Legal Commentary

Bipartisanship And The HCR Endgame

By Big Tent Democrat

It's like the old joke that you don't have to outrun the bear, you just have to outrun the other guy. Obama doesn't have to be bipartisan. He just has to look more bipartisan than the Republicans. . . . The White House can't stop the Republicans from using procedural tactics to obstruct legislation, but they can keep them from improving their electoral position while they do it. . . .

(Emphasis supplied.) But in fact the President can stop the Republicans from obstructing health care reform - he can follow Senator Charles Schumer's lead and use reconciliation for health care reform. If in fact that is President Obama's endgame, then good for him. Time will tell. In the meantime, the Progressive Block has to hold strong - no robust public option, no "health care reform" bill. (A bill increasing Medicaid funding and funding for health care for the working poor is always welcome, but let's not call that health care reform.)

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on September 11, 2009 (boomark / email).