The Washington Post reports that the vote is expected to take place some time after 8:00 p.m. tonight. Our hopes are that it won't pass. If it does pass, remember when all the problems that were known right now emerge, remember who lied, who pimped and who prostituted. If it passes, in ten years, the 'progressive' community will disown the legislation but remember these same liars helped sell it.
In the process, they had little time to cover anything else. In fact, we more than agreed with a possible response in the current In These Times poll: "Please, please stop talking about healthcare reform."
Congress is poised to vote on a final healthcare reform bill this week, after nearly a year of legislative wrangling. If you were a member of Congress, would you vote on the bill, which is basically what the Senate passed in December?
No fans of David Sirota here, we are fans of the truth and that requires that we note one of the few honest talkers on this issue, as the Congress prepares to vote, has been David Sirota. From his "What's the Matter with Democrats?" (In These Times):
First, their leaders campaign on pledges to create a government insurer (a "public option") that will compete with private health corporations. Once elected, though, Democrats propose simply subsidizing those corporations, which are (not coincidentally) filling Democratic coffers. Justifying the reversal, Democrats claim the subsidies will at least help some citizens try to afford the private insurance they'll be forced to buy -- all while insisting Congress suddenly lacks the votes for a public option.
Despite lawmakers' refusal to hold votes verifying that assertion, liberal groups obediently follow orders to back the bill, their obsequious leaders fearing scorn from Democratic insiders and moneymen. Specifically, MoveOn, unions and "progressive" non-profits threaten retribution against lawmakers who consider voting against the bill because it doesn't include a public option. The threats fly even though these congresspeople would be respecting their previous public-option ultimatums -- ultimatums originally supported by many of the same groups now demanding retreat.
Soon it's on to false choices. Democrats tell their base that any bill is better than no bill, even one making things worse, and that if this particular legislation doesn't pass, Republicans will win the upcoming election -- as if signing a blank check to insurance and drug companies couldn’t seal that fate. They tell everyone else that "realistically" this is the "last chance" for reform, expecting We the Sheeple to forget that those spewing the do-or-die warnings control the legislative calendar and could immediately try again.
It should be remembered that David Sirota told the truth. Equally important, it should be remembered how many rushed to lie.
