When Max Baucus came out right away and refused Single Payer a "seat at the table," he made it clear the fix was already in. The fat, bloated parasite that's the health insurance industry was going to be protected no matter what the cost. Then, when he said that was a "mistake" and yet still didn't allow it to enter the debate, that was like adding insult to injury. When Obama talks about "a uniquely American approach" he's also talking about protecting that putrid leech at our expense. How is that acceptable to anyone?

Nearly everything that's wrong with our health care system can be laid at that bloodsucking parasite's bulbous belly. And, what's more, those fuckers on the Hill know it. They've allowed the Right to pretend that skyrocketing health care costs are because of malpractice insurance and all that was needed was "tort reform." They've played church-mouse while the parasite grew fatter and fatter on OUR suffering, and now wonder why we're pissed at them? White House spokespeople are telling progressive groups to sit down and shut up while right wing loonies come to protests wearing firearms and carrying signs threatening physical violence?

Seriously?

The fact is that the health insurance industry brings nothing to the process that can't be attained a lot cheaper by bypassing it entirely. Pretending otherwise is simply perpetuating a lie. This isn't cynicism, this is a basic truth. We, as a society, pay millions (if not billions) of dollars a year to the insurance industry in the hopes that we'll never have to actually ask for any of it back. And, if we are forced to file a claim, whether or not we actually get what we need is entirely up to them--no matter how much money we've paid into it. The whole purpose of an insurance company is to gather money and pay as little back out as possible. By whatever means it can manage. And all we can do at this point is take it.

From the very beginning of this fight it didn't look good. Our legislators came out on their knees, asking the minority party meekly for something that might, in time, compete with the insurance companies. And in response the right wing freaked the fuck out, the insurance companies hired and fielded an army of agents to disrupt the debate, Republican legislators refused to even discuss it, and the professional pundits started calling it "socialism." When, in the end, the best thing it's likely to gain us is the elimination of "pre-existing conditions?" When it's beginning to look like it might turn into a mandate for every American (rich, poor, and fucking on-the-street homeless) to offer their arm, leg, or throat to the parasite to suckle on? Yeah, that's really fucking progressive. Feed the leech. Or else.

Cynicism? Are you fucking kidding me? Why should any of us be cynical, considering that this is perhaps the most half-assed attempt at reform we've ever seen (not including anything related to campaign finance reform, which is an issue in and of itself where BOTH sides will happily fuck the rest of us while giggling all the way to the bank)?

And considering we keep hearing mutters from the Hill from this Senator or that Senator that they might, maybe, if necessary, be willing to "kill" the Public Option entirely. At the request of the bloated leech at the table, of course. At which point we can only hope Obama's willing to veto the very legislation on which he's staked his whole Presidency.

Yeah, maybe there ARE progressive legislators still fighting for that much, at least. Kudos to them. But at this point it's hard to look at them any differently than we might look at cops who DON'T taser little old men, soccer moms, and epileptic children. We know they're out there, but they sure ain't drawing attention to themselves.

Are we suggesting that some of our congress-critters are corrupt? Well, in the words of Mark Twain--"there is no distinctly native American criminal class save Congress." It seems that the notion isn't a recent development. When those with the most influence over the process, specifically those who have seemingly bent over backwards to protect the leech, have been paid tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions by said parasite, one has to wonder if there might be a conflict of interest somewhere. I mean, what are the chances?

And as far as offering alternatives and ways to fight back, one can only shake one's head and wonder. What can we, as citizens, do that we're not already doing? We write and call our Senators. We write LTTEs. We participate in town meetings, join protest marches, talk to like-minded people and try to get them to do the same. Basically, we can make pains in the ass of ourselves and get told by the likes of Rahm Emmanuel to knock it the fuck off.

Woo hoo. Great fun will be had by all.

If we actively discuss promoting primary challengers to some of these so-called "blue dogs," we're quickly reminded that the Party apparatus controls the process and that unseating an incumbent is next to impossible. That trying to seat an actual progressive in their place is an act of nearly obscene futility.

What's more, it's suggested that maybe we're right wingers in disguise because we have the temerity to question or criticize people who would protect a bloated, overfed leech over sick and injured constituents, and apparently do so without a trace of shame. What's more, we're accused of actively trying to demoralize folks.

Demoralize my ass. We're trying to inflame people, to get them to stand up and be counted. We want them at LEAST as pissed off as those ignorant "death panel" protesters at the Town Meetings. We don't want people to give up, we want them to fight back. We want them to scream their outrage from the rooftops.

We don't want people to assume that our legislators are doing everything they can do, we want them to realize they're doing the LEAST they can do, and acting like even that's expecting too much.

For the last several months I've been trying to tell people how to get the ball rolling on campaign finance reform, offering a specific, viable tactic to change the playing field. And for the past several months I've gotten no traction whatsoever. The fact is, it all starts there. Campaign finance reform is the foundation for every other change we'd like to see pass. It's the cornerstone of real progressive change in our government. But it won't happen unless WE make it happen.

I think what amuses me the most is that I've been called "selfish" for being such a rabid advocate for single payer. When I sit here night after night and read that this person's not able to get the medicine s/he needs, or that person is fighting with the insurance companies about an important procedure, or yet another person has been driven to the point of bankruptcy by medical bills. I've been a proponent of Single Payer since before I knew what to call it, since I was a callow youth who thought himself invulnerable. And even now, when I'm fortunate enough to have very good insurance through my wife's employer, I spend all this energy promoting something that I myself don't need for the sake of all the people who have no insurance, or might as well have no insurance for all the good it's doing them.

I'm glad people are keeping the faith. But don't take it for granted. Don't assume that they're looking out for us. A lot of them aren't. A lot of them are cuddling up to that bloated leech, hoping that IT will help them get re-elected next time around. And it had better, given that if they vote the way they're leaning, they're not going to be getting any help from US.

The last thing we need to be right now is complacent. Don't let the idiots drown out your voice. Not for a second. If they shout, shout louder. This could be the battle of our lives. This could be the battle FOR our lives.

In this fight, the only thing the meek will inherit is a bill for leech food.

updated to fix the