The health care rift between centrists and progressives here at the Daily Kos is based on a very simple concept,
"what is best for America?".
Between the two camps within the Daily Kos posters is a strong argument for both. Let's explore the two and find out what is best for America.
What is best for America?
What is best for the Democratic Party?
These fundamental questions are at the root of Rahm Emanual's now infameous quote,
"(your progressive strategy is) fucking retarded".
What Rahm has said all along is that he wants to consolidate more political power for the Democratic party so that they can weather the midterm election storm (when the party in power nearly always loses seats). By making it through the midterms with a majority then the Democratic party would be able to enact its agenda, as defined by party leadership, and hopefully secure long term dominance after the 2012 elections. Obviously, Rahm believes that this is best for America and that progressives who want to persue an alternative strategy are "retarded".
To understand what the difference is, we must understand what the strategies are.
For progressives, the strategy we are discussing is an appeal to populism. There is a scientifically-proved set of social reforms that work to the betterment of society. They also happen to be very popular amongst the general population. The one mentioned in the conflict above was the Public Option.
(note: the scientifically proven social reform is actually single payer, not public option but that was a progressive concession made earlier on).
Progressives want to enact policies that fall within the Democratic Party platform that are populist and also prove to provide real social value. This is their strategy for long term Democratic rule: A populist surge reminiscent of FDR that will bring in a multi-decade base of rule and the betterment of conditions for Americans and the global population.
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Rahm Emanual (speaking for the centrist camp) has a strategy for securing long-term party rule. That is to push legislation that has been negotiated with industry leaders in exchange for political wins, not necessarily reformist/populist wins.
The Centrists believe that these wins are:
"the best we can do, given the political climate"
and have trust in Democratic Party leadership for determining what is best for the Democratic Party.
The offering in exchange for pushing legislation negotiated with the industry leaders has been revealed by the Pharma memo. These concessions were made by the industry, for the allowance of this legislation in exchange for donations to support the legislation and the Democratic Party and the reduction in donations to support the Republican Party.
This strategy can best be summed up as,
Rahm Emanuel believes that the key to Democratic success is a coalition in which Blue Dogs and corporate lackeys mitigate progressive change on behalf of the moneyed interests which he believes the political system must serve.
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Between these two camps lie the exact same ideas. . .
What is best for the Democratic Party IS what is best for America.
But, the fundamental rift is that:
Progressives Believe
The centrist strategy of catering to special interests/industry interests in crafting and pushing legislation is bad for America
and
Because the electorate is more educated and engaged, it is bad for the Democratic party (due to populist backlash)
Progressives believe that their belief was proven to be correct by the Massachussetts special election when a Kennedy seat was lost to a Republican.
Centrists Believe
You support the party that will get the best bill it can through Congress and the Senate and if it leads to further support of the Democratic Party by the monied interests, the better.
In other words, business as usual politics in Washington.
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After the Brown election in Massachussetts, during the State of the Union Speech, it looked like the administration was having a change of heart. They got the message that the "business as usual" centrist strategy pushed by Rahm Emanual was leading them to a divided political base and horriffic losses in the midterm elections.
It appeared that the administration was going to adopt a more populist strategy, appeasing progressives and basically going after the industries that were cut special deals.
This has now proven to not be the case.
Not after the Health Care reform still did not contain a Public Option, and the Administration doesn't back Grayson's buy into medicare bill, or the Medicare at 55 plan that had 30-point approval nationwide.
Not after the Dodd consumer protection act that had the Fed monitor the banks activities.
All of these sell outs to the industry shows how horribly broken our system of government is. The lack of push toward a progressive/populist activity shows that it remains broken.
What is best for the Democratic Party has always been what is best for America
Not the other way around.