First of all, once again we have to return to the topic of budget reconciliation, a technique which would allow health reform to pass the Senate with a simple majority. The right used it to pass major legislation during the Bush administration — now it’s time for the left to do the same under Obama. The Democrats threatened the use of reconciliation if the right didn’t contribute meaningfully to the debate, and they should be prepared to follow through. The Party of No has yet to suggest any viable alternatives to the Democrats’ plan — they’ve simply thrown out obstruction after obstruction.
Even if the Democrats won’t follow through and use budget reconciliation like they said they would, there are options before simply scrapping the public option. James Carville, for instance, suggested this Sunday that the Democrats force Republicans to actually show their obstruction by actively filibustering the health reform bill:
“What about this?,” Carville said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union, “Suppose they pass a House bill that can get 56 Senate Democrats.” Then, Carville suggested, instead of using reconciliation, a special budgetary maneuver in Senate procedure that frustrate GOP attempts to mount a filibuster, Democrats should call for a vote. “And make [Republicans] filibuster it. But the old kinda way is that they filibuster it and make’em go three weeks and all night and [Democrats] will be there the whole time.
“Then, you say, ‘They’re the people that stopped it. We had a majority of Democrats. We had a good bill. They stopped it.’”
I think this is a great idea, but I foresee a different conclusion. Americans are already sick of watching the struggle to pass health reform; they will be furious watching conservative obstruction. Democrats won’t need to say “They’re the people that stopped it,” because conservative opposition will dwindle in the face of the public’s anger.
The point is, the Democrats shouldn’t be giving up meaningful health reform without a fight. They shouldn’t give in to Republican obstruction when there are ways of still achieving the reform we need.
Reconciliation, yes. This is too important a chance to miss again.
To the naysayers: The democrats have a CLEAR MANDATE (bigger than any that Bush had) to enact the change the people clearly want.
Exactly. They do have a mandate to enact the change the people clearly want.
The problem is that by a 54% to 35% margin, Americans say that passing no health reform would be better than passing the bill making its way through Congress (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/august_2009/54_say_passing_no_healthcare_reform_better_than_passing_congressional_plan).
Once the Democrats align their bill with what the American people want, they can deliver on that incredible mandate they current are blessed with.
It clearly shows the far left only wants a single payer system. Any meaningful reform other than that is not acceptable. Don’t under estimate the Obama administration. They will pursue a back door to manipulate the public.
If I had ANY faith that those who participated in the poll had ANY idea of what is REALLY in the bill (not the misinformation that’s been floated), then I would agree to give the poll results consideration. Until then, public opinion poss are meaningless.
quoting the worst, most republican leaning, issues pollster in the world yet again?
Bravo
Look, historically, and up until about six weeks ago, 70% of Americans favored universal health insurance, with a small majority being willing to pay more to achieve that goal.
now that your ignorant ideological brethren (birther/deathers) have gotten ahold of public discourse, the average fox-news/MSNBC watching douchebags have bought the scream.
It’ just like what happened when the Bush administration screamed from the rooftops that Iraq was involved in 9-11 and 75% of Americans ended up believing it.
It’s fucking pathetic.
Dr. Howard Dean has the best grasp on this issue that I have seen anybody have.
Dr. Zeke Emmanuel has one that I think would make sense to you as well.
Lojasmo,
You are a little harsh sometimes but your observations are accurate and you are absolutely right, this is pathetic. It is painful to observe how easily ignorant people can be manipulated into acting against there own best interests.
The good news is that the game isn’t over. As you pointed out, these numbers mean nothing. They reflect the tyranny of of Big Money and the temporary influence that the mass marketing of lies intended to generate fear and uncertaintly can have. The underlying problem can’t go away. Most of our national treasure has already been stolen. The party of Glen Beck and Rush Limbaugh continues to deconstruct at an even more rapid rate. I will give up and walk away from this process when and if Obama does. I am not expecting that. We will see.
I am willing to compromise, and see other options, but I would like one thing explained to me.
If the best way for corporate insurance to make money is to deny and reject care, how are you going to stop insurance companies getting between me ad my doctor?
No matter what reforms or improvements you make, you cannot get rid of that fundamental flaw in the system. If they can find a way to reject what my doctor orders, they make more money.