Obama Pushes Ahead On Health Care – 2010 Outlook: “I See Red States Where None Existed Before”

Obama and Biden Asleep at the Switch - Clearly Not Listening to the Public - photo: drudge report

Despite the fact that a majority of Americans are against the Presidents Brand of Health Care Reform, (Gallop), the President plans to push ahead, with or without GOP support of his proposal.
Yesterday’s Health Care Summit, characterized as “seven-hour gabfest” by Politico, showed a President who had no use for bi-partisanship, as he spoke over Republican lawmakers, cutting off John McCain when he brought up legitimate points regarding elements of the plan such as special deals with States, accusing him of using “talking points” and reminding McCain that he had won the election. Although ideas were brought to the table, and a clear effort was made by the GOP to put forward ideas that were centered more on private industry reforms, rather than growing the Government’s role, hours before the summit, Democrats had plans in place to ignore the outcome of the meeting. The plan to hold the Summit was, in effect, a hoped-for set-up of Republican Lawmakers, which would have given the President the ability to use the standard “talking point” that the GOP is the “Party of No”. That plan failed, as the GOP brought ideas to the table in a cordial and respectful manner, with the only dust ups coming from the President, when GOP lawmakers brought up points that had more to do with what the people wanted, rather than the President.

From Politico:

“
Democrats plan to take up the president’s comprehensive, $950 billion plan — referred to on the Hill as “the big bill.” The alternative would be a smaller — or “skinny” — bill that would provide less coverage and cost less. But that would amount to starting the complex process over.
“It’s probably the big bill or nothing,” said a top Democratic aide. “If we don’t get the big bill, I am sure some will push for a skinny bill.”

The process that will be used in the Senate, simply put, is to attach the Health Care Reform Bill to a Reconciliation Bill (a bill designed to reduce the budget), which, according to Congressional rules, requires only 51 votes in order to pass – in other words, the Democrats will use an option that is nothing more than a loophole. Regardless of which Party uses the procedures, which came under fire by then Senator Barrack Obama when the Bush Administration used Reconciliation - it is clearly an available option.

However, is it the right option at a time when the Democrat Brand has suffered under the very legislation they are attempting to push through against all odds? The recent the ghosts of New Jersey, Virginia, and Massachusetts hold the key to that question – given the fact that, particularly in New Jersey and Massachusetts, the voters sent a clear message regarding Health Care Reform, and that message was no. The election of Chris Christy and Scott Brown, hailed as anomalies by those in the main press, were more predictive of a future where the majority will take a stand at the ballot box in November. Should the Democrats move forward this week, and push the “big bill” on health care legislation through as law, it might be difficult to find a state in the union (outside of say, may Hawaii) that does not go scarlet on the first Wednesday in November of 2010.

Some keys to consider: Unemployment continues to rise, economic forecasts are grim through 2010 and Job Bills, although well-intended, are historically failures when attempting to put the nation in recovery, as the primary focus is always public sector jobs, with a bone thrown in to the private sector, largely inadequate, and a drop in the bucket. Add to his scenario, rising inflation, and the proverbial nails are in the coffin of the Brand.

It is not, as they say, a done-deal, the President, Pelosi and Reid, must first convince those Democrats who fear their constituents, and possibly the usual Republicans (Snow and Collins come to mind, as well as the new Senator from Massachusetts, Scott Brown) to climb on board should they lack even the 51 necessary votes for passage. What remains to be seen is will those Democrats who are on the fence, waver in the face of what is right for the people, rather than what is right in the mind of Barack Obama.

Time will tell, however, when it comes to cutting Medicare Benefits, increasing the public debt, and totally revamping a system that would have been better served by few tweaks suggested by the GOP, and dismissed out of hand by the President, how big of a backlash can be expected in November. Once again, add in the factors of jobs and inflation. Would the President not been as thick-headed, and arrogant to believe his way or the highway was the only way, and had listened and possibly incorporated some of the ideas brought to the table (including the idea favored by most American’s – start over and revamp), the outcome may have been different.

As it stands now, with current polls available at Real Clear Politics races polled thus far, show a great deal of “red” over the previously preferred “blue” – one can anticipate that there are congressional races in play that are not listed, where incumbents in States where the automatic “Safe Democrat” is applied, will be joining the others when it becomes clear that Scott Brown’s election was more about what the people wanted of their government than about party politics. Brown’s election was based on his stance on independence, and most importantly, his pledge to vote against Health Care Reform. Those concerned with this massive legislation designed to destroy private industry (insurance), force cuts in Medicare, tax everyone and everything in sight in over to cover part of it, and should that fail, try to grab more from the already bankrupt Social Security System, can take some heart. Bills, no matter how far into a process, can be repealed, in this case the wait is short, it will begin with the 2010 elections, and it will end in 2012. Obama’s wish to become a One-Term President (he injected the words “really good”), will be fulfilled.

Hillary Clinton 2012? photo riverdaughter blog

Who would Barrack Obama face in 2012? The lone voice of reason at the moment appears to be Hillary Clinton who spent yesterday blasting the U.S. Deficit, citing it as a national security concern. It is quite possible that should she run a again, Super-Delegates, desperate to salvage what is left of their party, will finally give Clinton the nod she deserved in 2008. She was by far the better choice, and remains the only hope to allow the shattered party, to move forward with some dignity. It would be a stretch to think that her candidacy would succeed, given the climate at this time, but it would go a long way toward rebuilding a seriously damaged brand. She would, en effect, be "taking one for the team" a second time.