This site, and I'm certain many other places will be awash today in congratulations, speculations, and ruminations about the Health Care Reform bill. Yesterday was a major victory, and I am quite groggy today having stayed up far too late to see the historic votes and watch President Obama speak and listen to the talking heads blather on. There is a lesson to take away, one that has happened again and again, one that needs to be learned before the next initiative starts.
Bipartisanship is bullshit and it will not happen. Not for a lack of trying on the Democratic side of the aisle, but because of the "rational self-actors" called the Republicans. As I watched last night as the electronic voting machines on the floor dutifully recorded the votes I noticed that not a single Republican voted for the measure. Why? Did the Democrats create some Neo-Socialist-European-Government-Run-National-Healthcare System? No! The Democrats bent over backwards in an attempt to get bipartisan support, from the endless debate in the Senate Finance Committee, to the most egregious compromises to bring on president Olympia Snowe and other token Republicans.
We will move forward to bring progress and change to America in spite of the Republicans, not with their help. Because as they've shown time and again, no amount of compromise will garner a vote from their side of the aisle, because their political future is tied to the Democratic Party looking weak and powerless. It is, in their estimation, in their rational self-interest (and they really only serve themselves and their own ambitions) to vote against any Democratic bill.
Here is the current cycle of event that we have seen played out again and again.
- Democrats attempt to avoid partisan bickering by offering up a pre-watered down bill.
- Neo-con blowhards lie about any and every part of the bill whipping up their listeners and viewers into a frenzy
- Crazy people start doing crazy things because they've been whipped into a frenzy
- Car crash loving main stream media can't help itself, runs footage of crazy people non-stop
- Democrats "hear the voice" of the people and work with Republicans to water down the already watered down bill
- Bill barely passes with no Republican support, Republicans do helpfully vow to repeal the bill once they regain their majority.
As someone that held a march for Health Care Reform and went to rallies and called people and wrote congressmen, the most frustrating part of the last fight was that through the megaphone of the media it seemed that Progressive activists were sitting on the sidelines while the Teabaggers were out in full force. Now a large part of this is the bias in our "Liberal Media" but a good portion of it was the fact that its hard to get people to rally behind something that they don't believe in. We all wanted Health Care Reform, but myself personally and many other Progressives I know wanted more, Medicare for All, or at least a Public Option. As important as our victory was yesterday, it was bittersweet in a lot of ways, and those bitter parts make it difficult to stand up and fight for something.
Here is the path we need to take in the future, a path that will do away with the false notion that the Republican Party will ever act in a bipartisan fashion, a path that will paint Democrats as a strong and competent force for actual positive change, and a path that will take the power back from the right, put them on defense for a while.
- Start with a clear Progressive bill that is simple enough for people to understand (ie. The Patriotic Service Bill will repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell and allow all Americans, regardless of sexual orientation, to serve their country)
- With a clear message, Republicans and Neo-Cons will attack the bill (as they would anyways), but on the plus side Progressives and Democrats will be able to rally around the bill and make a serious case for it.
- In an ideal world, stand strong, in the real world, negotiate as necessary.
- When bill passes, OWN IT! Let it be known that the Democratic Party has taken a step forward for the liberty and humanity of all people, and that the Republican Party would have much rather have killed this GREAT ACHIEVEMENT OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
- Elections come around and Democracy has a chance to work, people can vote you out for what you accomplished, instead of politicking.
For too long we have been playing checkers while the Republicans play chess. Rachel Maddow once made an analogy of trying to order pizza and no matter what topping was suggested the other person simply said, "NO!" but when asked if they still wanted to get pizza together said, "Yes, I'm trying to work with you on this." The problem is that a more realistic scenario of bipartisanship is as follows.
- Democrat: Ok, I think we should get a pepperoni pizza
- Republican: No, I want anchovies and pineapple
- Democrat: Well I don't like anchovies or pineapples, maybe we could get half my way and half your way
- Republican: How about we get pepperoni and anchovies and compromise.
- Democrat: That's gross, but ok, if that's what it takes so that we can both eat pizza, I'll agree to it.
- ... 30 minutes later a large pepperoni and anchovies pizza arrives...
- Democrat: The pizza we agreed upon is here, let me put some on a plate for you
- Republican: I'm not eating that pizza, it has pepperoni on it, plus you ordered it, screw you.
- Democrat: (thinking to self) Why am I eating anchovies right now?
Working with the Republican Party is just making our pizza fishy, its not helping anyone.