A slice of hope

Congressional Democrats have found a rip-roaring distraction from their war-ending ineptitude, but at least it's a worthy one. The House will likely vote today, with the Senate following suit tomorrow, on the expansion of children's health insurance -- a federal entitlement to which children are entitled, and which, quite naturally, faces a certain presidential veto.

It's one of those nearly pure ideological showdowns that the two-party system is supposed to reflect. And after witnessing a compliant Democratic Congress cave to an imperial president on virtually everything else, what a pleasant showdown it is.

The health program's funding mechanism is atrocious -- sumptuary taxes rather than money from the till of a progressive income tax structure -- but politics is rarely unatrocious. In this case, however, its politics is at least proving predictable, with our fiscally rational, ever so conservatively prudent president warning that the Democratically designed expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program is a fiscal ballbuster and "incremental step toward the goal of government-run health care for every American."

Boo.

But that's a bogeyman to which Democrats and even a sizeable number of Republicans, along with beleaguered governors and numerous health advocacy groups, are bucking -- even dismissing -- this time around. The right-wing bugaboo of "socialized medicine" seems to have lost its terror value for most Americans and their political ducklings following behind, given the terrifying reality of the private system in place. An "incremental step"? Good. Next, how 'bout a leap?

Nevertheless the administration is pulling out all the usual stops, since it is "concerned that the White House [is] being hurt by televised news reports that portrayed the fight as a struggle between Mr. Bush and poor children, rather than as a philosophical debate over the role of government in health care." And one of its more customary stops is, of course, to simply lie:

"Mr. Bush said last week that the compromise bill would cover children in four-person families with incomes exceeding $80,000 a year.... But Senator Charles E. Grassley ... said that under the compromise, a state could set its income limit at $80,000 only if the secretary of health and human services gave approval. New York is the only state that has proposed such a high limit, and the Bush administration denied its request on Sept. 7."

Which merely shows, once again, that any sentence containing at once "Mr. Bush" and "philosophical debate" is an oxymoronic proposition.

Any threatened Republican filibuster -- that nasty Democratic habit so vigorously denounced by up-or-down GOP purists in past Congresses -- would be pointless at this stage, since the Senate already passed a like bill last month by 68 to 31. Hence a veto override seems likely as well. But the House is an altogether different matter, with so many of its reactionary members entrenched, as they are, in their gerrymandered, reactionary districts.

Rep. Joe Barton of Texas has taken up the Republican standard, decrying the shameful politics of it all: "The majority is passing a bill they know will be vetoed in hopes of making the president look as if he’s against health care for children." Let's see. The legislation at hand provides more money (check) for more health care (check) for more children (check). And the president opposes it (check, check, and check). Whatever could this sinister majority be implying?

The joy of witnessing Congressional progressives act like progressives, however -- accompanied by the joy of watching moderate Republicans be cowered into doing something decent for a change -- is counterbalanced by the strong and depressing suspicion that Mr. Philosophy's veto will, ultimately, win the day.

But perhaps the invigorating battle will inspire Democrats to take up their own standard in the heretofore bloodless congressional arena of the war. Perhaps this fight will infuse them with enough political testosterone to start fighting elsewhere.

Hell, the reactionaries haven't forced any bills against dreaming, yet -- have they?

Comments

[RobertP]

Sorry, P.M., the dream regulations await the attack on Iran and the declaration of martial law. It is clear from the number of Republicans standing by King George that they fully expect him to be in power two years from now.

[Perry logan]

Political testosterone? Someone hasn't been paying attention:

"President Bush's success rating in the Democratic-controlled House has fallen this year to a half-century low, and he prevailed on only 14 percent of the 76 roll call votes on which he took a clear position.

"So far this year, Democrats have backed the majority position of their caucus 91 percent of the time on average on such votes. That marks the highest Democratic unity score in 51 years."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1728952&mesg_id=1728952
http://public.cq.com/docs/cqt/news110-000002576765.html

It's strange to hear the "Democrats are cowards" meme repeated so often--usually by Democrats--not only because it is contrary to fact, but also because
it makes no sense. Congress is not a fist fight, and Republicans are not badasses.

[chanceny]

If we don't even get a "Jimmy Stewart Filibuster Moment" out of this latest 'compassionate' debacle, child-abandonment, we might as well just hang 'em up. It'll only prove tone deafness of our 'progressive' democratic leaders has prevailed and 'the Mandellas' are truly dead in our country, too.

[Mark Mywords]

The GOP unites for elections...
and divides the spoils

The Democrats divide for elections... and there are no spoils

IT IS TIME FOR THE DEMS TO STAY TOUGH TOGETHER... TO SPREAD THE WORD... ALL GOP GOING DOWN... LIBERAL AND PROGRESSIVE ON ALL TOPICS...

AND WHEN WE WIN........
A PLACE AT THE TABLE FOR ALL OF THE CANDIDATES AND THEIR VARIED VIEWS OF A FREE AMERICA...

2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008
VICTORY IS THE ONLY ANSWER

SEE THAT YOUR "ADULT" CHILDREN ARE REGISTERED...
SEE THAT AT LEAST ONE "MINORITY" FRIEND HAS THE PROPER ID...
LET'S BLOW THEM OUT OF THE WHITEHOUSE!!!