I wasn't surprised to read that Jim Webb is defending the perqs of a fellow senator to stop legislation favored by a majority of that chamber from passing, but this stunned me:
feel strongly that the Democratic majority in congress must respect the process and make no effort to bypass the electoral results. If Martha Coakley had won, I believe we could have worked out a reasonable compromise between the House and Senate health care bills. But since Scott Brown has won and the Republicans now have 41 votes in the senate, that approach is no longer appropriate.
I am hopeful that some Republican senators will be willing to discuss a revised version of health care reform. Because I do not think that the country would be well served by the health care status quo. But our respect for democratic procedures must rule out any effort to pass a health care bill as if the Massachusetts election had not happened. Going forward, I hope there will be a serious effort to change the senate rule which means that 59 are not enough to pass major legislation, but those are the rules by which the health care bill was considered, and it would be wrong to change them in the middle of this process.
That was Barney Frank.
It almost makes me want to cry. Of all of the partisan Democrats, I never expected this from him. Some of the commenters at TPM are trying to suggest that this doesn't relate to "Plan B." Well, what on earth does it relate to then?
And there is the deafening silence from the White House. Why is it that we are left to rely on the statements of Jim Webb, Barney Frank, or Mike Grivalja at a time like this? If Obama isn't going to pick up the reins and fight now, then I just don't know.
For the handful of you out there familiar with my comments, I have been a very partisan Democrat of late. I spent the Bush years trying to get some spine back in our party. I thought we had it. I'm starting to wonder. If the House isn't even willing to pass the Senate bill now, I don't think things will be going well this fall.
I was recently forced into self-employment (spiritually awesome, financially terrifying). The economy is wrecking me. I have skin in the game now.
The Coakley loss bummed me out, but the Democratic response is what is causing me to feel that 2002 feeling again. They are basically saying the President's agenda is over. How is it that the last several presidents managed to do it without 60? What is going on here?