BY: WC WINDBAG

Forget the merits of healthcare reform for just a moment, and let’s just focus on the politics of the matter. On one end, we have a stubborn House (as the lower body often is) attempting to ram its bill through before the public has a chance to fully study it. On the other end, we have a Senate that can rarely find anything to pass that does not involve endless speeches, preening, and backroom deals that would turn any design intended to be a horse, into a camel. It is not surprising that Congress could not pass a bill that would affect one-sixth of the GNP in this artificially short period of time requested by the President.

Now, many of these members of Congress have returned home, unhappily I might add, to angry constituents. A few are unhappy by the lack of hope and change, but most are angry… very angry… at the appearance of a rush job of a bill that will negatively affect the great majority of the public. Again regardless of the merits, it is perceived that healthcare reform will cost more, offer fewer services, and/or worsen the service that is currently provided. Without a doubt, the majority of the public is against the specific plans of Congress and the overall general direction President Obama is taking us.

So what to do? It is turning out that politicians are doing what is most important to them: self-preservation.

Republicans from Red districts and states are taking a stand and offering conservative, free market, idealistic proposals that would never be accepted by a Democratic majority. They are irrelevant in the legislation process, their participation refused, and their plans ignored. So they are free to make a principled stand on behalf of their constituencies and their belief system, knowing they will face no repercussions at home. That is good politics for Congressional elections in 2010, and will likely pay off as a clear distinction between Democrats and Republicans can be drawn.

Likewise, Democrats in Blue districts and states, especially in the House, are refusing to budge in their idealistic bill. They know that if the bill can be pushed through – out of committee, and even through the House itself – they can go back to liberal constituencies and show how they did all they could, if not for those mobs, radio talk show hosts, and insurance companies opposing the bill at every turn. They can play that the GOP is in the pocket of this three-headed monster, and it will play well for their voters too.

Thank you Elbridge Gerry for your contribution to elective politics.

This leaves those folks in the middle attempting to craft the camel. These so-called “moderates”, also known as “vulnerable-at-election-time, unprincipled windsocks”, get the privilege of getting together and crafting the bill that no one will like. If it passes, look for a new law that is too expensive, loaded with pork, does not cover those who need it, is riddled with unintended consequences, and ultimately does not accomplish what it was set out to accomplish.

Something will pass … the question is, just what will pass? In the end, the Dems will claim victory because they passed a bill, regardless of how watered down it is, and will now have an election issue. The GOP will claim victory because they stopped Obamacare and will now have that as an election issue. Depending on the outcome, the windsocks will face the most scrutiny. Some will hang on, and some will be gone… replaced by some other windsock from the other party. Historically, this will work in the opposition’s favor.

Either way, we are looking at a camel of a health plan. Hopefully we won’t mind the smell or the spitting.

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