Why stake out a losing position to begin with? him

Democrats could\should stop talking about the Bush tax cuts. When do we start talking about what a reasonable tax is?  How about a 50, 60, 70 or 75% top rate with 20 tax brackets. Not 6 brackets....we used to have 67. This country worked its way out of the Depression, won WW2, won the cold war with 60% to 94% to rates. Defending the Bush tax cuts expiration is a stunning defeat in the battle of ideas.

Obama, Moveon.org and a number of dem organizations seem hung up on defending positions that are untenable and then compromising their fundamental values away, and now the republicans have a majority in the house. 

The Senate HCR Act of 2009, starting to look good?

10,000 new Community Health Centers:

A $10 billion investment in Community Health Centers, expected to go to $14 billion when Congress completes work on health care reform legislation, was included in a final series of changes to the Senate bill unveiled today. Can you say "When do we break ground on 10,000 new Community Health Centers?".

For all the Doom and Gloom in the liberal blogosphere self avowed Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders is pretty darn happy, after all it seems Bernie just got Vermont style health care for the rest of the nation.

Katrina Vanden Heuvel wrote for The Nation on one important aspect of the Senate bill.

"These non-profit, community-based facilities provide primary health care, dental care, mental health services, and low-cost prescription drugs on a sliding scale," the blog added. "Sanders made sure that a $10 billion increase in funding for the health centers was included."

45 million Customers Served:

The House bill provides $14 billion in funding for the federal health centers and service corps. Sanders says that indications from the White House and Democratic leadership are that there is a "good chance" the final bill will do the same. That would translate to health centers in 10,000 more communities throughout America within 5 years, and increase the number of people served by over 100 percent, to 45 million.

Read Katrina Vanden Heuvel's whole blog here.

The Healthcare Step One Act of 2009

Howard Dean was apparently on MSNBC, saying pass the bill

With Krugman, Nate Silver and Dean all on board its a done deal. Its The Healthcare Step One Act of 2009, its not what I envisioned, not remotely what I hoped for. And an excellent reason to hope Ned Lamont runs again. (Think of the need for more progressives in office, not about Joe Lieberman).

This was the first major legislative battle in the Obama era, and really was our first opportunity to see the opponents Order of Battle as employed in the Field, and we learned from that. WE need serious financial reform, and tax fairness (@ least a 60% top rate), Employee Free Choice Act, etc..

Now lets take what we've learned and do better.