1. It’s worth reiterating something Rich and Jeff Anderson have pointed out: The focus on reconciliation in the past few days confuses things a bit. The question in the health-care debate at the moment is whether Nancy Pelosi can get enough of her members to vote for the version of Obamacare that passed the Senate late last year. If the House passes that bill, it will have passed both houses, will go to the president, and will become law. – Yuval Levin, NRO
2. So if, in the end, this process works as the White House wants it to work, it will do so because of core Democratic and liberal beliefs. Republicans and conservatives need to understand that; the political horror faced by every Democrat who does not have an entirely safe seat can be mitigated in part by the belief that there may be enough Democrats who can live their lives proud to have brought this measure to fruition. – John Podhoretz, Commentary
I say it is a win-win. Don’t pass the bill, look like pathetic losers, lose control of the House in November. Pass the bill, outrage the American people, and lose control of the House and the Senate in November.
But there will be jobs and ambassadorships for all the losers. Look at the judge appointment today. Of course, Obama violated a Chicago principle. Don’t pay the bribe until the vote has been cast.
The focus on reconciliation in the past few days confuses things a bit.
This is the same point Judd Gregg has been making in TV interviews — that the issue of reconciliation is a diversion, that once the bill passes the House it’s all over. Repeal is possible, but much more difficult than blocking passage of the thing in the first place.
I think the Democratic leadership is being too clever by half. They assume that the deal will stick if they can somehow force it through. They may be right, but they are assuming that they can make end runs around politial and legislative customs but no one else will. But it could be that getting their bill passed narrowly and by corrupt means would outrage so many of the voting public that repeal would become the main issue in the next elections. We’ll find out soon enough.
finding out later is too expensive. This thing will be almost impossible to repeal once it’s thrown into motion because it immediately creates vast interest groups. It’s too big of a gamble to let this pass.
The vulnerable congressmen are the ones in districts that don’t want the “reform”. Thus, if they are certain that they’ll lose the seat if they vote “yes”, but are uncertain that they’ll lose if they vote “no”, then they are more likely to vote “no” or hold up the process with political grandstanding until the next election in hopes of playing both sides of the fence.
Plus, some are first term congressmen (Jim Himes, for instance) who don’t have enough political political pull to get cushy handouts if they lose the next election.
Democrats don’t passionately want this thing (barring union bosses and their minions who will jump off the cliff like lemmings). Conservatives passionately DON’T want this.
I don’t think it’ll hurt to let congressmen know where you stand. All elections can become national very quickly.
These are the swing votes in the house. If you want to, it wouldn’t hurt to call.
http://www.marklevinshow.com/Article.asp?id=1719897&spid=32364
Jim Himes of CT is also vulnerable.
Thanks for the comments all!
I’m sort of with methinks on this. I think repeal is a very, very bad option, and this bill will so fundamentally alter certain public versus private relationships. I am quite worried, to be honest.
– Madhu