Imho, it is the actual left that opposes that marriage, and explains a lot of the division in our government today--there are a few true leftists around still, and they are despised by the plutocracy. The right has barely even tried to make a pretense about not being in bed with business.
I am well aware neocon Bush and senile neocon McCain are on the same side of this issue as Obama and Pelosi. Which is why middle class America gets fucked no matter who wins. I will add, however, that the last amnesty did not go through only because there was a majority of Republicans in congress at the time and most Republicans still think immigration law should be enforced. The main difference between McCain and Obama is that McCain would probably have bombed Iran by now, starting World War III, while Obama is only *thinking* about it. I voted for Ron Paul in the primaries, the only honest politician in Washington, D.C. In the general election I am proud to say that I did *not* vote for McCain and I did *not* vote for Obama.
Regarding Obama on the matter of health care, let us not forget that he said he would try to get things done by way of bipartisan agreement. And as the world has seen, the Republican interpretation of bipartisan simply means doing it their own way. In the interest of both substance and form, I think it was essential for Obama to have extended his hand in the spirit of cooperation. Now that his repeated attempts have fallen on intentionally deaf ears, the time has come for him to do the necessary and act in accordance with his campaign promises because that is what he was voted in to do. I hope that he and the Democrats can muster the resolve. As for a good deal of the remainder of the Democrats, there is no question that getting agreement from them is like herding cats, which is unfortunate. In contrast, the Republicans, not unlike lemmings, act as one and in unison. There is less thinking than there is following. Such a force is difficult to overcome despite the proximity of cliffs and such. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.
Do you seriously believe that an issue that for decades has only been supported by one party would receive bipartisan support? Your great expectations wildly conflict with the system of democracy. Maybe you should jump back into your fantasy world and start a new political system?
How many top execs from healthcare related entities, like insurers or pharmas, and their large equity holders, do we have right now, either lobbying our government full time, lining government pockets, promising post-retirement board chairs, or actually occupying government seats? Because it would only take a few to make one question the legitimacy of the democratic method, particularly in these closely fought battles.
Have the Democrats actually accomplish anything? - In 1854 the main Democratic leader in the Senate, Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois, pushed through the Kansas-Nebraska Act. ... it established that settlers could vote to decide to allow or not allow slavery. - Under FDR, the Democratic Party became identified more closely with modern liberalism, which included the promotion of social welfare... - President Roosevelt authorized the internment of tens of thousands of American citizens of Japanese ancestry and resident aliens from Japan. Rooseveltâs Executive Order 9066, dated February 19, 1942 - Harry Truman ordered "the bomb" be used on Japan - JFK Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile crisis - LBJ "Great Society" legislation, Gulf of Tonkin Incident and the escalation of the Vietnam war - Jimmy Carter (that pretty well says it all) - During President Bill Clinton's term, the Congress balanced the federal budget for the first time since the Kennedy presidency, NAFTA, House of Representatives impeached Clinton on two charges - Al Gore "invents" the internet and later MMGW - Nazi Pelosi <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_MGT_cSi7Rs&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_MGT_cSi7Rs&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ivmL-lXNy64&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ivmL-lXNy64&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hxMInSfanqg&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hxMInSfanqg&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/t_9Jrgo5E2Y&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/t_9Jrgo5E2Y&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9HQWk1Wp3L4&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9HQWk1Wp3L4&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>