Kevin Drum over at
Political Animal has an
interesting post up criticizing the DLC's
Healthcare plan. But Kevin's main point is much more interesting.
Pick it up on the flip.
Let me be clear: I don't underestimate the political difficulty of getting universal healthcare enacted. I don't underestimate how long it will take. But if there's anything the Democratic Party ought to be united on, it's the principle of loudly and enthusiastically endorsing universal healthcare as a goal. [Emphasis in original.]
Can the progressive blogosphere be the engine that brings this issue to the front of the progressive agenda and strategy for winning elections?
So how about it, blogosphere? It's great that we endorse good candidates and help get them funding, but how about also making a difference in the policy arena and insisting that candidates publicly endorse universal healthcare if they want our help in the future? After all, not only is it a big, meaty, progressive goal, but it's one that we all agree on, not one that we fight over. We don't have to pick any particular plan, and we shouldn't expect anyone to commit electoral suicide over it. But we should at least insist that anyone who wants our help has to support simple, genuine, full-blown universal healthcare as a goal -- and that they do it publicly. That's how Grover Norquist turned the Republican Party into the "Tax Cuts Forever" Party, and it worked pretty well.
The whole thing is worth a read.