Follow this link to the column by Paul Krugman.
This is worth considering while we try to figure out what the right thing is.
If we pass it, and the public gets angry over it, and they turn the Democrats out in 2010 and 2012, will it just get rolled back? Or will it be too entrenched, although hardly begun, by then?
Seeing this posted on MardenS’s facebook page is what convinced me to post it here. He subsequently sent me a link to the article Leading Health Care Experts Tell House To Pass Senate Health Care Bill.
Of course there is this alternative possibility brought up by these experts
Abandoning health care reform–the signature political issue of this administration–would send a message that Democrats are incapable of governing and lead to massive losses in the 2010 election, possibly even in 2012.
Mardy,
You are starting to bring me over toward your side.
Better to go down having made an accomplishment than go down having been too timid to try.
Besides it might give us Coakley supporters some pride in knowing that the election of Scott Brown caused the Senate version of the bill to be accepted without even the need for Brown’s input. Had Martha won, maybe the House wouldn’t have got the sense of urgency to accept what was doable.
Originally it didn’t dawn on me that Brown was not getting a 6 year term. He only gets the reamaining two years of Kennedy’s term and then the mistake can be corrected.
Yes, we have an unknown here, don’t we Steve, and that’s the public’s reaction. There is that danger, as you say, that the public, aided by the media (e.g. Fox News people, Tea Baggers, even many parts of mainstream media, and also the firedoglake and DailyKos people on the left) will become very annoyed with it and make themselves heard. Problems with it may arise, and it’s true that provisions of the thing may be too slow in implementation. All this could hurt the Dems and then if they’re voted out of office, all bets are off. However, on the other hand the public may like it, and also if it isn’t passed the Dems will take a licking too. So, it is a dilemma as to what’s the best course. I still lean toward the House passing the Senate version and then corrections using reconciliation made.