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Jeff writes regarding last week's cartoon:
Harry Reid's recent statement on the public option is exactly what I was talking about in the cartoon. He's come out in support for the public option--as long as it's private. Republicans won't support the bill so who exactly is he conceding ground to? This is (sadly) one of the most powerful Democrats we have. He should be strong-arming the wussies into supporting a strong public option. Obama should be on the phone telling them he'll never give a soaring speech at their reelection rally unless they support this bill.
This is politics. Why won't they play it?
The view that Democrats "cave" because they're spineless is a lie that has served them extremely well. Please seriously consider the alternate viewpoint that they are getting what they really want.Good point. There are Democrats who would ideally like more progressive measures but are too gutless to push it. But too many are simply center-right (compared to other Western democracies) and/or in the pocket of industry (cough*Max Baucus*cough).
Harry Reid's recent statement on the public option is exactly what I was talking about in the cartoon. He's come out in support for the public option--as long as it's private. Republicans won't support the bill so who exactly is he conceding ground to? This is (sadly) one of the most powerful Democrats we have. He should be strong-arming the wussies into supporting a strong public option. Obama should be on the phone telling them he'll never give a soaring speech at their reelection rally unless they support this bill.
This is politics. Why won't they play it?
posted by Matt Bors at
2:00 PM
2 Comments:
Jeff, like others, need to realize your a political toonist and an idealist at that. You want to push the envelope to where things should be and you don't have to care about the politics when saying what needs to be said.
As representatives and senators, dems have to try to play the game and compromise (because they are liberals after all and want to give the opposition the opportunity that was never given to them). But they started too low; bottom of the bucket. They put to many plans out there and didn't keep things simple for the American people. It's all confusing and a mess.
Final thing: it is more than likely the case most democratic leaders don't really want health care change. They say enough to make it seem like they do. A lot of their money comes from that industry. I think a lot of times they don't want to see an end to surveillance or extraordinary rendition either. Some really do, but most say they do. But in the end, they want that power just in case they need it.
The fact that Reid is the leader of Democrats in the Senate is all you need to know about how far the Democratic Party has fallen. Or maybe the Democrats have always been that awful and I just hadn't noticed.
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