You didn't answer my question; if a candidate runs on a platform of, say, transparency, healthcare reform, and whatever else, isn't it a reasonable expectation on the part of the voter that said candidate will act on that platform?

I mean, really, what's so unreasonable about my question?

-- Timothy3

I did answer your question, but now your changing it. Typical of you. Do you need to be spoon fed?

First Obama never ran on a health are platform, Hillary did.

Obama has acted as he presented his ideas to Congress, and Congress, not the president is is responsible for writing legislation. He has been promoting health care at town hall meetings and on weekly radio address. He has NEVER said he is backing off the public option.

Tranparency. What' is not transparent about health are reform.

Go to Thomas. If your not to lazy you can read the bill. The Senate has not even crafted a bill.

"The President made a BIG mistake in permitting sausage to be made in the House and Senate. Health care reform is his agenda."

It's not the job of the president to write legislation. It is the job of the House and the Senate. Your directing your angst at the wrong branch of government. In fact the president is snot allowed to write legislation.

What makes you think he did not meet with House and Senate leaders and give his outline. He did.

I laughed till I cried at Bill's joke last night about guns, bible and masturbation. I cannot repeat it here.

No one should be allowed to carry a gun except when hunting, target or skeet shooting. Civilized societies do not allow it.

I think anyone who thinks they need to run around with a gun is most likely a very dangerous person.

You are obviously too young to know how government works, and your civil responsibility does not stop a the voting booth. Are you too lazy to write an e-mail or pickup the phone? Besides elected officials represent every person in his or her district, not just you. People voted for Democrats and Obama for different reasons. If you want your voice heard you must do more than vote.

This is the problem with many people... to lazy to participate in the process but have plenty of time to whine and complain.

Your full of s--t on every point.

Frankly you'd be more effective by gathering big truckloads of money to pay for lobbyists and gifts to reluctant Blue Dog Dems. Crowds (mobs) may make the evening news, but are quickly forgotten, while the people who make decisions count their riches and listen to their financial masters' voices.

-- MattBlanc

I have done one on one lobbying on issues directly with representatives. They will tell you time and time again, If they can show that they have gotten an over whelming number of constituents supporting legislation, they will take it to the floor during the discussions. Imagine every Democrat, rolling into the House and Senate floor with file boxes full of emails and letters in support for the public option.

If you read the House bill you will see the public option is included but no defined. It will have to be created after they vote to have one. The House is asking for approval of 2,000,000,000 as a start up funds from treasury funds for the pubic option and a requirement to have at least 90 days of funds available to pay claims. The Senate needs to approve the funds for this in their bill. This is why the Senate Finance committee is balking.

Compared to the money our taxes have been paying BlackWater, the supremest, mercenary crusaders, this is a drop in the bucket.

So an unidentified source says Obama may compromise on the pubic option and Progressives start beating up on Obama after sitting on ther butts and letting the right have a bigget show at town hall meetings. Obama has NEVER said he was abandoning the public option. The nay saying about healht care is mostly coming form the media, and being given legs by progressive blogs.

You should be supporting Obama more than ever and directing you lack of confidence to the Senate leaders who are hinting of back tracking on the public option.

First the Senate has not even introduced any piece of legislation on health care to date. The House has a good bill with a public option. Both the House and Senate(Congress) returns in early September. Everyone should be prepared to lobby their representatives upon there return. Flood the House of Representatives with calls to vote and pass their bill with the public option. Flood the Senate with calls to get some legislation written with support and funding for the pubic option.

This process is going to take months as the bills go back and forth between the House and Senate for mark ups so the lobbying efforts must be kept up. Keep informed by reviewing the bills on the Thomas government site. Right now the House bill is up there. Go look at it