Who is telling us that if THIS bill dies, reform dies? Who believes that if this bill fails, then the democratic party has failed or Obama has failed? Don't buy it. Don't accept it.
It is simply wrong.
Let's have a better discussion about bringing costs down and providing better care. Let's debate the merits without using scare tactics. Let's stop letting the inanity of the summer deter us from trying to break through to the logic within us all. Follow me a spell and listen to my yarn:
The problem, simply, is this: The Democratic "leadership" is clearly based on tenure, rather than ability. If Obama relied upon these "leaders" to spend the political capital he earned for them, then he had a brain fart. These guys were outfoxed (outFOX'd) on every important issue during the Bush Administration precisely because they could never figure out: a) when to fight; b) what to fight about; or c) how to fight.
So this summer, when the right wing maniacs simply turned up the volume and the rhetoric, they didn't know what to do....I'm still not sure they know what to do. But I think it is wrong minded to assume that if this Bill dies...for whatever reason....that the momentum for reform is gone with it. The Insurance Industry could only pray such to be the case and they must be rejoicing at all the gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands by those who wrongly worry that all reform dies with this bill.
Look, let's build consensus and have the debate again, this time insisting for the good of America and the sanity of those of us who still think, that we keep off the dirty name calling. Maybe this time the President participates and moderates as the voice of reason in his best MLK voice.
Clearly, the central argument to be had is whether Government can or should have a role in ensuring the health and well being of its citizenry, or whether that issue should be left entirely to a free market. There's plenty to talk about.
Is it true that Government control and management is always bad? No. So let's prove that point once and for all. Let's then ask the bigger question of whether THIS issue...health....like security, education, etc. is one of those areas where Government is not only capable and up to the challenge, but where the interests of the citizenry and the very Common Good itself is so important that it should not be left to a purely profit driven industry to protect. In the context of having an unregulated banking industry nearly collapse our economy, it is a miracle that health care reform falters, so.
Demand facts and reason, not hyperbole and let the Opposition explain why the current system, with its current product and price offerings, is preferable to a government run alternative. Force them to explain the argument for the status quo instead of defending against their inane, baseless and hyperbolic attacks on all proposed progress. Let them make the case that THIS is as good as it gets, that better is impossible.
Progress is not a dirty word. Change is not a synonym for communism. Freedom means more than freedom to make a buck and it damn sure means more than freedom to make a buck by any means necessary. What's so good about bad business? Let those who define America primarily in terms of freedom to make profits in unrestricted, unregulated and unlimited fashion make their case. Let the Little Kings step forward and tell us why we should be forced to settle for their crappy status quo.
Look. This issue is too big to fail. This bill isn't.