Or, as my son, Brian, calls it – health insurance reform. Which it’s only a bare start on!
But wasn’t it exciting to watch? I was gone all day, then got home around 9 to turn on the TV and watch the end of it – the insane procedural posturing by the Republicans, the originally opposed Democrats – including Driehaus – getting their tiny moment in the sun (whatever reward is required!), and finally the confusing process by which it became law. I loved Nancy Pelosi using the Medicare gavel to declare that we now had a law on health care.
Got to see her good speech – and then Barack’s statement – simple, powerful, clear. And what a relief.
Nancy Pelosi was absolutely masterful. She is great (as is Harry Reid in the Senate), but much of that is because she / they had a great leader to follow. I think Barack did this just right – if he had created a bill and tried to push it through, it would not have gotten anywhere. And we might still have thought Congress was functional – now we know how bad Congress is, how bad the lobbyists are, the whole stinky game of politics as played by most (and I love politics), but not by Barack, as we came down to the finish line. A runner friend of mine, who had very much doubted Barack’s ability and will to do this, declared him a marathoner – one who paces himself and then sprints at the finish.
Barack will get about 6 minutes to rest, and then must tackle the financial reform bill that has just been sent from the committee to the full Senate. And then immigration reform, which is a simple matter of justice for those who are doing all the jobs Americans will not do, no matter how little they have.
All the while the Republicans are bleating about the deficits they caused. I have an idea on how to drive them right over the edge and drive down the deficit at the same time – a real two for one deal: Let’s tackle defense spending. Just reducing the Pentagon/defense budget by 10% would probably put us all on Easy Street.