President Obama warned Democrats in Congress today not to "jam" a health care reform bill through now that they've lost their commanding majority in the Senate, and said they must wait for newly elected Massachusetts Republican Scott Brown to be sworn into office.He won't even fight for his own agenda anymore.
"Here's one thing I know and I just want to make sure that this is off the table: The Senate certainly shouldn't try to jam anything through until Scott Brown is seated," the president said. "People in Massachusetts spoke. He's got to be part of that process."Brown's part of the process will be to vote no. What part is there to play? If Obama will not fight for health care, then the carnage in 2010 for the Dems will be absolutely brutal. And he's already spewing GOP talking points in response in less than 24 hours.
My God. Josh Marshall shares an e-mail from a Senate staffer:
The worst is that I can't help but feel like the main emotion people in the caucus are feeling is relief at this turn of events. Now they have a ready excuse for not getting anything done. While I always thought we had the better ideas but the weaker messaging, it feels like somewhere along the line Members internalized a belief that we actually have weaker ideas. They're afraid to actually implement them and face the judgement of the voters. That's the scariest dynamic and what makes me think this will all come crashing down around us in November.And the resulting collapse is at this point near total among Democrats in Congress. Everyone is saying "We can't pass healthcare reform because..." and fill in the blank: We need GOP support, the people sent us a message, we have to wait for Brown to be seated, etc...but every single statement from a Dem today features some excuse for why health care reform cannot be passed now.
I believe President Clinton provided some crucial insight when he said, "people would rather be with someone who is strong and wrong than weak and right." It's not that people are uninterested in who's right or wrong, it's that people will only follow leaders who seem to actually believe in what they are doing. Democrats have missed this essential fact.
November will be utter devastation.
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2 comments:
Bill Clinton hit the nail on the head with the comment that people would rather be with someone who is strong and wrong than weak and right. The Democrats pretend to be the progressive voice of the people when they need to get elected but as soon as they are in they inevitably go back on their campaign promises. This crap health care "reform" bill that is a sop to the insurance companies reminds me in many ways of Bush's medicare reform bill. Like it was a gift to the drug companies (hell, it was written by them) this bill is a gift to the insurance companies. Both bills had some good points but for the most part are bad bills. The voters of Massachusetts from what I understand have a state run health plan that comes close to universal and were justifiably concerned about a bill that they did not understand very well, was not explained well to them and figured it would cost them more than they would gain from it. Now Obama says he wants to go slow on this bill because of the vote and to bring Brown into the process! How dumb is this guy! The only input Brown will give is a loud no to any reform. Obama doesn't get this? After wasting all this time on a futile bipartisan effort that has succeeded only in derailing his momentum-momentum that he will not get back he still wants to reach out and touch someone? Unbelievable! As usual the Democrats look timid and afraid of their own shadow and appear to lack convictions and more importantly a willingness to fight for those convictions. If they are this quick to give up on the bill then it would appaer the bill was not that good to begin with. This is how it looks to the average American anyway. I believe the bill is flawed and I would not shed any tears if it goes down the toilet however if Obama and Dems really believe in this then fucking fight for it you wimps! Obama is becoming the nightmare I feared he would be. A weak vacillating president with no real convictions and just as important no fight. Barack Obama meet Jimmy Carter. Remember him? A one term president.
Like a lot of people smarter than I am have been saying, there's a path forward: trade quick passage of the Senate bill in the House with a vastly improved bill including the public option in Senate reconciliation.
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