The "greed, lies, and gullibility" crowd have had quite a run. They've dominated the headlines and cable shows for nearly a week, and now a deranged micro-minority seems set to undermine the will of the American people thanks to the miserable capitulation of cowardly Senate Democrats.
It ain't gonna happen, but get ready for the fight of your lives. The backlash against right-wing greed, lies, and gullibility is going to cost the conservative movement much more than they'd hoped to win. Payback is a bitch.
[More below - please rec - thanks]
THE WILL OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
Back in June polling showed that Over 70% of the American people supported a public option as a part of sweeping Health Insurance industry reforms. The right had to respond or die, and respond they did, but consider the background.
In 2008, America elected a Democratic president, with 70 seat majority in the House and 60 seats in the United States Senate. That president ran, on a platform which included Universal Health Care as a primary pillar. He was elected in a massive landslide.
LEADERLESS REACTIONARIES
The power of this victory terrified the right, from their mouth-breathing racists to their slack-jawed ministers of greed. While those of us who make up the American mainstream - this center-left super majority (somewhere between 60 and 70% of the American people) - settled in to enjoy our fifth term of the FDR administration, the wackjobs and the masters of the universe set in to undo what America had done.
They built on the momentum of the anti-stimulus, tea parties, (note Democrats save America from Republican-Created financial disaster and Republicans scream and wail). They went on to promote, psychotic lies about killing grandma, and created a whole new FOX incentive program rewarding the most unhinged believers with airtime.
A FANTASY DIES, A NEW ERA BEGINS
But here's the point that you just can't miss: Democrats don't need a single Republican vote to pass Health Reform with a public option. Let's say this again.
Democrats don't need a single Republican vote.
That's right. The public option has already passed 3 House Committees, the full House, and one in the Senate. As long as any bill, any bill, survives the Senate, it can be marked up in the Budget process after October 13 in a process called "Reconciliation" on a simple majority vote - only 50 Democrats needed.
Before the birthers declared war on American Democracy and began shutting down Town Hall Meetings, reconciliation was considered politically risky. Democrats would have to defend a costly program without Republican support. Now Reconciliation is not risky, it's the only way to see the will of the American people through.
So, make no mistake, America will have Health Insurance Reform. It will happen this year, and it will include a Public Option.
But this isn't the whole story. The Anti-Democracy Right must pay.
BACKLASH
First, this ends conservative credibility on every issue. This might seem odd considering that FOX and Rush somehow survived the Bush apocalypse. But consider this, henceforth, anytime any conservative makes any point, the answer is "yeah, and Obama's gonna kill my grandma," followed by a chuckle and "who has something worthwhile to say?"
Second, Congressional Democrats who falter in the face of this tea-cup tempest must be purged from office. Hekebolos has raised almost $100k in a day to say "thank you" to those brave Dems who support the will of the American people. This is a good start. This vote, and the cap-and-trade must result in a Progressive caucus flush with cash ala Obama in October of 2008 and a bankrupt set of unemployed Blue Dogs.
Finally, and most important, this must be the end of the bipartisanship fantasy. It's the moment when Democrats finally realize that Republicans can never be partners. The ultra-conservative 29% who still think Bush was a great president will never allow them to "capitulate" to Democrats.
When the history of 2009 is written, it will be this: at a critical time in the history of the American republic the progressives under President Obama rallied to save the nation, and the conservative powers fought them with lies, deceit, greed, and vitriol. When the history of 2010 is written it should be this: conservatism paid the price for its treason and was never again a force in American politics, patriots took it back.
It's your job to write that future
Now and forevermore, Republican support for Democratic initiatives is exposed as a fantasy. Democrats are going to have to enact the will of the people without subjecting it to the rule of right wing greed, lies and gullibility.