Legal Commentary

The Stand Alone Senate Bill's Only Constituency: Village Dems

By Big Tent Democrat

The Plan B discussions being forwarded by the Village Dems and Village Bloggers seem to focus on the idea of the House passing the Senate bill and, as an afterthought, maybe, fixing the bill through reconciliation. It is clear is that they seem oblivious to the fact that the only constituency for the Stand Alone Senate Bill is them. Consider this Open Letter to House Dems from Jonathan Cohn:

Dear Nervous and Frustrated House Democrat,

It’s up to you. [. . .] [I]f you find a way to pass legislation, then you have something to show for your efforts--an accomplishment you can tout, legitimately, as making people's lives better. [. . .] [Y]ou can pass health care reform very quickly if you want. All you have to do is vote for the Senate bill, as written. Yes, I’m aware of its flaws. But it’s also far better than nothing.

(Emphasis supplied.) Meanwhile, back on Planet Earth, the idea of "touting" the Senate health bill in the 2010 elections elicits hearty guffaws from Republicans. And rightly so. The Village Dems need a better pitch. And it happens to be there for them. From Cohn's letter:

Once the main bill is passed, you can always revisit it--perhaps right away, by passing a “patch” through the reconciliation process. If you're clever--and you are--you'll extract some sort of promise from the president and Senate leadership to make sure the patch gets enacted.

The Village Dems need to make this central to their pitch, not an afterthought. At least if they are pitching progressives. If pitching Blue Dogs, I suppose you will have to promise them that will NOT happen. But do not pitch them to vote for the Senate health bill with lines that make them laugh in your face:

I don’t want to mislead you: You could pass the Senate bill, which you may really not like, and still lose reelection. But passing health care reform would seem, if anything, to improve your odds of political survival. And if it doesn’t--if you’re doomed to lose anyway--enacting health care reform would give you a meaningful accomplishment in your record.

Heh. Passing the Stand Alone Senate bill increases the chances of losing reelection. Imagine what the unions will say and do. Progressive activists. Folks who oppose the bill period. Indeed, no one is actually FOR the Senate bill. Except the Village Dems. Therein lies the political problem.

The Village Dems need a better pitch.

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on January 20, 2010 (boomark / email).