Lately I've heard the expression, "not as bad as Republicans," pretty frequently regarding the Democrats - in particular, the Senate. Considering what Democrats in the Senate have managed to do with health care, that margin is pretty narrow. Now certainly in their search for partisan blame the GOP will not vote for any Democratic health care initiative and that provokes some thinking. Now, I have no illusion that the GOP is better than or the same as the Democrats, but there is a real problem with the metric, "not as bad."
The GOP is...well hell, the Confederate Party of Republicanism, but on some issues they can make appeal across a bit wider range than that. Whatever reality is regarding Democrats in general on guns, the GOPers own it for most concerned with it. Despite overall reality the GOPers are perceived as stronger on national security. While it is entirely ludicrous, the GOP is fairer on taxes. The list is longer than Democrats would like to admit, and whether that list is full of nonsense or not does not matter. It does not matter because experts and political addicts aren't most of the voters, people with everyday concerns are and they don't dig deeply into issues. If you're not clearly superior you've got problems overcoming this list and "not as bad," has nothing to do with clearly superior.
I can't do shit to educate most people about narrow differences between Democratic outcomes and GOP outcomes, it is hard enough when it is very clear. Here's the deal, I don't care to that either. Calling what has come out of the Senate health care reform is a goddam joke, expansion might be accurate and I'd even give elimination of pre-existing conditions as some sort of reform but to label the thing as reform - nah. Now you're going to go to voters with this mess and expect them to swallow it? What kind of Republican mess will come out as financial reform with no (R) votes and a Democratic label? In the face of Republican legislation of 15 years ago with a (D) label how is one to persuade voters how far over a cliff the GOP has gone?
Evidently there are enough Senate Democrats who don't get this to put all of the Democrats under the gun. We're all Liebercrats now won't fly - well, good luck with that one.
1 comment:
Unless there is significant change in the final bill, there will be little I would be able to peddle in door-to-door canvassing with a clear conscience or a straight face. The deal with Nelson of NE leaves everything wide open to attacks of corruption that are, frankly, accurate and abundantly so. "The ends justify the means" is hard enough to sell as a slogan when the outcome is impressive; working seven years just to get drunk and sleep with the wrong sister on your wedding night is harder to find sympathy for.
Post a Comment