You say "There are a lot of reasons for the inevitable failure of Obamacare. Personally, I think the existence of Medicare is a big factor. Senior citizens, the demographic most likely to vote in massive numbers, already has universal health care. They gain nothing from passage of Obamacare. Indeed, they stand to lose, since a lot of the proposal is predicated on "cost savings" from their health program."

Of course Medicare is a big factor. It's huge. Its driving the country into insolvency. Maybe the biggest factor of all is the republicrats fear of telling medicare recipients the truth about what subsidizing medicare is doing to increase the perverse ruinous skewing of the unsustainable cost/pricing structure.

How easy it is for the republicrats from each tribe to work propaganda in this country. For years people have practiced apathy and lost a sense of self governance and will. A majority have been infected with the "gimmees". Each special interest, including medicare recipients demand no change in the status quo irregardless of what is left for secondary matters like education and security. We, as a nation have become nearly as dumb as we want to be.

Republicrat Shumer said on "meet the press" after the last election that it proved that Americans want to be governed. What he really meant was huge federal central planning, a bureaucracy unimaginable to most because for the large part.

Republicrats use propaganda and the media artfully. One side against the other uses mind control in very narrow niche areas. The modern political warriors use propaganda as their favorite weapon.

First, just one example, propaganda has led many to the feeling that medicare is free and a right. Wrong, about the free part. It is by no means free. And a dwindling pool of the most productive Americans pay dearly to subsidize medicare but also a social safety net which apparently has no limit. Republicrats are deathly afraid to put that basic economic fact on the table because it becomes a proaganda tool. Look what has happened to the special interest pool of medicare recipients.

Second, medicare recipients are a powerful special interest maybe even more powerful, in the republicrats eyes at the voting booth than the health care industry profiteers who have trillions of dollars for advertising propaganda but few relative votes in comparison. No special interest want's to lose their gravy train. This puts the republicrats in a serious bind. Which of these special interests might be more powerful at election time.

Third, since all that matters to republicrats is reelection and continuation of their position as Washington royalty they can't afford to tell the truth or address the fundamental perverse incentives in health care including unsustainable subsidies, costs, and pricing. In the world of the republicrat the truth does not set an elected royalty free, it gets them thrown out of office.

So, you are right Flynn, when they come back from their vacation real courageous leadership will be the last thing they think about. However, for purposes of these huge egos they will be compelled to do "something". I believe they will come together for a styling and profiling party to pass a sham health care reform bill which will do nothing effectively but somehow saves their reelection chances.

Fourth, however, this is where I might agree that any reform could be dead. The administration already has a problem with an incredibly ineffective republicrat Congress. They not only started with bad strategy and arrogance but they are burdened by Mr. Durbin and others who have compounded the problem by misreading the nature of the protesters.

Many of the Town Hall protestors he castigates were senior citizens who perhaps were unfamiliar with the way republicats like to play the game. He has called them terrible names like "political terrorists". He says his time is too important to waste on them. Mr. Durbin shot himself in both feet.

Flynn, no are right about the republicrats turning their attention to their own survival after being hammered in the real world. When they return to the safety of "Neverland DC" and assume their magical seats of honor we wont get anything real from them on health care, only more unfunded mandates which add trillions of unconditional cash to our already unsustainable burden.

Another point, regarding the effectiveness of republicrat propaganda many medicare recipients have stated they are fearful of the so-called public option because it leads to the slippery slope of socialism. Guess what, medicare is run by the government. Also guess what, the government allows hospitals and doctors a phony reimbursement rate base set on predatory prices to fund that socialized medical program. Guess again, insurance companies and Doctors already make decisions about what procedures will be provided, in part, based on the age of the patient. There has been a who wins, who loses mechanism in place forever.

All the Americans I know are totally supportive of our President because he is right. Americans will have health care reform this year. Moreover, President Obama is our best president since my hero, JFK. President Obama will get our nation back on track again.

Flynn, you need to quit whining because you lost the 2008 election by a huge margin and you need to quit listening to Beck and Limbaugh. They will take you down the road of disaster and extinction for your party.

You're absolutely wrong if you think those discussions about additional services for terminally ill patients DOESN'T happen right now. Every single insurance company does that right now, using medical professionals to decide the medical necessity of procedures. The big case last year was United Healthcare (I believe) that denied a liver transplant to a young woman who was terminally ill. Even the doctors who suggested the transplant said that it would only prolong her life about 6 months, and that was only about a 60 or 70% chance. Forget for a moment the cost to the insurance company. What about the patient that could have lived another 40 years with that same liver? There is NOT an infinite supply of donor organs.

Look at the other side of that case. The hospital and doctors were pushing the family for this transplant, BUT they refused to do it unless the insurance company agreed to pay their fees. If they believed it was such a necessary surgery, why weren't they willing to waive their fees, do it pro bono? No, they needed to get paid, and the insurance company was being evil for not agreeing to pay.

The 'death panels' are happening right now, every single day, if you included medical necessity reviews. Never for a moment forget that, above and beyond even the profit lines, insurance is designed to reduce the costs of coverage for EVERYONE by spreading those costs out. It's not fair to the other policy holders to make them pay for unnecessary services.

Insurance companies also don't make medical decisions. You can have whatever services you want, you may just have to pay for it. And if enough people don't like it, then the insurance companies will go away and you can just pay whatever the doctors what to charge you for everything from an office visit to a surgery.

Let me know how that works out for ya.....