Last night two of my brothers and I had a brief conversation on Facebook concerning what some see as backroom deals made in the Senate to pass the health care reform bill. Well, it really wasn’t a conversation, we just posted our opinions.
My brothers, like the majority of my friends, have differing opinions from those of mine. It’s no biggie. It’s the price for growing up and continuing to live in Texas during this day and age.
Compromise and going all out to secure it looms large at the very essence of our political system today. We like keeping our local military base open (I’m just being rhetorical here) or we are happy when our local police and fire department get federal grants. But sometimes those goodies come come to Papa smelling all the world like bacon, ham and spare ribs. Umm, umm, umm. You love you some pork.
Federal largesse and its distribution to the voting public is actually much more complex than that and because I am tired, I will leave the subject to another day to discuss. So why did I devote three paragraphs to the above? It seemed like the right thing to do at the time.
Instead, I am going to spend a minute or two on the subject of President Barack Obama and his role in eventually passing a health care reform package.
Now this reform bill is something Obama wants very much or you wouldn’t be seeing members of Congress hanging around a snow-bound Washington three days before Christmas. But there are those who see Obama providing very little leadership in this extraordinary legislative battle. Some even say that it seems the President is just sitting back and letting Congress fight out among themselves.
Until the Washington press corps gets off their duffs (what is a duff anyway?) and start reporting instead of being stenographers, or else, until Bob Woodward or someone else on the inside of the Beltway elite writes a book about it, we won’t know whether Obama fiddled around while Capitol Hill (figuratively) burned.
So, indulge me in a scenario of the question regarding presidential leadership of the health care issue, his number one priority:
Off we go:
Obama and his minions are plugged in with tin cans and a long-ass string that runs down Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House to the Capitol, or however they stay in touch, calling every shot. Some Senators don’t like being told what to do, like Righteous Joe Lieberman. Therefore, Obama being the coach sends in another play.
Eventually, the bill gets passed. It is 2010. Congressional races everywhere. The opposition no longer has health reform as the dead horse on which to beat. And, by summertime the economy has drastically improved. Sure, unemployment is still higher than we would like, but that situation too is turning around.
Only the true believers of the Tea Party still harp on health reform, socialism, taxation, gayness and other evils of the Democrats. It could prove to be the undoing of the Republican party though if some responsible leadership does not arise from the GOP in the nick of time.
Come November, the schism in the Republican party rears its ugly head as independent congressional candidates and the GOP nominees split the vote, resulting in a huge win for the Democratic congressional candidates.
And guess what? A good many of those candidates were vetted by the Obama machine. When they take their seats in Congress in 2011, unreliable Democrats like Ben Nelson or Republican In Name Onlies like Susan Collins or Independent flakes like Lieberman will no longer be needed for a super majority vote.
As this plays out, we see some of the failed measures which almost split the extreme liberal wing from the Democratic party over the health care compromises return. For Republicans, the dreaded “Public Option” once again rears its head. And the next thing you know, Obama is on his way to a second term.
Now granted, all of the above sounds like a terrific tale. When I say terrific I mean way out there, although I think it might be terrific in other ways. It’s just a guess though. It’s just picking up a dart and throwing it at the wall when there is no dart board in sight.
But it could happen. And if it happens, then don’t say I didn’t warn you. Then I’ll start on predicting the next Super Bowl winners followed by those in the World Series. Or whichever comes first.
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