President Obama, here's a simple question: Do you really want a healthcare bill?
I'm asking because if you really want one, I can help you. I mean it.
You don't have to meet with your implacable foes, as you promised to meet with Iran. All you have to do is meet with your most thoughtful friends.
Who exactly? Howard Dean. Jane Hamsher. Marcy Wheeler. Markos. Glenn Greenwald. Slinkerwink. Jon Walker. John Amato. Digby. John Aravosis. Howie Klein. In other words, the healthcare heroes of the Netroots.
Trust me, they won't betray you. They really want to be your friends. If they're still supporting you after all the bad deals you've made, that means they really care.
So all you have to do is meet with them - and make a deal. Just like you did with Joe Lieberman.
Here's the deal: Medicare for All.
Over the past 6 months, this idea has emerged as the most popular plan. If you don't believe me, check the polls. Medicare is the most popular healthcare program by far. Republicans (cynically of course but still) pushed amendments to prevent the slightest cuts. Even the clueless Teabaggers shout "Keep the government out of my Medicare!" with total sincerity because Glenn Beck has never told them Medicare is the government.
Our Netroots heroes are reasonable people, and they won't demand we get from here to there at once. We could push the age limit down from 65 to 55 in 2010. Then push it to 45 2012. Then to 35 in 2014. Then to 25 in 2016. If that's just a bit too fast, we can slow it down a little. (But not a lot.)
This program would be completely optional. People with private insurance could keep it without any cutback, tax, penalty, or scorn.
You wouldn't have to impose new rules on the insurance companies to end their abusive practices. The invisible hand of free market competition would absolutely take care of that.
If Joe Lieberman objects, you'll just have to tell him "tough." Lieberman worked his heart out for John McCain in 2008. We in the Netroots worked our hearts out for you. Even Lieberman knows the rule: "you dance with the one that brought ya." (If he's forgotten, just remind him about his friends at Aetna - the ones who brought him back to Washington in 2006 after he lost the Democratic line.)
What if Lieberman threatens a filibuster? Tell him, "be my guest." Make him speak to the Senate all day - day after day - day after day after day. Do you really think he'll speak forever? Of course not. After a few minutes, his colleagues will glare at him. After a few hours, they'll curse. After a few days, they'll take away his Homeland Security chair. After a few more days, the voters of Connecticut will gather outside his door. After a few weeks, those voters will number in the millions.
Ditto for Ben Nelson. And Blanche Lincoln. And Mary Landrieu. They love to threaten a filibuster. But to actually do one, day after day? Trust me, they really don't want the voters back home to watch.
Mr. President, we in the Netroots really want to help you pass healthcare reform. Just meet with us and you'll see. I promise.