While the media sensationalizes every beat in the health care reform process and seeks to frame the debate on Republican terms, the ConservaDems are more than happy to join in and add poison pills to the mix.
Now I can understand the media failing to report the full facts (e.g., the truth that the CBO director's comments on "savings" were only based on a partial analysis of the bill), because all the media is looking for is a good story (while many sit back with their gold-plated health insurance plans). Facts aren't important to them.
But the Conservadems think they are looking out for their livelihood, while many are really just setting the stage for their demise. Ezra Klein hammered away at that point today on his blog:
Bill Kristol says kill healthcare reform
But the question isn't whether Republicans understand the power of successful opposition. It's whether Democrats understand the dangers of failure. And that's most true for the Democrats who are most likely to weaken the effort: The Democrats who are cool to health-care reform because they fear the conservative tilt of their state are the Democrats who will lose their seats if Obama loses his momentum and the Democratic majority begins to lose on its major initiatives. Legislative defeats will not threaten Henry Waxman's seat. But it will imperil Mary Landrieu's. And Ben Nelson's.
Bill Kristol is right that defeating Obama's health-care plan is a first step for Republicans who want to pick off vulnerable Democrats in the 2010 midterms. But the converse is also true: Passing health-care reform is the first step for vulnerable Democrats who want to save their seats. (Ezra Klein, 2009)
Now I know many of you think that might not be a bad thing -- let the ConservaDems lose. In a perfect world I would be the first to join in and say "good riddens." And the fact is if they vote against health care reform they will be the first to go.
If self-preservation is their primary MO, what are they thinking? Did they not live through the early to mid 90's? Did they not see how the death of health care reform killed the Democrats? Do they not see the political games Republicans are playing?
I don't expect Conservadems to support health care reform because of the fundamental right to quality health care so countless more Americans need not suffer. That would be asking too much from them. But if power and self-preservation are their goal, it's amazing to seem them digging their political grave.
How stupid are they?