As someone said in another thread, health care costs to companies is a co-conspirator to this economic crisis (i.e. GM). I would imagine that it is pretty high on that list.

But, worrying about Obama's enthusiasm seems kind of like tarot card reading to me. None of us can predict someone's enthusiasm level, and seems ridiculous to speculate over.

Democrats worry about everything. And they're apparently genetically incapable of keeping those worries to themselves.

We worry that he won't act quickly enough. We worry that he acted too quickly (Rahm). We worry that he's not going to do enough about Lieberman.

STFU with all the worrying.

Jeebus Frakking Geist on a whole wheat cracker! If I see one more stupid fucking pile of footless speculation masquarading as journalism built out of quotes from a bunch of (usually unnamed) people who aren't in any way connected to Obama or his transition team concern trolling about him not doing something he promised to do, or not being able to do something he promised to do, there's a non-zero probability that I'm going to go postal.

I realize we're all anxious to see Bush gone. That's why we started obsessing on the campaign about fifteen minutes after the Schiavo debacle. I realize that Democrats, and liberals in general, aren't happy unless they've got something to get their panties in a twist about. I'm well aware that there are thousands and thousand of people in D.C., particularly Democrats, whose sense of self-importance will lead them to say just about any goddamned thing a reporter wants him or her to say to give faux sourcing to the reporter's rank speculation, but enough is enough. This is not information. It is not news. It is the opposite of news. Reading it is actively making people stupider. IQ points are being sucked out of peoples' brains everytime one of these feckless, baseless "No He Can't" stories hits the tubes.

O/T, except this time O=on instead of O=off.

"President Clinton came in determined to do something significant on health-care reform," [said] Ron Pollack...

Neither Bill nor Hillary had seen how Congress works up-close.  They thought Hillary and her team could cook up something in the back room with no input from Congress, and it would fly.  Well, it did; just like a lead balloon.

So among the differences between then and now are:  (1) BigO has four years experience in the Senate; (2) everybody saw what happened to Hillary and learned a lesson from it; (3) Obama and Hillary made health-care reforms really big planks in their platforms.

That said, if not now, when?

Uh, how about after Jan. 20?

Will there ever be a mandate for accomplishing something this ambitious as strong as the one that exists now?

Yes, after Jan. 3 when the new Congress is seated.

Let's remember that every single thing worrywart dems, including yours truly, have wrung their hands over regarding Obama this year has been dead wrong.

He has confounded expectations and come out ahead on every issue, almost every day, for almost two years.

There's no reason to think that will change come January 20.

So how long before the Insurance companies slash their rates and "Harry and Louise" make their triumphant return to the airwaves?

In truth Health care and illegal immigration are connected, because it's FREE for illegal aliens and for Americans they want your drivers license and Social Security card to identify you when the debt collector calls?

NOW WE ARE FINALLY PAYING THE PIPER. Thats where my tax dollars are going by forced federal mandate...?

37 MILLION illegal aliens--that we support for parasite employers, according to the Tucson sector Border Patrol union local 2544, not the propaganda brought forth by the Liberal national press and special interest lobby of only 13 million.

An additional half-million coming every year. California is $11 billion dollars in the red, so now they are looking for ways to cut programs.

Don't re-elect Mayor's like Antonio Villaraigosa or any other politician that is selling your future for campaign contributions Villaraigosa embraced LOS ANGELES as a SANCTUARY CITY, in a SANCTUARY STATE. Just because the West Coast border states are far away, don't think for one-minute this doesn't have a financial impact on YOU..?

A massive financial impact on our economy by importing the worlds poor. THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT 'THE RULE OF LAW' BUT OVERPOPULATION?
THIS IS ABOUT AMERICANS FORCED TO PAY FOR ILLEGAL SLAVE LABOR?

Go to www.numbersusa.com for immigration facts not lies.

TIME TO FIGHT BACK OR BE SUBMERGED IN ILLEGAL FOREIGN NATIONALS, LEECHING FROM OUR WELFARE SYSTEM! REMEMBER PROP 187? YOU HAVE BEEN PAYING EVER SINCE. EDUCATION, HEALTH-CARE, HOUSING! JUST THE TIP OF THE ECONOMIC ICEBERG. REMEMBER? LOW INCOME PEOPLE GET ALL THEIR TAXES BACK! REMEMBER ALL THE RISING CRIME RATES IN SANCTUARY CITIES AND STATES!

Learn about many positive legal cases won at www.judicialwatch.org We are beginning to stop the open border zealots and immigration special interest lobby.

I was just at a big meeting of NYC hospital CEOs and CFOs on the state of the economy and prospects for health care reform. Palpable fear in the air.

In a related story, my mom is worried that my dad may not remember to take out the trash.

It's only been a week. I agree with Das2003. Everybody should just CHILL.

Contrast to what many hope, Obama is NOT Superman.

no matter how much he disappoints us

and he will

he's better than the alternative

Let HR 676 bubble up, Baucus' plan is tooooo expensive. Visualize giant funnel of money to insurance companies and drug companies.