[Cross-posted at The Left Coaster.]
My political spirits plummeted a few days ago when word arrived the Congressional August recess was still scheduled. We’re attempting to ward off Great Depression II, two wars are actively being fought and the single most important domestic legislation of the century is before the House: healthcare, finally. So we’re just supposed to whistle off and leave any possible House healthcare momentum to melt in the August sun—if they pass it this month?
It’s another blaring signal to me the healthcare issue is not being taken seriously—the first was the ludicrously stupid decision to give away single payer before starting, and now this ho-hum scheduling. Word should have gone down weeks ago there is no August recess this year, of course not, the healthcare fight is here and we’re winning it that month.
Instead we still have this amazing waffling of ridiculous bipartisanship and, just as amazingly, still coddling of Republicans and lame, stupid strategy in the Senate to adjust to a possible filibuster. Why don’t we have Democratic leaders who slam home a reconciliation bill for healthcare in the Senate and get rid of the outrageous filibuster idea weeks ago? God, it’s a possibility it still might be used.
"We’d like to do it with the votes of members of both parties," the alleged brain trust of the administration said Tuesday. Axelrod is obviously good at winning a national election but, incredibly, still doesn’t understand the Republicans, they will not allow their votes to help Obama.
Obviate the filibuster totally and nix the absurd August recess to take on the healthcare fight.
Fight. You know, it’s been so long since our leadership really had to do it I don’t think they know what it is. It’s disruptive and ugly and hurts, it causes mayhem and breaks rules and leaves wounds, oh yes, and the ones beaten will not like you very much at all. What horrors.
There is no other way to pass meaningful healthcare legislation, the insurance companies and the Republicans must be fought, they’re never going to help us with this. When Obama passes real healthcare he will be another partisan political winner, just like all successful Presidents before him. There is no "new" way, there is no bipartisan way, just the way of the fight. Like it’s always been, this bipartisanship hooey is really getting on my nerves, I’m sick of the naiveté and the snotty condescension for necessary political conflict.
I’m immensely discouraged, with the filibuster still out there (it’s just outrageous, for the love of freaking God, we’ve got Democratic Senators out there to this day chasing Republican votes to stave off a filibuster that will never be held!) and it looks like August will be lost. Strike when the iron is hot, right? Hm.
I suppose I am being disloyal for being so discouraged, and it’s possible I could be failing in my duty by projecting failure. I would so like to write anything else today, truly, but we have to get healthcare passed, and we’re going to have to fight for it. There aren’t any more options, and the Democrats are quickly running out of time to snap to it and take it on.
We simply cannot lose this, either, we might as well not be Democrats anymore if real healthcare can’t passed this year. We’ve got to fight and win and we’re not, how is this possible? Fight and win healthcare in August, get serious, please.