Legal Commentary

The Most Progressive Legislation In 40 Years, Cont'd

By Big Tent Democrat

Matt Yglesias after the passage of the health bill in March:

For the past 65-70 years—and especially for the past 30 years since the end of the civil rights argument—American politics has been dominated by controversy over the size and scope of the welfare state. Today, that argument is largely over with liberals having largely won. [. . .] Due to the bill’s almost comically delayed implementation, for several years we’re still going to have a lot of political tussling over it. And even once it’s in place, the system will continue to be debated and tweaked for years to come. But over time, I think American politics will come to look quite different and we’ll look back on this day as a turning point.

(Emphasis supplied.) Kevin Drum today:

Apparently [the insurance companies] wanted the uninsured trussed up and delivered to their doorsteps wallet first, but without any actual obligation on their part to provide decent service in return. And they know just how to get their wish: "The industry would love to have a Republican Congress," says Wendell Potter, a former Cigna insurance executive. "They were very, very successful during the years of Republican domination in Washington." [. . . T]he insurance companies are massively funding Republicans this cycle anyway. Why would that be? It's almost as if they're sure that Republicans are just blowing campaign smoke and will support their agenda once they're safely in office. So which do you believe? Republican mouths or insurance industry money? Decisions, decisions.....

So has the fight for a progressive federal government largely been won, as Yglesias argues? Or will the insurance companies completely get their way over time? Put me in the pessimist camp. Previous posts on this issue here, here and here.

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on October 05, 2010 (boomark / email).