How the Democrats may solve their health-care problem

[Fuzz]

By E.J. Dionne

There is no question that Democrats have looked weak in responding to the Massachusetts election. The notion that they would just shelve health care after all they have put into it -- the message they have gotten across, even if that’s not exactly what they have all been saying -- paints a portrait of a party that, to say the least, lacks persistence and conviction.

But there is a good reason behind all the confusion. The core problem is that the House Democrats no longer trust the Senate Democrats. And let’s be honest: There is no reason in the world for House Democrats to trust the Senate Democrats at this point, or even to feel very kindly disposed toward them.

That’s why there is resistance in the House to the most straightforward solution, which is for the House to pass the Senate health-care bill and send it to the president, and then to use the reconciliation process (which requires only 51 votes in the Senate) to pass the changes in the bill that House and Senate negotiators have agreed to -- or, at least, as many of those changes as is procedurally possible. They can’t get all the changes into law that way, but they could get a lot of them.

Rest at:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2010/01/how_the_democrats_may_solve_th.html

[demosincebirth]

1. Won't happen...no guts!

[DrDan]

2. sad that there seem to be legitimate courses that would get us to some reform

but the D-leadership refuses to acknowlege that.

Seems they would rather complain and whine about why they did not get a watered-down version rather than move forward and get something meaningful through reconciliation.

[demosincebirth]

6. I hear you. Its amazing to me that we have control of the three branches

of government and cannot pass a comprehensive HC bill. Really amazing! Something is terrible wrong with the democrats in congress.

[OHdem10]

3. The Problem with just shoving that terrible bill through is:

They must take care not to look as if they are poking America
in the eye.

The GOP have had so much time to distort the bill and there
more Americans do not want the Bill passed. I would say go
ahead and pass it if the bill were a good bill and would excite
the country turning around the polls That ain't gonna happen.

It might be better for Congress to take a breather. When minds
are fresh select some of the most popular items in the bill
and pass those. The Public will be pleased. This stops
the GOP because the public will no longer believe their lies
and will be willing to give Congress a chance to go further.
When the people calm they can then bundle another bunch of
items together.

This time keep people on TV to explain what is happening.
Just because you give a Presser at that place on the HILL
does not mean it gets covered on the evening news. It almost
never gets covered. Get yourselves on TV and head off
the GOP and their smear campaigns.

Bundle by by bundle you pass the pieces. You do not have
to be concerned about Filibuster. Get a Spine and a firm
voice. List the Republicans who vote against each piece.
The GOP did not want you to have a Ban on Pre-Existing Conditions.

With people angry over economy and everything else, and
the polls going against HCIR, it might be time to shock
them with just the things they will like about the bill.

[timeforpeace]

4. Amazing he gets paid to write stuff he could/might have cribbed from here.

[Fuzz]

5. Heh.