The front page had a link to the article by former Representative Marjorie Margolies saying that lawmakers should vote their conscience, even if it risks losing reelection. Now Dennis Kucinich has not only agreed to support the health care bill, but is trying to get others to vote for it. Some might say that Kucinich's action contradicts Margolies's advice. But I do not agree. I think that Margolies's advice is great advice, and that what Kucinich did is right.
A few days ago I wrote a dairy that was rather hard on Kucinich. I was angered that a chance to finally make a step forward on health care was being endangered when there was no chance that voting against the bill would make it more likely that a bigger step could be taken. I am perfectly willing to flip flop and praise Kucinich now. Plus I hope to learn to not write dairies when I am so angry.
I think that what Kucinich is doing will make his long term goals more likely to be reached. The main thing is that making things a little bit better does not do anything to stop making things better still. In fact I think that this health care bill will make it easier to make further advances. I especially like the Medicare buy-in. Some people, like Rep. Grayson, are already working on it.
The conscience of a lawmaker should be making things better for people. In health care, making some improvements is better than the status quo. By voting for the bill, Kucinich does not compromise his conscience if he thinks that it is better than the status quo. He is still free to make things better still, and I hope he and other members of Congress continue making improvements, with as much help and encouragement and pressure where needed from us.