your birthday cake, but...

...the "rope-a-dope" and "He's playing chess while they're playing checkers" (or "Obama is playing this thing like Itzhak Perlman plays a Stradivarius") posts usually come when people here are disappointed and desperately need to fabricate a glimmer of hope.

Good is still good, up is still up, and political machinations still generally screw most of us.

[Undercurrent]

16. Not for me. I made one of those posts,

and I'm confident we well get a decent health care bill. So maybe some folks who make posts like that are whistling past the graveyard, but I am not one of them.

My optimism is fueled daily by my 90 year old dad. He remembers the FDR's battle to get SS, and he says this will happen. SS was not my dad's dream bill when it passed, and it took many years to get it right. The same is true for Medicare.

[MercutioATC]

20. I honestly hope you're right.

I may be pretty confident about my predictions, but I would honestly prefer to be proved wrong.

I'm a federal employee...I don't have a personal stake here...but I realize the harm (from a very practical point of view) in abandoning a public option.

[Undercurrent]

22. I understand.

I don't have a direct personal stake in the health care situation. I am on SSDI. When SS was first instituted it didn't cover people with disabilities. SS was a skeleton of what it is now. At that time, most woman and blacks either worked part time, or worked in agriculture. Dependant children of SS recipients, and the disabled weren't covered either. So it was basically a white man's plan.

Anyway, I'm, not directly involved in the outcome of health care reform, but I do care deeply about all the many, many people who are suffering under the current rotten set up, and it's very negative impact on the economy.

[Ikonoklast]

27. You *are* the family dog.

Relentlessy negative, I'll give you that.

[MercutioATC]

28. I'd be positive if there was anything to be positive about.

But I've heard this "rope-a-dope" thing in the past...and we still usually end up getting screwed.

Face it, we have the votes. Our elected representatives just don't have the will.

[NYC_SKP]

6. "...the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the Dream Shall Never Die."

nothing more to say...

:patriot:

[Davis_X_Machina]

11. That would make a nice sig...

...if I hadn't been using it for years.

Grassley's now arguing how much he can lose by and still cover the spread. The GOP has shot its wad. Only the Democrats in the Senate can still screw the pooch -- and Grassley's trial baloon today makes it clear Dems would have to vote against cloture and the actual bill now to stop things -- in numbers.

Meanwhile things on the 'left of the left' are heating up nicely, so Obama can go to the Senate Democratic 'moderates' and say "Guys, help a brother Sentor out -- those craaaazy liberals are going to eat me alive, especially in the House."

(Johnson used to go to the Dixiecrat rump in the Senate all the time and pull this one, with a fair amount of success.)

I expect a tidal wave of crap thrown at us, yeah, sure, but I don't plan to take 90% of it seriously.

It's not over yet, but the tide is setting strongly in that direction.

[will_in_chicago]

35. Do not fall into despair

We should not fall into despair and believe that we have no power. Indeed, the efforts of the GOP are designed not just to secure an election win but to do so by making progressives feel that everything is lost and that we should just sit out the next election cycle. Meanwhile, the GOP will likely find some wedge issue to get its voters to the polls. Despair is something that Dick Armey and his allies are counting on from us. So, my advice is to get out there and take a stand. If we fail, let it not be because we failed to do all that we could to secure health care reform. I would rather go down swinging than sulking.

[JuniperLea]

7. There have been sprained ankles all over the place...

From all the jumping to conclusions... I have been away for almost a week. I HOPE to see the CHANGE you have seen!

;)

[hlthe2b]

8. Hmmm, you are seeing (dare I say it?)....

CHANGE?

:evilgrin:

[alcibiades_mystery]

9. If you want to see a dead-on-arrival intiative, see Bush's promised Social Security overhaul

That was a change that was stopped in its tracks. Not so much this health care push. Is it a tough fight? Of course - as tough as Bush's initiative would have been if they could even get it off the ground. The fact that we're even close to moving bills on this thing (remember, the Clinton health care push never got anywhere near this far) is itself impressive. Have there been missteps? Of course. It's a new Admin and team trying to work through one of the most complex policy issues in the history of the fucking world. Only a fool would think that it would be cake. But are we getting closer? Yes. Will there be a good bill that actually helps millions of people? Almost certainly, yes. Will it be a giant step in the right direction? I think so.

We're getting there. Don't flag or give up. It's a tough fight, but we've flipped it on them, and we're going to start rolling over them soon. Obviously, the bitter PUMAs, trolls, Obama-haters and generalized assholes are here disrupting and pushing negativity at their greatest volume. They know it's a fight, too. The leftists (and I consider myself one) are mostly doing the good work of critiquing the moderate program and calling for MORE. That's a good thing. They're aggressive sometimes, but we need that to push ourselves more to the left. Don't let them get to you. They have a function.

But do this: keep tearing up the PUMAs, trolls, and haters. Attack their arguments wherever they appear. They had free reign here for awhile, and they got a bit cocky. Track them down and fucking wreck them. No quarter. No retreat. No surrender.

It's obviously going to be up to us posters top clean yup the fucking trash in GD : P.

[Clio the Leo]

10. It ain't easy.........

..... bein' cheesey.

(who am I kidding, yes it is)

http://static.guim.co.uk/Guardian/lifeandstyle/gallery/2008/oct/06/1/[e-mail]

[demwing]

34. WOW, when was the pic taken?

If it was recently, then I have 100% confidence we'll win this thing. Obama just looks so satisfied and carefree. :)

[Clio the Leo]

36. It's from the campaign........

.... but if you watched the Health Care forum from yesterday, he's no more stressed.

http://cspan.org/Watch/Media/2009/08/21/HP/R/22367/Pres+Obama+Spends+Weekend+at+Camp+David.aspx

I got the distinct impression that he feels like that he's GOT this .... and we should just chill the F out. ;)

(and make some phone calls and write some letters)

[DCBob]

12. hope so... this place has been a downer....

I am ready for some optimism baby!!! Good post!! :headbang:

[azmouse]

13. It will happen. Obama is a very smart man.

:thumbsup:

[Bluerthanblue]

14. another dope less hope fiend

here :evilgrin:

I agree!

:hi:

K&R

[DCBob]

17. hopemonger...

:toast:

[phleshdef]

18. As I posted the other day, he never said "Yes I Can", he said "Yes We Can", we need to have his back

[DevonRex]

21. You're right but I'm still thinking about taking Sunday off.

It seems that's when the nuts get to use the computer.

[Cha]

23. Jimmy Cliff~ I Can See

Clearly Now~The Rain Is Gone" B-)

[applegrove]

24. Good call. He is our man. He wants health care reform as much or more than

we do.

[GeorgeGist]

25. The suspenders ...

is killing me.

Did you mean: Stradivarius?

[lwcon]

26. This is different from Britney how?

Seriously, what's the difference between these statements?

OP: "Let's get this damned thing done already by backing up Obama whenever and wherever we can!"

Britney Spears (re: GWB): "Honestly, I think we should just trust our president in every decision he makes and should just support that, you know, and be faithful in what happens."

Is the difference that Barack Obama is properly beyond question and Bush wasn't? That's what one would gather by reading most DU posts.

Me, I'd like to see elected representatives backing US up.

[swishyfeet]

29. Thanks for reminding me

It's the flamey times I so often remember here, but yes, it has been relatively positive/peaceful here lately.

Helps to have an enemy we can all agree on.

[tavalon]

30. The turnaround from Monday to Tuesday reminded us that we are powerful

It reminded them too. I really think we all needed the reminder.

[European Socialist]

31. I want Obama to like his own healthcare plan as much as I do.

[deep1]

I agree.........

I've always had optimism for this administration.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[Peacetrain]

33. Me too.. we are much more likely to be on the same page ...