So, the Democrats have their panties in a bunch because of the election of Scott Brown to the Senate this week. First of all, I didn’t know the former Campolindo coach was running. Second, how, exactly, does having the Presidency, a 59-41 parliamentary majority in the Senate and a 256-178 majority in the House of Representatives make you the minority party?
The big talk has been about how this affects the health care debate, that now the Democrats can’t pass health care reform. Maybe. I believe it actually could help the Democrats if they could grow a collective sack. Health care reform in the Senate was watered down to appease the conservative Democratic senators to maintain the 60-vote filibuster-proof super-majority. Restrictions on abortions, the dropping of the public option, giveaways to insurance companies, etc. The Democrats no longer are beholden to that. A better bill with a public option and without the abortion restrictions can now be presented. If the Republicans block it with a filibuster, it will make the Republicans look like the obstructionists who are against health care reform.
Also, letting the Republicans block health care also would rile up the Democratic base, which is necessary to stem the large losses that traditionally happen in midterm elections to the party that holds the White House. One of the biggest mistakes Clinton made in 1994 was telling the party faithful that he would reintroduce health care reform the next day if it was shot down, then not following through after it’s defeat. That demoralized the base and made what would have been a bad election for Democrats much worse.
As for health care reform itself, I’m not particularly upset if it goes up in smoke in its current form. The bill is a mess (not surprising, considering the Republicans and the conservative Democrats). President Obama should introduce a very simple plan. Mine would be expand Medicaid to cover everybody’s basic care, nationalize hospitals, the government pays to staff them and offer loan forgiveness for those who want to study to become doctors if they agree to work in the government hospitals for five years for $100,000 per year before entering private practice. Pay for it by taxing insurance companies and businesses, with the latter rate set around the average that companies pay for health care now. The tax should be progressive, with corporations paying a higher rate than small businesses. If the Senate won’t let it out of committee or it gets voted down, introduce it again the next year. And the next year. And the year after that. Compromising with the evil empire isn’t going to get it done.
And Democrats? Grow a sack.