It is easy to lose perspective, in the chaos of this August campaign, when every day brings dark news from the front. Generals seem to waver. Their battle plans, unimpeachable in the lead up to the assault, appear to fall apart on contact with the enemy. In the trenches, close combat leaves us bloodied and wondering if the enemy is stronger than we, more resolute, more certain of victory. The fog of war obscures all. The troops are sure of only one thing: no one will emerge unscathed.
Puh-leaze!
The battle over health care reform will not be fought in town halls, or on Fake News Channel. Congress is the front line, and September is when the battle will be won or lost. It is easy to forget, with the spectacle of birthers, deathers, teabaggers and the generic loons of the wingnut core of the Repugnant Party coming to gether in an astroturf campaign to intimidate. What message are those guns supposed to convey? It is easy to lose faith, when our generals seem to walk back on the public option. What other motive could the smartest, most savvy president in more than a generation have for hinting that he might compromise on a key element in his signature legislation? It is easy to lose perspective, under the constant barrage of irrelevancy from the MSM, for whom the "debate" boils to down to god, guns and Hitler. How else are they to boost their ratings?
I confess. I've lost some perspective, some faith, when I hear President Obama say that the public option is only a sliver of health care reform, when HHS Sectreary Sebelius says that the public option is not essential. I've felt backed against a wall by the leaders of my own party. I've posted comments lashing out at what appear to be walking back on the fundamental core aspect of any true reform: competition to keep the private insurers honest. "Obama is compromising his way to a one-term presidency." "No public option means Republican governors in Virginia and New Jersey." "Republican control of Congress by 2016." Yeah, I've said such things.
I know better. I know, for instance, that the House has three bills out of committee, each of which has a public option. Speaker Pelosi strongly supports passing a final version with the public option. The Senate HELP committee bill contains a public option, weakened thanks to Kay Hagan (primary anyone?), but still a public option. I know, as well, that any Senate version of health care reform will have to be reconcilled in conference with the House version. I know the House version will have the public option, in a final form to be determined, yes, but there is powerful support in the House for a robust option. I know, finally, that the rules governing the reconcilliation process could be used to get around any threatened filibuster of a public option-containing bill (shove that in your pipe, Kent Conrad).
It hit me hard. I've been so busy reacting, I haven't even tried actually thinking. Man, they suckered me, the Repug's did, got me running around doing a chicken dance. Head spinning, mind reeling, emotions plummeting day after day, what was I to believe. Wait, wait, wait . . . reality check please!
Has any Democratic congressman or congresswoman even suggested that their position was actually changed by the townhall crybabies? Has any iota of stated support for the public option from July disappeared? We always knew the Blue Dogs were going to be trouble, and not just in health care reform. Look at Waxman's committee dealing with cap and trade, and just wait until they get around to reform of Wall Street. Has President Obama actually said that he's given up on the public option? Or maybe it's more likely that his recent tepidness has more to do with getting a bill, any bill, out of the Baucus-Grassley circle jerk. Is the Repug hysteria and astroturf campaigns of the insurance companies anything more than desperation?
Is there any reason, grounded in reality, to think the sky is falling?
Update: everybody should read this comment: joynow