The Huffington post today has been fussing that the Senate is getting ready to pass health care with a public option without Obama's leadership. It's meant to make Obama come out in support of the public option.
I am becoming convinced that Obama doesn't have to micro manage this issue. He told Congress to come up with a plan. Over the summer it didn't look like they would get one out of committee, the screaming and fussing by the tea baggers and the wingnuts looked like it would be killed. Then a strange thing happened, as the battle lines were drawn it started dawning on the dems that if they caved on this issue they'd be run out of Washington on a rail of public anger.
So a committee passed a plan without a public option. This means the bill will go to the floor for debate. but now Harry Reid (president pro tem) is saying that he has the votes to pass the bill with a public option, and many that were previously opposed to a public option are either wavering or seeing the light.
Speaker of the House, Pelosi has said from the beginning that they would not support a health bill without a public option. The senate is starting to face political reality. Even Paul Krugman is optimistic that health care will be passed.
Obama has played his cards beautifully. Unlike Clinton who tried to pass the legislation from the top down. Obama has told congress to do their job and serve the people. This will not be Obama's bill. He has no fingerprints. This will be a Democratic party bill. (The lone Republican vote, Snowe has said she won't vote for a public option). It will most likely pass without a single Repub vote and the Dems can take all the glory. Just like Social Security and Medicare once it's passed it will turn into a very popular public service that no politician should touch (third rail, the electrified rail in the subway). They're now talking about a trigger for the public option, but the pressure being put on congress now by the grass roots supporters of health reform should keep their feet to the fire and stop this attempt at sleight of hand.
For once I have reason to be optimistic.
6 comments:
I hope you two guys are right.
I thought after all the fuss in August that the Health care bill was a dead issue with or without a public option. That it has gotten this far is amazing to me.
As a Republican I wished they had participated in the formulation of the bills and brought forward some of the ideas they say they had.
The sad thing is, despite their talk, the Republican's are really for the status quo which is not acceptable to lots of people, Republican's included.
Sad for me to see the self gutting of the Republican party. I think the American system works best when both parties participate in the legislative process.
In days gone by Yogi both sides did work together. It wasn't perfect but it worked and some good things were done.
Those days are gone for several reasons probably never to return. I bash those on the right most everyday and it's deserved and the fact of the matter bloggers on the left slam dims just as bad as the other guys if it's deserved.
From what you write it appears there's a chance we could have a conversation about politics and find some things in common.
Again-those days are gone.
The fringe elements of both parties make all the noise. At least for the dems Nader and his nose in the air we're intellectuals and know more about things than the hoi paloi opted out throwing their votes away.
Unfortunately for the repubs their fringe took over and kicked out the moderates. Eventually they'll have to reshape themselves into something viable.
I don't have a clear cut understanding of how everyone can be covered. If a Bill is rushed through without substance, our purposes are not met. I really want to have some clarity about what is covered and by whom. The Veterans in this country are still shamefully deprived of the first-class care they deserve. All Vets should be honored for their service with free care for life. But then, I'm an idealist.
What is an ideal here is reality in most of Europe, Canada and Japan. It's not that much of an ideal and fighting the vested interest of insurance companies and Pharamas.
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