Does anyone believe ...

That any part of the health care system will end up getting "reformed"?

...

And all this confusing chatter around the issue --- which started out with a pretty strong national consensus that the system was broken and that fundamental reform was needed --- plays perfectly into the hands of those who seek to preserve the worst aspects of the status quo and turn the crisis into yet another opportunity to profit at the taxpayers expense. Almost overnight the debate has become all about reassuring people that nothing's going to change.

...

I am seriously doubtful anything decent will come out of Congress. There are too many politicians in Big Health Care's pocket; to many vested interests out there determined to ensure the status quo. The statement above says it all - "nothing's going to change" because it would hit too many rich people in the wallet. From the doctors who make more than baseball players to the insurance and pharmaceutical companies who pad their bottom line under the current system.

Digby closes perfectly:

...

This is just beginning and a lot can happen, but I can't say that it's going very well so far. They took single payer off the table before they even began, so they are starting this negotiation with this public plan option as the leftward position to be bargained away in the inevitable "compromise." The way they're going we'll be lucky if we don't end up with "reforming" Medicare into a private, for profit insurance company.

Indeed. Probably, the status quo might be the best option after all because after everybody gets done fucking around, it'll be worse than it is today.

A little advice for the President. You wanna win on health care? Start releasing the torture photos and direct the Attorney General to begin investigations into the Bush administration. I tell you what, my friend, if you don't cut the Rethugs' legs off first, destroy the influence they have left (and branding them criminals will do it), you'll never get anything meaningful through Congress on the health care front.

Either shove it up their ass or don't bother (none of this half-way "bipartisanship" bullshit) because the Republican Party has made it their mission to make your term in office as difficult as it can be. If you don't grind 'em into the dust, they will continue to throw roadblocks in your way and expect you to 'compromise' to get around them.