Who's Ultimately Responisble for Failure?

An amazing point here by Jane Hamsher of Firedoglake on reports
that the final health-care reform bill, approved by Congress and Obama, will not include a public option.

It's just a guess, but when average Americans understand that "health care reform" means they will be forced to pay Blue Cross more money than they do now for worse insurance or be fined 2.5% of their income, I have a feeling it's not just going to be a couple of radical lefties who are pissed off about what amounts to an increase in middle class taxes. Unfortunately, since all the liberal interest groups ceded the bank bailout debate to the teabaggers and there was no pushback against the White House's decision to coddle AIG, the right owns that particular real estate and will be well poised to make the most of it.

For us, the question becomes: what are we going to do? How much do we care, how hard are we going to push Democrats in the House, elected by solid Democratic majorities, to stand up to this railroading and defend the public option?

Did the Left get caught back on their heels, admiring the victorious majorities, just like Obama might have? I mean, the momentum out of the gate for the Obama administration was quite pedestrian, I think. I understand the economy really sapped the life out of the young Obamas. I think the brevity of the crisis slapped them in the face, quite harshly. The Obama administration, just like a McCain administration would've been, were at the tail end of a grueling campaign when the economy nosedived in September (wow, almost a year).

Remember, when they all had a special "summit" at the White House and Bush chatted them up? And McCain, reportedly, seemed either highly uninterested or completely in-over-his-head nervous and unknowledgeable? That hit them an the worst time. They were scrambling to figure this out and also say the right thing to election-watching voters. That's an unbelievable duo to juggle. (We know how bad the McCain campaign was run and how much internal friction sabotaged a, when you look at it honestly, decent candidate. But then you remember that his judgment should be forever disregarded after he chose Palin. But to be fair, that economic stuff was not his forte. What timing, he must think.)

The point is, will there be ramifications, and how did this happen so quickly? I mean, not to sound naive, but where did this go so sour? Are special interests and lobbies so entrenched in our system, that this will be the new status quo for Democrats? Toothless place-holders for an eternity? When the excesses and colossal blunders of Republicans peaks every 25-30 years, the big bad Democrats come in to set them up for another 30 in the sun.

Thanks a lot Bush. Jerkoff.