August is the crazy month of American Politics. When most of the gainfully employed are on vacation, second string bloggers and professional town hall screamers dominate the news. It was in an August that Conditt and Chandra made the news. Even at the height of the campaign last August we got the people thought Obama is Kenyan and..Sarah Palin.
So this has been the summer of our discontent over health care. The people who scream "Take Your Guvmint Hands Off My Medicare" and those on the opposite margin want to "Bring Down The Hammer on Steny Hoyer" are center-stage. But let us remember one thing: we have a majority in both the Senate and the House; and the Presidency. And we are quite likely not to have this is in 2011.
In short, time is up. In September we must pass health care. With or without the Republicans. Use Reconciliation. Use the "Nuclear Option" and kill the filibuster. Do whatever it takes. If we don't do it now, we will not have a chance for another fifteen years. Fight for the public option, but be ready to compromise with other Democrats.
It is foolish to draw a line in the sand and say we will not vote for a Bill without X or Y. The time for that sort of negotiating position is over. It is time to bring the Democratic Coalition together.
Pres. Obama has wisely left the haggling over legislation to Congress. He will soon take stock of the situation and announce what he will support. It will be carefully calibrated to hold the Democratic Party in the House and Senate together.
There is no longer any reason to make concessions for Republicans, even moderate ones. It simply is not in their interest to make a deal. If they get some sops, they would be minor: not enough to neutralize the angry reaction from their base for voting for a "democrat" Bill. Much better for them to tie the negotiations up in knots until the Primary season is upon us. And then attack Democrats from Republican-leaning districts so they will defect.
The way we got the majority is by winning several Districts that lean Republican. Those Freshmen are worried: the longer we delay the vote, the harder it will be for them to vote for true reform.
In any case the best guess is that we will lose some seats in Congress. There is, according to Nate Silver (Poblano on DKos) a thirty three percent change that we will lose the majority in the next election. Why not push for the best bill we can get now? If we lose some seats over it, why not? We would have accomplished major reform. Fulfilled promises made during the 2008 campaign. The country will not be the same again.
It is only by risking losing the majority that we stand any chance of maintaining it. If we waver, or lose a historic opportunity, by fighting internally over minutiae, we will definitely lose. By seizing the opportunity and toning down the internecine attacks on Party Leaders, we can pass historic reform. And make a case to the American People that we did what we promised to do and ask for them to re-elect us.
Time for the Majority to stay united and rule. Time for the vocal minorities within the Party to tone down their rhetoric. Do not spook the wavering Freshmen Democrats. No need to "Bring Down The Hammer" on fellow Democrats at this late stage of the negotiating process.
Let today be the last day of the crazy season.