My Thoughts on Massachusetts and the Dems
A friend asked me today what I thought about the Dems and their poor poll numbers in Massachusetts. He also asked how it was possible that one man (theoretically Scott Brown if he gets elected) could hold up health care. Here’s my response:
Indeed, how can one Senator end healthcare reform? But Joe Lieberman basically brought the whole thing to a halt too. And now we don’t have a public option because of Lieberfucker. What’s more, the US population is opposed to healthcare reform for the first time. And why is that? Because now it’s just a shell of reform that gives massive handouts to healthcare companies (via the individual mandate) and does not guarantee protection of the little guy (via a government run program).
Sometimes I hate the Senate and especially the Democrats. Why must the Dems pretend that the threat of a filibuster is the same as actually forcing your opponents to use up their political capital by going through with a filibuster. A real filibuster has political consequences for those invoking the procedure. The Dems witnessed that during the Dark Ages of Bush. But, they’re being too nice by letting the mere threat of a filibuster keep them from moving forward.
As you know, my blog (and my Facebook feed) were all about healthcare for the majority of 2009. It’s the topic I cared most deeply about and knew inside and out. Now we are left with a scrawny piece of legislation that leaves me feeling sad and indifferent. And, I’m guessing that a lot of liberals in our most liberal state (Massachusetts) are feeling the same right now. Thus Martha Coakley might just lose a Senate seat held by Democrats for over a half-century to a Republican. Sigh.
Wake up Democrats! Wake up Obama! We want strength and conviction. We want a Party of leaders who believe in something and are willing to play hardball to make that into a reality.