“If you tell the same story five times, it’s true.”
– Larry Speakes, Ronald Reagan’s White House Press Secretary.
It’s a Given: President Obama must strongly stick up for a public option in his health care speech tonight or the game’s over. The Dems will lose big in 2010, maybe even a majority in the Senate, while Obama himself will be marginalized by the right, abandoned by his progressive base, and become a one-term president, battered into a cartoonish wimp by right-wing lies and smears. We’re begging you BHO – bring out your inner FDR; boil the corporate moonshiners in some salty Truman oil. Even if you don’t manage to pass a health care reform bill, at least stand up for yourself and those who supported you!
Camp Whiggy-Watchee: Howsomever, knees are knocking at Republican HQ these days at the idea that the GOP will be heading into the 2010 election without a solid trusted leader of the party and dragging the chock-full-o-nuts baggage of the screwy-squirrel teabaggers with them. While the shouters and doubters are good public theater for astroturf airtime to dilute health care reform, independent and MOR voters – most of us, in other words – are put off by these nattering ninnies yelling ‘Nazi’ at anybody who dares disagree with them. The TV shots of men armed with rifles and handguns at the various ‘protests’ didn’t help improve the GOP image of maturity and stability either. (White Ex-Republican Soccer Mom: “How can you trust Republicans when they cater to people like that?”) Outside of Old Dixie, how do you get Congress-Creatures and other GOP detritus elected without the moderates tossing in some votes? The Repos, to their distress, are about to find out the answer – you can’t, at least not without the help of quivering Democrats.
(Speaking of Teabaggers, Here’s Some Free Advice: Dip yourselves in boiling water for ten minutes, then add sugar or lemon to taste.)
Bell Curve to Hell-Care Reform: The Dems will also feel the pain in 2010 if they don’t smarten up their act on health care reform. The unions, as well as many progressive groups, have already said ‘nada’ to putting the ‘GO’ in GOTV in the next election, if a public option isn’t in the final bill. Some (alleged) Dems central to the health care issue – Max Baucus, Harry Reid and their mealy-mouthed, corporate cash compadres – may also feel the heat from the left as real progressives challenge their nominations. Sure, they might still win, but it would cost them a bundle and leave a residue of ill-will, making them easy pickings for the GOP. If somebody like a Gov. Brian Schweitzer challenged Baucus for the Dem nomination, I think Montana primary voters would dump Max in a mixed-cliche New York heartbeat.
The Tattlesnake – Obama Saves the Democrats (and Himself) Edition
In his speech to a joint session of Congress last night, did President Obama ‘hit it out of the park’ to use a dog-eared Big Media cliché? For the most part, he did. It was especially refreshing to hear someone in Washington say the word ‘lie’ as Obama did when he called out the Republicans for pushing their ‘Death Panel’ buncombe, and there were a few other ‘right on’ air pumping moments as well. He also clearly outlined what he wants in a health care bill, including a public option, a good first step to universal single-payer coverage, which is what we really need. As Keith Olbermann said on MSNBC post-speech, the most important thing was what Obama didn’t say – if Congress passes his plan, for-profit health insurers will finally be accountable to the elected government of We the People. Last night, President Obama came to work and earned his pay – now it’s time for the Democrats in Congress to do the same.
BTW, I think you’re going to see a quick uptick in Obama’s approval ratings – America saw a real adult president in action last night, quite a change (you can believe in) after eight years of the Bumbling Bush Boy.
© 2009 R.S. Janes. LTSaloon.org.