Posted on 02/28/2010 6:57:02 AM PST by kingattax
For months, President Obama and his congressional Democratic allies led by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have pushed forward with their radical plans to socialize American health care despite repeated public opinion surveys showing mounting public opposition.
Now, following the White House health care summit, Obama and company are pushing forward with their plan to ram Obamacare through Congress with bare minimum majorities made up entirely of Democrats.
Why? Don't they know doing so quite possibly could result in voters throwing out the Democratic majorities in both the Senate and House? Don't they care that the American constitutional republic is purposely structured to force compromise, thus requiring moderation of radical demands such as that behind Obamcare?
The answers to both questions are yes, they know, and no, they don't care, according to former federal prosecutor Andy McCarthy. Writing on NRO, McCarthy points out the fundamental reality of contemporary American politics - Democrats care about building Leviathan, changing the relationship of the individual from master of the state to its servant, and centralizing all power in Washington.
And the Republicans? Democrats don't care that the GOP may regain congressional majorities because they know the Republicans lack the political guts to repeal Obamacare once it becomes law, no matter how that happens.
As McCarthy puts it:
"Today's Democrats are controlled by the radical Left, and it is more important to them to execute the permanent transformation of American society than it is to win the upcoming election cycles. They have already factored in losing in November — even losing big. For them, winning big now outweighs that. I think they're right."
Note that at the conclusion of the summit, Obama suggested a six-week window for the end-game on passage. McCarthy doesn't see much to be encouraged by in the sustained public opposition because it just adds to the urgency felt by Democrats to get as much of their proposal approved as possible:
"Consequently, the next six weeks, like the next ten months, are going to be worse than we think. We're wired to think that everyone plays by the ususal rules of politics — i.e., if the tide starts to change, the side against whom it has turned modifies its positions in order to stay viable in the next election. But what will happen here will be the opposite.
"You have a party with the numbers to do anything it puts its mind to, led by movement Leftitsts who see their window of opportunity is closing. We seem to expect them to moderate because that's what everybody in their position does. But they won't. They will put their heads down and go for as much transformation as they can get, figuring that once they get it, it will never be rolled back."
I believe McCarthy is exactly right. The nation's Democratic leaders literally couldn't care less about the Tea Party movement or the fact majorities clearly don't approve of Obamacare. They have the numbers and they are going to use the power of those numbers without regard for near-term consequences. What they care about is winning now because they know Republicans lack the backbone to repeal it if they ever get an opportunity to do so.
And how do they know that? Well, have you heard either Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell or House Minority Leader John Boehner promising voters their first of order of business if they regain the majority in November will be to repeal Obamacare, if it is approved?
Good argument. There’s always wheels-within-wheels, but at least this position takes into account the realpolitic attitude of the Leftists.
Its not a “healthcare” bill. It is a TAX bill...and he needs some bipartisan duck and cover for the largest TAX BILL ever on planet earth as they head into an election cycle.
Without some “walking around” money on the street...ACORN and SEIU won’t perform for the Dems in November.
Any “benefits” in the bill ..supposedly slated to “kick in” in 2014...IMHO will never be paid.
Here is the problem with their calculation:
There are people, like me, who are going to insist on such a pledge, in order to secure our vote.
“Are you going to promise that you will repeal every single solitary tentacle of Obamacare if you are reelected or elected?”
If not...............toast.
If even a small number of Democrats are non-suicidal, however, there will not be enough votes in the House.
Unfortunately I totally agree with his assessment.
Such a pledge is sort of premature. There is no healthcare bill to repeal.
Sounds correct to me. Are there any examples of the Republicans rolling back any leftist expansions of the central government? I don’t remember where even the Gingrich revolution achieved any lasting rollback of Federal power.
Consequently the next ten months, are going to be worse than we think. Can’t argue with that.
There is a wild card at work here. The above statement is true but it does not account for the Tea Party Movement. The lack of a Republican backbone is the reason we have to have a Tea Party Movement. I believe the reversal of ObamaCare will become the cause célèbre of the movement if it passes and will be a litmus test for Tea Party backed candidates.
I tend to agree. I think Islamo-Kenyan-Care is dead.
Nancy to Dem. Congrees...”take a bullet for the team”.
Seems to me they are also betting on conservatives not ever seeing a majority (in numbers, not necessarily consensus) like they have. They’ve likely written off the 2010 election. However, you can believe, if conservative make significant gains this year, they war cry from the left and MSM will warn of “extreme right wingers” will lead us to the repeal of Roe, Social Security’s privitization, etc.....in 2012.
The Republicans aren’t promising to reverse it if passed because they know any bill to reverse will simply be vetoed by The One.
None, whatsoever. If (when?) Obamacare is passed, the debate between the parties will shift to who can administer the program most effectively. Repeal will never be proposed because the Establishments Republicans lust for power as much as the Democrats. Voter anger may sweep the GOP back into majority status in the Congress, but it will be more of meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
They don’t have to repeal it, just defund it. Its a moot point though because Obamacare is not going to pass, even with reconciliation and its many complexities. The dems are huffing and puffing but they are not going to blow the house down, they can’t, and they know it.
They are toast, and they won’t even get the fascist pie they want. LOL!
They tried to fulfill their promises, but were mercilessly hammered in the MSM with lies. They simply could not get their message out. I saw a great speech by Newt Gingrich on C-Span that skewered the Democrats and would have been a game changer... if the public had seen it. The operative power was in the MSM more than in the House and Senate.
Now, the MSM has lost some power, we have gained alternate media, Fox news is the most trusted News in the nation.
It is time to promise rollbacks of “progressive law” again.
I think it’s more important to lean on some of the more vulnerable Democrats and prevent this from being passed.
What tells me it won’t be repealed, once passed, is a hundred years of history. The Democrats have continually made government bigger and more greedy, and the Republicans have NEVER rolled it back again. We are still living with Woodrow Wilson’s, FDR’s, and LBJ’s monstrosities.
The only thing that will put an end to this growth is economic collapse. And I’m afraid that’s pretty close.
McCarthy is exactly right.
By then it will be too late, the only thing that
may stop this is to flood washington with five or
ten million tea party citizens who are angry and
ready to be arrested for the cause of freedom.
Andy has this one pegged.
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