Conservatives get what Senate Dems never have
Basically, they understand how political power works. Witnesseth Steve Bell writing over at Frum’s place:
First, even if Brown wins, leaving Senate Majority Leader Reid with only 59 aye votes for healthcare reform, we should remember that Sen. Reid has another parliamentary option — budget reconciliation.
I have been mystified for months now, watching the Senate stagger through “regular order,” making the kinds of political deals that enrage voters. Why doesn’t Reid use reconciliation?
If you believe that the duty of the Majority Leader of any party is to aggressively address the party legislative agenda and the interests of the President, if he is of the same party, then it seems almost mandatory that the Majority Leader use every parliamentary tool at his or her disposal.
Some in the mainstream media have pooh-poohed the idea of using reconciliation from Day One. The argument, generally goes like this: if Reid uses reconciliation, then it will forever ruin relationships with Senate Republicans.
I think that’s silly. Relationships cannot get much worse between Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans than they are now. And, who cares?
It has been remarkable to watch Harry Reid struggle to bribe Ben Nelson and Joe Lieberman to the point where they’ll vote for the most significant piece of social insurance legislation in recent memory, and all because he wants to avoid the wrath of a sternly-worded David Broder column. And oops, Broder still wrote the scathing column anyway. It’s like David Broder is every Senate Democrat’s lovable old grandpa whom they’d simply hate to disappoint. Me no get.
Also: If Scott Brown wins, I love that Reid will “only” have 59 seats. Jesus Christ! That’s a bigger senate majority than the GOP had in the ’90s or all throughout last decade! And you’re telling me you can’t get any goddamn shit done with 59 goddamn seats?
Related: As much as it pains me to say it, Greg Sargent is right that Dems are still better off passing Liebercare in the House and working through reconciliation to fix the egregiously awful parts.
Liebercare violates a chief principle of sound Democratic legislative policy, which is that the policy does not piss off union members and the elderly. I cannot believe I even have to state this.
God, you guys — though mostly the White House and the Senate Dems — have really fouled this shit up. I’m a goddamn pessimistic person by nature but even I would never have predicted that you might lose health care reform because you couldn’t hold onto a Senate seat on Massachusetts. It’s like every werewolf, vampire and gremlin I’ve ever had nightmares about have all appeared at once to take a heaping dump in my bed. Politics is terrible for my mental health.
UPDATE: This is actually an interesting report from Reason:
All natives of the commonwealth and reflexively Democratic, they kvetch about spending, taxes, and health care. As one member of a pipefitters union told me, “none of the guys in my union trust that Obama won’t hit us with that 40 percent health care tax.”
I’ll have more to say about this at a later date, but I think Obama’s biggest miscalculation upon taking office was that the American people were looking for a return to Clintonism — that is, a Democrat who is buddy-buddy with business elites and who won’t rock the boat too much on the economic populism front. Basically, it’s the sort of mentality that if you let the corporate elites work their magic and grow the economy, you can use the added tax revenue for social good.
But the times clearly demand something else. Corporate-friendly Democrats do well when the livin’ is easy, but these times demand angry populism in one form or another. The good news is that Obama can do a really good job of calling the Republicans out on their bullshit by launching populist initiatives including the bank tax, new financial regulations and a strong jobs bill. The GOP will reflexively hate all of these initiatives and will give Obama and the Dems an opening to say, “See? Same Republicans who spent eight years in bed with Wall Street.”
Now, there is one major obstacle here, which is that the Democratic Party may not, in fact, be smart enough to do these things and they probably won’t be smart enough to have strong messaging. But they’re going to be under a tremendous amount of pressure this year. Voters are pissed that the Obama administration spent its first year creating a corporatist health care policy and that the Senate killed off just about every measure that could have best helped people directly, from the public plan to drug re-importation to the Medicare buy in. Oh, and the loan modification program has been a total bust, as Atrios has tirelessly pointed out. Also unemployment is still way, way too high.
But, look, dudes. You still have time to turn things around. Obama’s poll numbers, while not great by any stretch of the imagination, are still reasonable given the absurdly awful economic climate. But the administration and Congress are gong to have to take concrete measures that will provide people with relief immediately — no more of this “let’s delay all the good stuff in health reform until 2014” bullshit. People will support you if they see that you’re making their lives better. If you don’t do that, then they’ll get pissed and vote for whatever else is around. And guess what? “Whatever else is around” is sadly the goddamn GOP. So please, dudes, get your shit together.
If Coakley doesn’t win tonight, I can’t return to the internet. I’ve said too much shit to the GOP douchebags.
Thanks Democratic party. Ass hammers!
I’m an atheist, but if Coakley loses, I will be convinced that God is trying to tell us something, though I’m not sure what that would be.
He’s telling us that we must keep wasting shitloads of money on inferior health care. Or in other words, He hates us.
Seriously, though, I think Dems pass Liebercare then use reconciliation to fix the worst parts of it, maybe even add in some good stuff too. They have to know it’s suicide for them to just abandon all the work they’ve done for the past year.
FWIW, I think it may be more possible now to use the approach of reconciliation than it was before. Although it should be recalled that many of us do not view Democratic leadership’s efforts at reaching out to Republicans or allowing Baucus to cater to the ‘Gang of Six Conservatives’ for an entire summer for nothing as somehow stupid or wimpy, but an intentional way of using easily available excuses to weaken reforms in the interests of entrenched power. That they can manage to Cater To Entrenched Conservative Interests while still managing to Shoot Themselves In the Foot Politically is a registered trademark of the Democratic Party, and also patent, and also intellectual property.
if Coakley loses, I will be convinced that God is trying to tell us something, though I’m not sure what that would be.
“I am a bastard and I hate you all.”
Of course, it could also just be, “some of your neighbors suck. Sorry!”
if Coakley loses, I will be convinced that God is trying to tell us something, though I’m not sure what that would be.
“I am a bastard and I hate you all.”
He’s big, he’s bad, he’s a bastard…you don’t think?
The problem is, the “party in power”, aka the coalition of Republicans, Blue Dogs, Joe Lieberman, and Obama do not want anything but the status quo vis a vis healthcare. Their coalition knows no boundaries except their desire to “keep the healthcare ‘bubble’ inflated” (shoveling an ever more unsustainably ridiculous part of our GDP to the Military-Industrial-Complex and the BigPharma/InsureCo-Complex).
Bigby — you’re sadly right.
But for the life of me, I cannot stand the thought of the GOP running the whole damn government AGAIN so soon after we worked so hard to toss them out. Not that the Democrats have been spectacular or even good by any means, but the thought of the GOP taking back the government crazier than ever before is a terrifying prospect.
Yeah, Brad, I agree with you. I was at the “Kill the motherfucker!” stage about a month ago, but this thing has dragged on far too long…so, yeah, GET ON WITH IT ALREADY.
TruculentandUnreliable said,
I’m an atheist, but if Coakley loses, I will be convinced that God is trying to tell us something, though I’m not sure what that would be.
[in John Huston’s voice]: “You had your chance and you blew it. Dumb-asses.”
Bigby’s right, see this article from my hometown of Warren, MI . TACOM has been hiring throughout this entire recession/depression. http://www.freep.com/article/20100118/NEWS04/1180317/?imw=Y
Massachusetts has the same basic system that Dems want to force on America, so you all run your Massachusetts campaign on health care? When unemployment is skyrocketing with no end in sight?
Obama claims his admin is prioritizing jobs. But they will go back to Health Care, they’ll try to pitch a welfare package for Haiti, they’ll go to cap’n’tax, they’ll go back to health care, and unemployment will go up.
The fact is that you socialists deserve to lose. America is making a comeback tonight. This November, the Dems will lose both the House and Senate. And in 2012, Sarah Palin will defeat Barack Obama.
Harry Reid is going to lose this November. Russ Feingold is going to lose this November. Blanche Lincoln is going to lose this November. Arlen Specter is going to lose this November. Barbara Boxer is going to lose this November. Michael Bennet is going to lose this November. Evan Bayh is going to lose this November. Republicans will pick up seats in North Dakota, Illinois, and Delaware. That produces a 51-49 Republican Majority.
Face it losers, America is a Capitalist Christian Country, not a Socialist Secularist State. America is rejecting socialism. We’re spending too much money and we need to cut back and prioritize.
The Barack Obamaians better enjoy tonight, because they’re going to be obliterated over and over until America is America again.
You know, of all the things that I, at 6 years old, was afraid of werewolves and gargoyles doing to me when they crawled out from under my bed…
… taking a shit on it was not one of them.
Thanks for adding that to the repertoire.
This is why I wanted Hillary to stay in the Senate and take over Reid’s spot.
Sure, she ain’t no progressive, but at least she has some guts, understands that the GOP isn’t to be taken seriously, and would not, I like to think, put up with the bullshit Reid has.
As a bonus, since she commands media attention, she may have been able to help alter the narrative from its current “Bipartisanship = The GOP getting everything it wants!” to “The GOP failed at governance and should either try to help fix things, or STFU.”
Of course, I could be wrong on that. But I don’t think so.
Regardless, at this point anyone but Harry the Gutless Wonderturd* would be nice.
(*There’s potential there for an awesome kid’s book — one about standing up for one’s principles in the name of basic decency.)
Their coalition knows no boundaries except their desire to “keep the healthcare ‘bubble’ inflated”
This was the impetus behind their housing market “fixes” and “Cash for Clunkers,” too. Too crazy.
PALIN FOR PRESIDENT!
2012 – 2013.5
Some in the mainstream media have pooh-poohed the idea of using reconciliation from Day One. The argument, generally goes like this: if Reid uses reconciliation, then it will forever ruin relationships with Senate Republicans.
I think part of the problem is that certain key beltway Democrats really believe that the media is liberal and hence on their side. They figure if even the media is pooh-poohing reconciliation it must be a bad idea.
Imagine what the GOP would do if Dems tried reconciliation — “even the liberal media thinks that this parliamentary trick is merely designed to ram health care ‘deform’ down our throats against the will of a bipartisan opposition to such radical changes”
Politics is terrible for my mental health.
GFFT.
Imagine what the GOP would do if Dems tried reconciliation — “even the liberal media thinks that this parliamentary trick is merely designed to ram health care ‘deform’ down our throats against the will of a bipartisan opposition to such radical changes”
How on Earth they can equate “a majority of your elected representatives voted for it” with “they’re ramming it down Americans’ throats” is beyond me, but I know you’re right.
Thanks Democratic party.
This would make a great new slogan, in the tradition of “I thought Obama would … wipe my ass.”
So I have to choose between a partisan hack with a naked ambition, and a creationist. Thanks, Democratic party.
I get to explain to all the conservatives at work how “health care reform” turned into a giveaway for the insurance section. Thanks, Democratic party.
… [more sucky shit]…. Thanks, Democratic party.
It’s like David Broder is every Senate Democrat’s
lovabledrunken, smelly old grandpa whom they’d simply hate todisappointlet touch them again.True, but…
The R’s have already filibustered more than any congreff in hiftory. They decided that obstructionism is good politics. It might turn out to be. In any case, it’s extremely fucking bad policy.
When the R’s had the Senate, the D’s threatened a few, actually did it a couple of times. Had the D’s pulled the same shit in the then prevailing political climate, they would have been crucified by the R’s, the press and the people. Whether through gutlessness, political caution, or desire to actually make laws and policies, they didn’t play the obstructionist game.
I sympathize completely with the sentiment but as valid comparisons go, that one aint so good.
We’re winning!
Two and a half hours until Republicans win…..
Look at the senate, and look who we have on our side. Ben Nelson and Joe Lieberman are in our 60. Ben Nelson, the former health insurance company executive, who knows fuck all about public policy. Joe Lieberman, who is motivated solely by spite against the Democrats. We never had 60 votes, and it’s a goddamned miracle we got any bill not including mandatory handjobs for insurance company executives out of the senate. It makes me furious, but we have to take what we can get right now, then do whatever we can to replace these fuckers (not limited to the aforementioned). Make Dick Durbin the majority leader. Do whatever you fucking have to.
Is there an example of a Weimar-like republic that ever managed to pull out of its tailspin into fascism?
One upside of losing Harry Reid is that either Durbin or Schumer will take over, and at least for once the Democratic Senate leader will be from an actual blue state.
Of course they’ll pick Begich or Tester, because having a majority leader whose re-election is in constant jeopardy is something of a tradition now.
Is there an example of a Weimar-like republic that ever managed to pull out of its tailspin into fascism?
If there is, please to let me know. Y’all may have bad dreams about gremlins and shit, but my nightmares have always been about authoritarian regimes, my teeth falling out, and weird, post-apocalyptic wastelands. This shit is not helping.
And, of course, Biden says that “no democracy has survived needing a supermajority,” making me feel so, so much better!
I’ve pondered it and I thought I had something hopeful when I thought of France, and the fourth republic, but it’s really quite a longshot:
So yeah, better hope that The Man Called Petraeus will govern as a benign military dictator who runs for re-election and eventually leaves office voluntarily after a referendum vote does not go his way.
I thought of one, but it’s not such a great solution to hope for, but it did turn out relatively well in the end, the French Fourth Republic:
So all we have to do is arrange for the right to stage a military coup where they install The Man Called Petraeus as military dictator, but he turns out to be a relatively benign leader who runs for re-election and eventually leaves office voluntarily. It’s brilliant, the right will never see it coming.
FYWP. WP did not like my linking to wikianswers for some unholy reason.
Don’t loose sight of the fact many of us Democrats do not favor this nightmare of a supposed healthcare reform bill. Thus, the difficulty getting it passed (particularly in the Senate) despite the majority numbers. If I was in Massachusettes I’d be voting for Brown despite my party membership, but I’m not so we’ll just have to see what happens.
The leadership of the Democratic party is simply trying to be good whores to corporate money, but they always have a harder time doing it better than the Republicans because, in general, Democratic voters are somewhat less gullible. So they have to invent more complex excuses and subterfuge for why they can’t do what the base wants. These excuses are even less credible when they have super-majorities and the presidency. If Coakley loses, Reid and Obama will be a little more comfortable, because the loss of a filibuster-proof Senate majority will improve their cover. Anonymous White House jerk says Obama will double down on “bipartisanship?” That’s just running the scam a little further down the field. All the nonsense from the DSCC about evil Republicans since they have had full control over Congress? More subterfuge to cover the real goal, which is keeping corporate money happy while cranking new excuses to the voters. This will end badly for all of us little people.
Soon to be Ex-Dem. said,
January 20, 2010 at 0:51
Funny, I was also planning on leaving the Democratic Party, but now I’m staying in so as not to be confused with morons like you.
pedestrian, don’t be mean, I’m sure the Democrats don’t want to loose him.
Funny, I was also planning on leaving the Democratic Party, but now I’m staying in so as not to be confused with morons like you.
There’ll be ice cream and pony rides later…
If I was in Massachusettes I’d be voting for Brown despite my party membership, but I’m not so we’ll just have to see what happens.
Well thank God you ain’t. This is not a referendum on one policy, and opposition to ANY health care plan is not the only right-wing stance he holds.
watou — GOP benefit from the expectations game in that regard. People EXPECT them to be corporate whores. Their basic pitch to the public is, “Let us cut your taxes a bit and we’ll also cut taxes a lot for the productive people and the economy will boom and you’ll get rich too!” The corporate Dems’ message is, “We’ll raise taxes on the rich, keep your taxes the same, let the banks run completely wild and use added tax revenue from a booming economy to pay for social programs.”
Again, each of these narratives is politically successful at different times. But the narrative of a financial crisis has to be Outrage on Behalf of the Little Guy. The GOP has astonishingly and embarrassingly employed this narrative effectively to the banksters who will be seen as victims of the mean old Obama administration’s tax and regulations. This stuff isn’t hard to push back against and it would behoove these guys to try. Even if they don’t mean it! They need to do it for the sakes of their jobs.
I never thought they’d fuck it up this badly. I never thought Bush would fuck up Iraq that badly. I never realized anyone could fuck anything up as badly as everyone has fucked everything up. I was a serious badass when I was younger though. I never thought I’d fuck my own integrity up so badly. Remember Phlebas, etc.
Soon to be Ex-Dem. said,
Door… ass… way out.
Check this out, dudes! No, not Brown’s ripped muscles, but his 41st vote that will kill Obamacare! All I have to do is wait for the House Democrats, led by ultra-liberal Nancy Pelosi, to send a bill back to the Senate to be voted on again, and then it’s my time to shine!
Wait, what do you mean she doesn’t have to do that? Oh, crap!
He’s big, he’s bad, he’s a bastard…you don’t think?
Nah, that guy’s got silky hair.
41st, haven’t you heard? There’s a movement to clean up the english language. We’re not using words like crap, shit, bull shit, etc. Instead we’re replacing those words with “pelosi.” I’ll give you a couple of examples. Your comment was a bunch of pelosi. Obama is full of pelosi. Get the idea?
So all we have to do is arrange for the right to stage a military coup where they install The Man Called Petraeus as military dictator, but he turns out to be a relatively benign leader who runs for re-election and eventually leaves office voluntarily
Yeah, uh, please forgive me if I’m not at all heartened. Thanks for trying, though!
Yeah, uh, please forgive me if I’m not at all heartened. Thanks for trying, though!
I’m not really either. My best case historical scenario is a non-sucky Petraeus military dictatorship that leads to a new constitution.
FWIW, Petraeus once again publicly stated he was not in any way interested in seeking public office. Which makes him the perfect Mark Antony for the wingnuts.
David Brooks needs to be thrown into pond of shit.
~
Petraeus?
Sounds overly Woman.
~
David Brooks needs to be thrown into pond of shit.
I support this position.
I’d settle for a shitty pond, if we have to compromise with some people. But a pond of shit is my negotiating position.
~
I support any measure that allows the Democrats to pass a bill before Brown gets to office, if he wins. At this point, I don’t even care any more. Yglesias likes to say that people don’t vote for losers, and I tend to agree. For the millions of voters who don’t pay attention to politics except as a who’s-who horse race, seeing what the Democrats have worked on for a year get ripped apart by some upstart Republican is not going to make them vote Democratic. People just don’t work that way.
So, I read that Coakley has conceded. Is the most likely outcome that the House passes the Senate version of the health care bill…and then Obama doesn’t get a single thing passed for the rest of his administration because of the stupid filibuster rule?
I have nothing to say. I feel sick to my stomach and it doesn’t really even affect me.
You believed that pipefitter story? You’re slippin’, Ace.
I’m sorry but at this point my faith in the country’s ability to heal itself is all but gone. And it’s no good blaming it all on the politicians; the people do far more than their share. Chiefly the independents who were so crucial to Scott Brown’s success and have been the cannon fodder of the Tea Party movement. Sure the Democrats have problems, especially that idiot in Massachusetts, and I’ve vented about them myself more than once.
But really, what could the Democrats have done to satisfy toolbags who enthusiastically elect Obama on a “fix the economy” platform and only half a year later are furiously screaming that they object to him because he’s spending – which, by the way, is the only way to fix an economy? It’s like telling your soldiers to shoot at the enemy and then court-martialing them for using up ammunition. There’s no defense against this kind of idiocy.
I’m so God damn tired of this stupidity I’m honestly wondering if it might not be better for the Democrats to drop out of politics altogether. This is the second time in less than twenty years that Democrats have been elected on a “fix the country” platform and shut down almost immediately for it. Yes, you can say there was a lot wrong with Obama and Clinton both, but honestly, when did these honest, concerned, apolitical independents ever apply these same standards to the GOP? It took them six years to slam the door on George W. Bush, and Reagan/Bush actually got twelve. The Democrats have barely had a year. You’d think an independent would understand the value of giving both sides an equal chance.
No, Lurking Canadian.
I’m afraid that the most likely outcome is that the House votes to impeach Obama, followed by a David Broder editorial in the Washington Post condemning them for taking so long to do so.
~
Jesus Presley, you wusses. All that this proves is that you shouldn’t act like you have your Senate seat in the bag just because you do, or think you do. Take Coakley’s example as a model of how to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory and don’t do that again, and in the meantime keep an eye on Captain Treasure Trail for infidelities–he looks like the type. Elevate your game a little and we’ll get the seat back.
Oh god they are going to be insufferable.
[[People will support you if they see that you’re making their lives better. If you don’t do that, then they’ll get pissed and vote for whatever else is around.]]
And the 2010 Punditry Award for Best Combo of Insight and Brevity goes to Brad, and it’s only January.
This really is what it’s all about, folks. Perhaps it’s not rational for a voter to take this viewpoint, but in the real world (and two-party system) in which we operate, this is how voters behave. You want to win elections? Help people.