So the Democrats did the right thing politically. They passed the health care reform bill, the whole Frankensteined thing.
I remain unconvinced that it’s the right bill to give us the health care system we really need, because I remain a supporter of many reforms this doesn’t address adequately or at all. (Waiting for that to happen isn’t a real option with these two parties in charge, however.) But in terms of the necessary, plain old crass politicking, they did the right thing to remain viable next November. The Democrats don’t look like helpless bozos, for once.
But most incredibly? The White House is playing this like they mean it, planning to counter the coming storm of disinformation that has already begun (if you’ve got the perseverance and/or sense of humour, see World Net Daily’s “Bloody Sunday 2010”), the Republican attempt to portray this as some sort of socialist baby- and grandma-killing conspiracy.
It’s remarkable when Democrats act like competent players:
Reshaping the legislation’s image will take place in three phases, White House aides said: the immediate aftermath; the seven months until the November midterm elections; and the several years that follow, during which many provisions in the measure will gradually take effect.
Driving the message during those periods is the belief among Obama’s top advisers that Republicans have boxed themselves into a corner with unanimous opposition to the legislation and talk of a repeal.
“The Republicans have way overshot the runway in their criticism of health reform,” said White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer.
ADDITIONAL: And it’s official–the representative who shouted “baby killer” while Bart Stupak spoke during the health care proceedings is Randy Neugebauer, from Texas’ 19th district. My parents, among many others, are still steamed about Neugebauer for another reason–when Tom Delay pushed through his redistricting bill some years ago, he gerrymandered their district to get rid of a well-loved (13-term) Democratic representative, Charlie Stenholm, and basically give the district to Neugebauer.
