I find this piece from TPM fascinating, in no small part because I can easily put myself right in some of these House members shoes. Frankly, I feel exactly the same way.
…more than half of House Democrats don’t want to pass the Senate version of the (health care reform) bill with the promise that the bigger differences they’ve already been hammering out would be fixed with a second bill.
The bottom line is that many members feel betrayed by the White House and Senate and just don’t trust that a fix would pass.
[…] “They are frustrated the White House fell for all the talk in the Senate that they thought they could make [their bill] bipartisan,” the aide said. “Members don’t trust the Senate, they definitely don’t trust the White House to come back and fix any of this.”
I doubt I’m the only one feeling a little empathy towards lefty Representatives after reading this piece. That’s probably a good thing on several levels.
Fan that spark of healthy skepticism and independent thinking into a full on flame, folks. Clearly, as far as dealing with the White House and the Senate on this, or other charged issues, the House progressives’ mantra should be trust, but verify.
So here’s something I read online yesterday (and can’t locate again now) from somebody way smarter than I am: The Senate introduces and, using the reconciliation process (51 votes needed), passes the companion bill embodying the changes that House and Senate negotiators have already worked on. Once that is done, the House passes the Senate Health Care bill (no return to the Senate, no 60 votes needed) and the reconciliation-process amendments bill and sends both bills to the President. Done. Puts the onus on the Senate Democrats to get their act together, which they can do without Nelson, Landrieu, and Lincoln (or Snowe or Lieberman).
Ya want a Kennedy legacy? As Steve Benen’s mantra says:
Pass. The. Damn. Bill.
Am I happy about the Senate bill alone? Nope. Am I pleased with the House bill alone, including the Stupid Amendment? Hell No.
But unless they pass something that is recognizable reform, the next two election cycles are going to be hell on Democrats, and trying to change the subject to big-banker-bashing (however satisfying that is) won’t fool anyone.
NanuqFC
The time is always right to do the right thing. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
Well, no bill will likely pass now so we’ve got to think that Vermont is the only place where it’s going to happen. the demos are demolished and disorganized and I doubt that any health care reform bill will be taken up again in until I am long gone so Vermont’s about the only hope.
I could be wrong, of course, but I doubt it.