how many people will show up with a cashier's check for $10K?

I am starting to think that the whole health care plan was scuttled early on, and all the drama is just that...drama.

It should have been but ONE facet (of 4)of a real stimulus bill ...in FEBRUARY, and it should have been Medicare for all people , with a cessation of employer-assisted health care.

Facet #2 of the stimulus should have been the nationalization and re-regulation for the "big" banks/financial institutions, for 2 years, during which a FULL audit and inspection (attic to sub-basement) would have been done..and results published....followed by prosecution of CEOs...That would have reinstated faith in banking.

Facet #3 should have been an immediate revocation of all "tax-cuts" given in the last 12 years, and a return to a saner tax policy...with one exception. LOWER tax rates for people earning less than 100K

Facet #4 should have been a lowering of interest rates/cram down for people who were stuck with houses suddenly devalued by 30% or more (for maybe 5 years or so)...computers could have easily handled this, and a simple letter notifying these folks would have been easy.. "your new house payment is $....." would have sufficed, and would have kept millions of people in their houses, paying payments.

Dithering, dickering, dawdling, and dribbling, has only made the problems last longer, made the people madder, and in the end, we'll emerge with a shiny new bubble, all ready to pop in another 10-15 years..

The really scary thing is this.. Abortion, immigration, gay rights, were all issues that were diligently sidetracked during the election cycle, but now that Obama is president, they are all back, in a BIG way, and will be inserted into every bit of legislation he tries to pass.

His opponents were as afraid as he was, of using them in the campaigns (except in a dog-whistle-y way), but all bets are off now, thanks to the teabag people, and all the new right wing groups that are forming. They did not dare to attack Obama much when they knew he "might" win, but now that he has, they can finally "speak their minds".

They can trot out all their old issues, like trusted old friends, not seen for a while, and can attach those old friends to any issue they choose..and then they can beat the president about the head and shoulders with those old issues...and they can even get some help, with the likes of Lieberman, Nelson, Landrieu and others like them.

Congress has seen the balance sheet..they KNOW they have spent us into oblivion, and they also know that what money is coming in via taxes, is money THEY want and need for their own special issues. They all have health care for themselves and their families..they all make enough to live on...they have cushy jobs just waiting for them when they do get beaten, or decide to "spend more time with their families".

Status Quo is their goal, and even though they mouth the words of change, occasionally, they fear it, and will do whatever it takes (as a group) to maintain their old pal, Status Quo.