When The Pendulum Swings
December 16th, 2009 by 
Kevin
Fresh off their public humiliation at the hands of Lieberman, Obama and the Democrats were able to announce they are close to victory.
President Obama, surrounded by Senate Democratic leaders, said today “we are on the precipice” of major health care changes, though “there are still some differences that have to be worked on.”
Those differences over items such as abortion coverage and publicly funded insurance plans should not prevent the Senate from passing a package Americans need, Obama said after meeting with the 60-member Senate Democratic caucus.
On the service it appears the pendulum has swung to the Democrats. But the thing about Newton’s First Law is that it wasn’t drafted by Congress and therefore tends to be free of loopholes, and it certainly appears that they pendulum is continuing to swing into the fever swamp where bitterness is running high.
By modifying the bill to appease moderates, liberal Democrats are faced with the loss of their precious public option and their best chance at socialized health care, and now they are the ones jumping ship and joining the Republicans. And the roll call of those picking up their marbles and going home is a Who’s Who of the liberal feverswamp. Howard Dean has declared that without the public option it’s best to start over in the House. Senator Roland Burris, who bought Obama’s former seat, has declared his opposition to anything that doesn’t have a public option. The Daily Kos has declared defeat at the hands of insurance companies. The Congressional Progressive Caucus has declared this opposition to anything without a public option and promise to oppose it.
With ObamaCare under attack from both sides, it appears likely that at the very least this bill will not be passed by Christmas. The only thing bipartisan about this bill is the hatred for it. Which, at best, makes it a political liability in an election year. Barring a major shift in opinion, this bill appears destined for defeat, which is the best thing that could happen to it. In that case, whether the electorate forgives the Democrats is the remaining unknown.
[Crossposted at True North]
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3 Comments »
December 16th, 2009 at 7:38 am
Here’s the problem: If Harry Reid can take out enough objectionable crap to get all 60 Democrats aboard, he can end debate and then easily pass his bill with 51 votes. All the moderates can jump ship and try to save their skins, and Reid still gets his 51. Then it goes to conference with the House, all the objectionable stuff goes back in, and comes back to the Senate where this re-animated Frankenstein redux needs only 51 votes, again. And that’s the worst of all worlds. Now is the time to, as Republicans are continuing to do, focus fire on EVERY objectionable piece of this thing, and prevent Reid from getting his 60 votes. It’s the only chance to kill this thing, and the worse thing that Pelosi has concocted.
December 16th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Yes but reconciliation takes time as well, and there are a lot of steps that have to happen first. Second, it’s seen as a backdoor method to passing legislation.
So that takes us well into an election year. And the election is contentious enough without Democrats being seen as trying to back door legislation that’s already unpopular.
I think reconciliation is rapidly becoming unpalatable.
December 16th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
I wasn’t talking about reconciliation, but about a bill coming out of conference. My understanding is that it only requires 51 votes to pass, no amendments allowed. Maybe there are still 60 votes needed to end debate on the whole magilla?
BTW, did you catch Coburn’s play on the Senate floor today, requesting a reading of the 700-page Sanders amendment, and the naked breach of Senate Rules Reid used to have the motion withdrawn? He won’t be able to do that with the full bill.