Legal Commentary

Is The Starter Home Health Bill Safe From GOP Hurricanes?

By Big Tent Democrat

What we are buying here is a modest home, not a mansion. What we are getting here is a starter home. It’s got a good foundation. Think about it that way. -- Tom Harkin

At Balloon Juice, Tim F. writes:

I pimped the hell out of [the health] bill, and I certainly did not think the bill was perfect. I pimped it because no national politician can bring back rescissions or pre-existing condition exemptions and expect to keep his seat. Weaker points can get ironed out later (or made worse), but major protections that affect large percentages of the public are a one-way ratchet. They quickly get fixed in the national character and people move on to fight about other things. Republicans always knew this. That’s why they fought it so hard. The good things got fixed so fast that even the GOP’s half-baked pledge promises to keep them. More will come later. Even if it doesn’t we’re a far sight better off than the status quo ante.

"More will come later?" How? By whom? What's the plan? Will this "starter house" bill survive a GOP hurricane? It's funny because Democrats have insisted on demanding loud clapping for the most progressive achievement in 40 years. That is the natural impulse of a politician - to take credit. In this case, the better approach would have been more of a "stay the course" strategy, and treat the the passage of a health bill as the first step in a longer journey. But apparently Dems have decided to play the "Stop Whining" card instead. Yeah, that'll work.

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on September 28, 2010 (boomark / email).