Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Pull "health care bill" off life support! It's dead!

Okay, go ahead and put the nails in the coffin, it is over.  The dream is over.  The health care bill took it's final breath win Massachusetts elected a Republican named Scott Brown.  She was barely hanging on, and now, well now she is dead.  We couldn't get it done with a 60 vote majority, now , we will not pass health care.  Once again, the dream has died.  Kennedy has rolled over in his grave. They probably will bury his dream beside him.   But what went so wrong?
First of all, when I say "we", I mean that loosely.  I mean we the "Left" even though I am way further to the left of most of the Senate.  I align myself with the Democrats only out of necessity, and likewise I share their disdain for the Republican party.  That does not mean I agree with all, or even most of their policies.  I think that liberals can be weak at times.  They need to get a backbone.  They need the kind of solidarity that the Republicans have.  If the Republicans had those numbers, I mean a 60 vote majority, Goodness, they could destroy our country.  Why couldn't the Democrats use that same majority to save us?
I actuality, Scott Brown, could very well be to the left of some of our conservative democrats.  But it is what his election represents symbolically that has deeply disturbed the left.  I do believe it is a referendum against the left agenda.  And Obama.  For the most left leaning state to elect a republican to Senate when the Left desperately needed that seat , speaks volumes of where the county is right now.  The United States is moving to the right, and I think I know why.
Any time we make a little progress toward social justice, those in power get so scared.  They mobilize, and they go after the middle, the independent voter hard.  Independent votes are not idealogues and are often easily swayed.  Those in power have the money and resources to do this.  This is why change ain't easy.  Progressive steps are harder.  They are like climbing a steep hill.  Where as regressive steps are like falling.  It is so easy to fall back.  The familiar is comfortable to people.  Change and progress threaten alot of people. 
So, we have missed a great opportunity to make some health care reform.  It is not looking like it is going to happen now.  I wish that it would.  Personally, this new bill is a joke anyway.  But at least it would have been something, something that would keep the Democrats alive another day, to fight.  Now they will have very little to take to their constituents.  It is highly likely we will see massive losses in the fall.  I am going to cry.  I need to call my therapist.  I need some grief therapy.  Help!

No comments:

Post a Comment