Obama Needs A Win
Democrats need to "Git-R-Done"!
The Health Care debate has taken on a new dimension....we've reached the stage where getting a bill passed has transcended the possible original reason, such as fixing a serious issue impacting our lives, and now we've reached a higher plain....the Democrats version of "Win one for the Gipper".
On NPR's "Morning Edition" yesterday, the host Renee Montagne was speaking with NPR News Analyst Cokie Roberts about President Obama's current difficulties. They started by recounting General Jones laying the groundwork for the possible defenestration of General McChrystal, slid right through the the Obama's failed Olympic begging fiasco, and then segued into the status of the health care debate. Cokie went right to the nub of the issue...
Now, of course, if he had won - if Chicago had won - it would be seen as a great triumph. But that coming at the same time as the jobless numbers being very high, bad news out of Iran, a disagreement with the allies, all of that is troublesome, obviously, for the president. It's a rough patch for him, so he needs a win.
And of course, the most obvious win for him to have is on health care reform, and that's a reason to focus on it and push for it. And it's a reason for Democrats to get it done, because they too understand that the president needs a win. That works for them.
MONTAGNE: So, is all that going to work to the end that the president will get a win? I mean, is health care going to happen?
ROBERTS: It is really a tough one. In the end, I continue to believe it's going to happen, but the Senate Finance Committee is probably going to report out a bill this week. But you already have liberal members of that committee saying, well, they're not sure they're going to vote for it. They have floor strategy that they would like to bring up.
You've got governors taking a look at the bill and saying we can't afford this Medicaid - this is health care for the poor - we can't afford those expansions. The costs are a real problem. And as people look at it, the premiums in some cases might cost more than the penalties for not getting health care, so there's a lot still to work out.
But I do think that the impulse is all there to get it done before the end of the year, if for no other reason, to give the president a political victory.
So.....the Democratic Congress will transform our society and one sixth of our economy just to give Obama a victory....well now, isn't that just so supportive of them. It would be terrible if Obama's self-esteem was diminished, even though the potential of that ever possibly happening is nil.
OK Democrats! Man (and Woman) Up!...and "Git-R-Done" for Obama!