I've had it. I'm done. I have reached my limit on naivete, negativism, kneejerkism, and face-spiting-self-nasal-amputation.
The Netroots community is facing a do-or-die moment. We helped elect--some say were instrumental in electing--a Democratic supermajority in Congress, and Democratic control of the White House. There is nothing the Netroots should not be able to accomplish.
If it wants to.
But too many of got so used to being the opposition during the Bush era that we've forgotten how to do anything but oppose. And too many of us don't understand anything about how to get legislation passed. Put those two things together and you have the ingredients for an epic FAIL.
People need to get a grip. People need to get some perspective. Most of all, people need to understand how to get something done.
This is how it's going down. Unless we fuck it up.
- The House is going to pass a reasonably strong bill with a solid public option.
- The Senate is going to pass a weak bill that Grassley and friends won't filibuster. The reason we need them to not filibuster is not because of President Obama's commitment to bipartisanship. It's because it only takes one Senator from our side to not stick on cloture and we lose everything. And if Kennedy can't be wheeled in, it might not take any.
- It goes to the conference committee.
- The conference committee will produce a bill that is much closer to the House bill than the Senate bill. President Obama will personally parachute in to make it happen, if necessary.
- House passes conference bill by huge majority. All Republicans vote No.
- Senate passes reconciliation bill 51-50, if necessary. Cloture no longer an issue.
Look. All these supposedly needless capitulations are being made where? In the Senate Finance Committee bill that will go on to be the Senate bill. The Senate bill is NOT the final bill. But it is the bill that has to clear cloture.
All this capitulation that everyone is squawking about is just part of the process. The Senate Finance Committee bill's main purpose is to give Grassley and others cover to not vote against cloture. It represents 11-dimensional chess. Not capitulation.
Remember this man?
Like the man said.
Now stop complaining, Get The Fuck Out There to your local Congresscritter's Townhall, and Represent.