Self-preservation is not a Democratic instinct

By Dave Anderson:

Democrats don't want to be in the majority.  They don't want Republicans in the majority either, but the Democratic elected elite has minimal interest in being part of an effective governing majority.  The healthcare bill is the best example.  They have managed to shed their left flank, Ron is a good example of that, infuriated their opposition and still have articles like the following one from the AP written:

The Democratic measures would leave 12 million or more eligible Americans uninsured. Many middle-class families who'd now be required to buy coverage would still find the premiums a stretch, even with government aid. A new federal fund to provide temporary coverage for people with health problems would quickly run out of cash....

The main consumer protections and financial help for the uninsured won't kick in for three to four years. The delay was necessary to tamp down costs. Even then, not all Americans would be covered.

Healthcare is change, and change is scary.  By delaying the benefits in order to appease the fiscal scolds who only pop up when Democrats are in power and are attempting to improve the safety net in this country instead of blowing a couple of trillion on blow, hookers, tax-cuts and pointless wars of choice and agression, Democrats are allowing the fear to dominate the conversation without tangible and concrete examples of benefits to tamp down the fear. 

They really don't want to be in the majority with that responsibility.  Individual Democratic Senators and Representatives want better parking spaces and a cushy job after they retire, are defeated or indicted. 

Comments

[Ron Beasley]

People voted for the Democrats and Obama for change and they have gotten damn little of it. The danger in 2010 is that millions will simply stay home and only the Beck/Palin cultists will show up at the polls. This is not only dangerous for the Democrats but the Republicans and the country as a whole.

[Zifnab]

The Republicans wanted to blow up the country a long time ago. And I think two years of a worse-than-Gingrich Congress might do a lot to remind people what the last fifteen years have been like.

That said, two years of Republican chest beating and bullshit is going to wreck hell all over the country and create yet another giant crater to clean up. We can't afford any of that.

I'm going to cross my fingers and hope that the abysmal poll numbers and non-existent GOP back bench is going to keep the Republicans out of power through 2010.

But I agree. I'm getting really tired of hearing about Congressional penny-pinching on health care, when we're continuing to blow billions a month abroad in Iraq and Afghanistan. Where's the War Tax?