It's Not Always Gratifying Being Right
We are living in very interesting times. Noticing my consternation with the health care debate the other day, my wife asked how I thought it was going. Comfortably entrenched in opposite ends of the political spectrum we rarely talk politics so I was a little surprised she even asked.
I said, "well, in spite of all the acrimony of August I like how it is shaking out. There's a certain pride in ownership and validation when ones predictions come true".
"And?"
"I predicted a train wreck."
We have resumed our "don't ask don't yell" policy.
It is very telling when a party in the White House and majorities in both houses of Congress determine that prolonging the debate and calling the minority obstructionist, among many less charitable names, is more prudent than actually passing their proposed legislation. The political calculus involved here is way beyond even my hopelessly cynical mind.
Seems to me if they were truly sincere about their health care proposal it would be damn the bipartisanship full speed ahead. The operative word here is sincere, and in this case, if sincerity weren't so lacking the Democrats should be able to muster the courage to enforce their alleged convictions. Why don't they?
Quite simply they have painted themselves into a very uncomfortable corner, one that pits their true ideology against their political self-preservation, the latter of which, pitifully, always prevails in today's Washington. Here we find a rare instance of consistency in liberal thinking; where they just as readily abandon their ideology to keep their seats as they abandon it by mouthing conservative platitudes to attain them.
Ideology without principle is power for power's sake. Nice to see that axiom laid bare for all to see. It's also nice to have an alternative media facilitate the viewing. That the traditional media is simultaneously hemorrhaging readers, viewers, and stockholders is just a bonus.
That's all well and good as far as politics goes but now Democrats have the hubris, in their calls for bipartisanship, to ask the folks they vilified as the party of no, whose many concerned constituents were labeled unAmerican, Nazis, brownshirts, tea-baggers, and racists (all the stuff they used to called Bush basically) to join them and give them cover. I'm not so sure about hope, but that sure takes audacity to new heights.
I've decided I'm going to borrow a page from my conservative "purist" friends playbook, you remember the ploy; McCain would be no better so stay home and let Obama win, on the assurance he would screw everything up so bad even Republicans will look good by comparison next time. It all boiled down to casting a vote of confidence in our resiliency on the hopes any damage would be reversible. I disagreed and am on the record as saying we should give Obama the benefit of the doubt. That said, that theory is looking more prescient every week.
So, in that spirit I'm going on record to say I truly want the Democrats to prevail on the heath care debate, public option in tact. I call on them to show some true leadership, exert their power, force it through both houses on strict party lines, and send it the White House for signing.
Please. Make my day. Make history. And make the Democrat party history while you're at it.
They won. They have the votes. The only thing they don't have is the guts. If their plan had merit they wouldn't be so intimidated and they might even be able to sell to their own party. If it were more about saving health care than serving pet constituencies like trial lawyers and unions, and subsequently saving their own political hides, health care reform would be law by now.
Another prediction; Nothing remotely similar to HR3200 will pass - - and the only success those with all the reins of power will have is in blaming their opponents for their failure. Welcome to the bizarro sausage factory.
I said, "well, in spite of all the acrimony of August I like how it is shaking out. There's a certain pride in ownership and validation when ones predictions come true".
"And?"
"I predicted a train wreck."
We have resumed our "don't ask don't yell" policy.
It is very telling when a party in the White House and majorities in both houses of Congress determine that prolonging the debate and calling the minority obstructionist, among many less charitable names, is more prudent than actually passing their proposed legislation. The political calculus involved here is way beyond even my hopelessly cynical mind.
Seems to me if they were truly sincere about their health care proposal it would be damn the bipartisanship full speed ahead. The operative word here is sincere, and in this case, if sincerity weren't so lacking the Democrats should be able to muster the courage to enforce their alleged convictions. Why don't they?
Quite simply they have painted themselves into a very uncomfortable corner, one that pits their true ideology against their political self-preservation, the latter of which, pitifully, always prevails in today's Washington. Here we find a rare instance of consistency in liberal thinking; where they just as readily abandon their ideology to keep their seats as they abandon it by mouthing conservative platitudes to attain them.
Ideology without principle is power for power's sake. Nice to see that axiom laid bare for all to see. It's also nice to have an alternative media facilitate the viewing. That the traditional media is simultaneously hemorrhaging readers, viewers, and stockholders is just a bonus.
That's all well and good as far as politics goes but now Democrats have the hubris, in their calls for bipartisanship, to ask the folks they vilified as the party of no, whose many concerned constituents were labeled unAmerican, Nazis, brownshirts, tea-baggers, and racists (all the stuff they used to called Bush basically) to join them and give them cover. I'm not so sure about hope, but that sure takes audacity to new heights.
I've decided I'm going to borrow a page from my conservative "purist" friends playbook, you remember the ploy; McCain would be no better so stay home and let Obama win, on the assurance he would screw everything up so bad even Republicans will look good by comparison next time. It all boiled down to casting a vote of confidence in our resiliency on the hopes any damage would be reversible. I disagreed and am on the record as saying we should give Obama the benefit of the doubt. That said, that theory is looking more prescient every week.
So, in that spirit I'm going on record to say I truly want the Democrats to prevail on the heath care debate, public option in tact. I call on them to show some true leadership, exert their power, force it through both houses on strict party lines, and send it the White House for signing.
Please. Make my day. Make history. And make the Democrat party history while you're at it.
They won. They have the votes. The only thing they don't have is the guts. If their plan had merit they wouldn't be so intimidated and they might even be able to sell to their own party. If it were more about saving health care than serving pet constituencies like trial lawyers and unions, and subsequently saving their own political hides, health care reform would be law by now.
Another prediction; Nothing remotely similar to HR3200 will pass - - and the only success those with all the reins of power will have is in blaming their opponents for their failure. Welcome to the bizarro sausage factory.
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