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To wit: "that the White House fruitlessly chased Republican votes on health care rather than take advantage of the ripe environment to pass legislation."
Here's another excerpt from the full article:
"What is very sad is we had hopes that [the] election was transformational in the sense of bringing people into the political process who have never been in it before," Sanders said. "I tried very hard in Vermont to bring young people into the political process. It is very hard to do. Obama did it. But you know where those young people are now? They are not in the political process. They really aren't. We have lost them. We have antagonized trade unionists. We have not done well with seniors. I don't think we have done well with women. And I think that was a tragic mistake."
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It appears -- if the last couple of weeks are any indication -- that President Obama is beginning to "get" this, and it's high time he did and I for one am very happy about that. Better late than never, right?
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But Senator Sanders' assessment of the situation to date is hardly a new thing: for months and months (hell, since early summer) both progressive politicians and people "out here" have been saying, "Lead, Mr. President! Lead!" A fairly recent example.
If some tepid HCR can get passed in the next couple of weeks, then the next Big Test will be Wall Street Reform. The House has passed a good -- but not great -- bill and the Senate bill's still in committee, with Republican Wall Street and Payday Lender shill Bob Corker of TN making demands and threats as if his party had 59 votes. And Chris Dodd's trying to appease him. So what will the President do?
Both Progressives and T'Party'ers loathe Wall Street's deregulated, rapacious free for all. Hell, I think everybody but Wall Street, K Street and Capitol Hill Republicans (and Dick Armey) loathe Wall Street. This fight is winnable and should be a no-brainer for the President. Uh, as long as Rahm gives his permission, I suppose. Alas.
We're for you, Mr. President. No we need for you to be for us.
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