Sure, it’s a terrible bill. And, sure, it’s likely to retire quite a few of them from Congress. Nevertheless, Politico is reporting that the President has a message for recalcitrant Democrats: It’s our last chance. Carrie Budoff Brown and Mike Allen report:
In a provocative argument designed to rescue his foundering health-care plan, President Barack Obama will warn Senate Democrats in a White House meeting Tuesday that this is the “last chance” to pass comprehensive reform.
Obama will contend that if it fails now, no other president will attempt it, aides said.
But that’s simply not true. The health-care system is the best in the world, but much can be done to lower costs and help those who truly can’t afford health care. If this legislation fails, we may not see a monstrosity of this sort in the near future.
What we may see is another president tackling the problems in an incremental way. There are so many things that can be done, if you overriding goal isn’t government appropriation of a large segment of the economy—and our most private decisions.
But I have a sinking feeling that the more liberal Democrats will vote for the bill and that with Joe Lieberman’s vote, after the harebrained Medicare buy-in was dropped, it still might pass. For liberals, it’s the ideology that so appeals.