Reforming the nation’s health insurance and care system is a massive undertaking, and not something accomplished quickly, especially with Republicans working to sabotage the effort every step of the way.
Even so, it’s critically important for President Obama and congressional Democrats to get cracking on this at something better than the speed of continental drift.
First, if Democrats are to have any hope of benefiting in the November election for delivering on their health care reform promise, it will be important for voters to see at least some previously without insurance being able to sign up for affordable coverage.
Second, the more people signed up for health insurance before Republicans regain control of Congress and/or the White House, the less able Republicans will be to gut or repeal health care reform. And, if you saw MSNBC’s Countdown last night, you’re aware of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., threatened repeal the first chance Republicans get.
McConnell: Every election in America this fall will be a referendum on this issue. And there’s an overwhelming likelihood that every Republican candidate will be campaigning to repeal it. The Democratic leaders are misleading their members and suggesting to them that somehow by approving this, they will get it behind them. Approving it guarantees that it will be ahead of them.
Unidentified reporter: If, in the chance that Republicans regain control of Congress, would that be something, though, that you would, as a potential majority leader, would pursue?
McConnell: Well, I’m not going to predict the outcome of the fall election. Many of you tried in other encounters to get me to put a number on that. We hope to be in a better position next year than we are now. And I think all of our candidates will take their campaign commitment seriously and try to enact them.
So far, Democrats seem absurdly unaware of the need for speed. Their mating-porcupines act leading to an up-or-down, simple-majority vote apparently won’t take place until after the much-revised compromise legislation has been scored for costs and savings by the Congressional Budget Office. That will take several weeks.
To make matters worse, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, doesn’t seem to be in sync with the White House about timing.
While Obama said he wanted action within a few weeks, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., seemed to hint a final outcome could take far longer. “We remain committed to this effort and we’ll use every option available to deliver meaningful reform this year,” he said.
A week or two ago, Reid indicated this ordeal would be over with by Easter. Now, it’s just “this year”?
We increasingly get the impression top-level Democratic officeholders have forgotten more than they ever knew about politics, about the need to look as though they know what they’re doing, and the importance of producing results in something approaching a timely manner.
That doesn’t apply to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. There’s good reason to believe if she was president, names would’ve been taken, butts would’ve been kicked, Republicans would’ve been left wondering what hit them, and health care reform would have been a done deal well before Christmas.
I have probably said this before, but Harry Reid must be one hell of a mover and shaker behind closed doors, but on camera he comes across as being anything but. We can only make our opinions on what we see, and when it comes to Reid as a leader, I see nothing.
But he’s got those cool glasses.
Molasses in the dead of winter. Unless it’s for blowing stuff to smithereens.
Congressional Democrats might not care about us, but they certainly care about their careers. Hopefully they’ll figure out soon that if they don’t get it in gear yesterday, they’re gonna get voted out in November.
I think politicians’ oblivion in general is a result of their sheltered lives full of perks. They’re like those infuriating drivers who go 40 in the left lane while they’re texting, eating, fixing their hair, changing the CD…
Holte, I’ve worked with people who did a good job but had a way of not looking particularly good doing it. I’ve worked with people who looked really on top of things, but often were not. I’ve heard and read Reid is effective away from the cameras and bright lights. I have no way to know for sure. Going by results, even considering he like Obama was dealt a tough hand, something is left to be desired.
Randal, I don’t think Reid is a war hawk. Do you, really?
Tom, I think most congressional Dems do care about us. I think most are highly frustrated. I also think a few are too intent on playing their own games, and that others need to make life really rough for them until they knock it off and stop pulling against the team. The names Nelson, Lincoln, Landrieu and Stupak leap to mind. And yes, they all need to get it in gear; there’s no time to waste.
Healthcare should have been rammed through last summer during the height of the tea parties. They blew it, big time, in timing.
There are a few congressional dems who do give a shit – and they’re the ones who need to take the ones who don’t out into the back alley of the Capital building and knock some sense into them…literally.
Bee, I love your fighting spirit. I wish you’d bottle some and take it across the river, to where it’s needed. However, I’m sure you’re speaking figuratively about “knocking sense into them.”
Bee did you forget? Congress wasn’t in session when the tea partys were happening. I’m beginning to think that we’ll have to solve the health care problem ourselves. How you might ask? By setting up a non profit health insurance agency.
Knock sense into them? No vote them out.
Nope, SW, I really want to see Weiner and Grayson drag a couple of those old “got mine” blue dog bastards out into the back alley and wale on them for a little bit. Hey, it was a regular occurrence right before the Civil War
…it will be important for voters to see at least some previously without insurance being able to sign up for affordable coverage.
If such a thing as affordable coverage exists, we can be sure congress won’t find it.