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The Mechanics
« More Tribune Hijinks UAL Workers Contract Negotiations to go to Mediator »

National Politics Sun Aug 09 2009

Capitulation or Savvy?

Over at the Huffington Post there is a painful post up about President Obama's changes in his positions on health care negotiations. Most damning:

Capitulation to special interests? Or "political intelligence" that will get some form of health care reform through?

 
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Dennis Fritz / August 13, 2009 6:22 PM

Obama has handled health care the same way he's nadled a whole slew of issues. He offers lofty, high-minded rhetoric, but chooses the path of least resistence when it comes to policy implementation. Real health care reform is dead. No doubt he sees this approach as being "realistic."

Real health care reform is dead. It died the minute Obama pledged he would not use the bargaining power of the federal government as leverage against large pharmeceutical companies in exhange for their pledge to voluntarily (!) lower drug prices. Are you kidding me? It took a law to get Detriot to do something as commonsensical as putting seat belts in cars. Very sad.

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Feature

Parents Still Steaming, but About More Than Just Boilers

By Phil Huckelberry / 2 Comments

It's now been 11 days since the carbon monoxide leak which sent over 80 Prussing Elementary School students and staff to the hospital. While officials from Chicago Public Schools have partially answered some questions, and CPS CEO Forrest Claypool has informed that he will be visiting the school to field more questions on Nov. 16, many parents remain irate at the CPS response to date. More...

Civics

Substance, Not Style, the Source of Rahm's Woes

By Ramsin Canon / 2 Comments

It's not surprising that some of Mayor Emanuel's sympathizers and supporters are confusing people's substantive disputes with the mayor as the effect of poor marketing on his part. It's exactly this insular worldview that has gotten the mayor in hot... More...

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Mechanics is the politics section of Gapers Block, reflecting the diversity of viewpoints and beliefs of Chicagoans and Illinoisans. More...
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