Republicans and other Americans with common sense deserve a pat on the back today, as the “public option” has been by all but the most leftist of Democrats with the White House saying it is not necessary for reform and even some Democrats declaring it dead. Apparently they finally realized that the protests and resentment towards the plan so widely expressed at town hall meetings was not orchestrated and contrived, they were the real thing. The majority Americans will never be fans of social democracy.
Apparently not a shrewd student of recent political history, President Obama dared to tackle health care reform in his first year in office. He bet much of his political capital on the premise that the over 90% of Americans who already have health insurance would be willing to radically change the system so that everyone can end up with mediocre care. The POTUS and the Democratic Party lost much of its chips on this bet and now Republicans are .
Democrats meanwhile . They say its only the Senate that will not pass a Public Option, that no bill will pass the House without it. James Carville even wants to give Republicans the opportunity to filibuster it because he wrongly believes it will backfire on us. What they all seem to forget is that Democrats have a super-majority in the Senate as well, and the bill still won’t pass because Dems in centrist and conservative know that a vote for a public option is a campaign killer. Howard Dean, the same man who astutely led his party back from irrelevance and into power over two election cycles, by saying, “You can’t really do health reform without [the public option].”
Minus a that didn’t succeed in spoiling the bunch, we can all be proud of the town hall questions and statements made by patriotic citizens. They made Senators and Congressmen who often don’t even know what they’re voting for look silly. They let it be known that this country simply will not go down the path of democratic socialism. They are rightfully incensed with the idea of the on those who oppose their plans. Across the country in surprising unity, they seem to be saying, “Enough is enough!” If Republican leaders have any strategic skill left, they will take advantage of this, ala 1994, and hopefully not let Washington change them this time around.
Last 5 posts by Abel S. Delgado
- Let’s Support the Cantwell-McCain Bill - January 6th, 2010
- Deeds Gets Dirty, Doesn’t Win Anyway - November 2nd, 2009
- Obama & The Berlin Wall - October 25th, 2009
- The Nobel Prom King - October 11th, 2009
- Bureaucratizing Interrogations a Horrible Idea - August 28th, 2009
Many things can happen in a year. I would like to see this lead to a Republican resurgence, particularly since there are positive signs of rebound in the GOP and the wider conservative movement. However, I’m not convinced that this debate will be the harbinger of the change sought. 2010 is still a year away. Let’s first win the governorships in New Jersey and Virginia this year. By this time next year, the economy may well have recovered, and the health care debacle of 2009 likely will have faded out of mind.
Republicans are right to challenge Democrats on the policy questions of our time. However, oppostion with no alternative will not have served the interests of the Party or the country long term. I am pleased to see that Republicans are talking about possible avenues for reform which actually address the problems of the current system. Unfortunately, I anticipate that many will read the death of the public option the wrong way. The road to victory in 2010 will not stop in 2009, regardless of whatever successes manifest this year.
Why can’t just those why pay taxes get health benefits…how b’out that Obama and the rest of the health care reform starters??? NO seriously, this I could be in favor of, but not just letting any old person that comes to America, even the illegal’s to get health care and our taxes go up the roof???? No, sure, I will cont. to fight this…
HR 3200, for now, would not allow illegal aliens to be eligible for enrollment in the public option. THere are many things wrong with the bill, but endorsing illegal immigration is not one of its faults. Although, in a way, its failure to address the costs to hospitals and the insured of illegal immigration contribute to the correct notion that said bill is fiscally irresponsible.