Christ almighty, does America suck.<fn> We're so politically moribund it's hard to see how anything significant will change without a revolution. Consider the following citation from the column, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/opinion/30krugman.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss" source="New York Times" author="Paul Krugman">The Defining Moment</a>: <bq>For this is the moment of truth. The political environment is as favorable for reform as it’s likely to get. The legislation on the table isn’t perfect, but it’s as good as anyone could reasonably have expected. History is about to be made — and everyone has to decide which side they’re on.</bq> The whole column has the feel of a piece that Krugman wrote in a frenzy, then published without the requisite waiting period of a few hours to let things settle down. After watching the Congress put together the ugliest Frankenstein monster of a bill that they could, Krugman has the gall to throw down the gauntlet? Sure, more people will be covered and sure, now it's too late to actually get a good bill, but, since our Congress <i>sucks</i> and our country <i>sucks</i>, a <i>sucky</i>, <i>shitty</i>, <i>ridiculously expensive</i> bill is the best we could ever have, in retrospect, been realistic enough to hope for. Fuck that. It's completely believable that the deficit won't increase one whit; Krugman is a skilled economist not known for lying or getting his numbers wrong (the claims of his more vehement detractors notwithstanding). But we're only going to save $100 million over ten years? That's about a week or two in Iraq. Whoop-dee-fucking-doo. They could have saved hundreds of <i>billions</i> if they hadn't agreed to pay retail to the pharmaceutical industry or if they'd told the private insurance industry to go bugger themselves. The whole point of envying every other first-world country is that they all have 100% coverage for up to 50% less per person, with much less paperwork and much better outcomes. Instead of getting that, we get to spend only 48%<fn> more than other countries to cover 96% of the populace with more paperwork than today and, hopefully, better outcomes. Truly awe-inspiring. It's not single-payer; in fact, it adds even more payers to the mix than the already monstrously overcrowded pot has today. There will, apparently, be an anemic public option, with no low-price-guarantees (which was the whole <i>fucking</i> point of the public option) and an opt-out clause for states that don't feel like doing it. Or are drowning in so much debt that they can't do it. Which is all fucking 50 of them, so forget even seeing a public option at any point in the near future, even though it would be legally feasible were it to actually make it into the final bill. Which it hasn't yet. So, yeah, Americans might get some near-universal-coverage out of this, which means way more Americans will get health care. So that's good. But, it seems like Congress went out of their way to make it as shitty and expensive as possible just because they <i>know</i> we have to accept it. Krugman's reasoning is that this is the last opportunity to get it done; that if the bill doesn't pass now, it will never happen and those currently uncovered will be left to their own devices (again). Or maybe they'll finally pick up some pitchforks and torches and <i>storm the fucking capital</i>. Christ, we should be storming the fucking capital right now for their ineptitude instead of meekly offering up "you're either with us or against us" crap arguments that one would think would be beneath someone like Krugman. So, push in your chair and pick up your fork, because it's time to do your American duty and eat up that shit sandwich served to you by your betters. Don't forget to smile and tell them how yummy it is or you might not get seconds. <hr> <ft>And no, that's not something that just suddenly happened now that we have a black president for those right-wing nutters who might find themselves nodding in agreement with this article. The author is strongly <i>for</i> single-payer health care, in case that wasn't crystal clear from the context. Neither is the Bush administration solely responsible for this clusterfuck in which we find ourselves. No, the job was started long ago and that's why it's <i>America</i> that sucks because it's <i>America</i>---not the Republicans or the Democrats, though Lord knows they are <i>so</i> part of the problem---that can't get anything done with its tremendous wealth and power except either to kill brown people with it or to trickle it up to the richest 0.1% or most likely both.</ft> <ft>Guessing here because the numbers aren't final yet but, for once, I don't care.</ft>