|
Passing any kind of reform is the only thing that can save the Democratic party for the next election cycle. Once this gets passed, Democrats can hang their hats on being able to change things in Washington—even if the bill changes almost nothing compared to what it should have—and can run their campaigns on a continuation of "change". If the Democrats lose, it will be a political disaster of grand (I refuse to say "epic") proportions, and could lead to centrist Republicans making gains in November.
The funny part of this whole thing is how polling is being used by the obstructionists to somehow justify their abhorrent and disloyal behavior. "75% of Americans are agains ObamaCare". Really, Fox News? Did, as dippin point out, they actually read the bill? No? So the only source of theirs on information from this bill is from Fox News itself? Does your hand get cramped from all that circle-jerking?
If I were a GOP strategist, you know what I'd be doing right now? I'd be positioning my Senator or Congressman to step across the aisle and vote yes. I'd send him or her all over Fox News to interview with Beck and ORLY and Hannity and on to talk radio to talk with Limbaugh and such, touting about how my representative managed to get Republican ideas into the bill despite heavy resistance from the "leftist" Obama administration. I'd talk about Republican ideas like undercover fraud-spotters for Medicare, the $500m for tort reform, and the plan being budget neutral. I'd present my representative as a David, facing off against the Goliath of the Democratic majority and doing whatever needed to be done to legislate Republican principles. My rep would win in a landslide in his or her district or state and would no doubt pave the way for a presidential run in a few terms as a maverick or as bipartisan. Now would be the best time in the last 30 years to create a stand-out Republican persona.
But they won't do that because the insane far right thinks President Obama is the second coming of Hitler or some such nonsense, making compromise all but impossible to the ignorant cowards.
|