Super short diary . . . just an FYI for those who care . . .(I know that is not many people but anywho)
The President has been clear and consistent about the public option . . .
Please stop saying he "sold us out" and he "flip flopped".
I've printed this in the comments of a couple of diaries, but it is easier to find here:
At the President's Health Reform Summit at the White House in March, this is what he said:
"During the campaign," Mr. Obama said, "I put forward a plan for health care reform. I thought it was an excellent plan. But I don’t presume that it was a perfect plan or that it was the best possible plan."
...
"If there is a way of getting this done," he said, "where we’re driving down costs and people are getting health insurance at an affordable rate and have choice of doctor, have flexibility in terms of their plans, and we could do that entirely through the market, I’d be happy to do it that way. If there was a way of doing it that involved more government regulation and involvement, I’m happy to do it that way as well."
http://www.nytimes.com/...
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So from the very start, the President has stated in clear terms that his PREFERRED method of achieving affordability and competition in the health insurance marketplace was the public option, but he was more focused on the RESULTS than the mechanism.
The President has repeatedly expressed support for the public option and the impression that he has changed his position was created by the microanalysis of any minute change in phrasing from him or any of his advisors, not an actual change in anything that he so cleary stated in March.
So even if you disagree with the President's approah, he HAS NOT changed his mind and he HAS NOT sold you out.
He has done what he said he was going to do.