"HOUSE DEMS, WITH A SPRING IN THEIR STEP"

[Cha]

"House Republicans, just two weeks after taking the chamber's majority, went right after the Democrats' signature domestic policy achievement of this generation: health care reform.

It comes as a bit of surprise, but Dems, the new House minority, doesn't seem despondent or depressed -- they actually seem to have a spring in their step.

In the basement of the Capitol Wednesday, House Democrats gathered to do something that would have been almost unheard of in, say, October of 2010: openly discuss the health care law they passed last March. But the House vote to repeal the law, which came courtesy of the newly-crowned Republican majority Wednesday, has turned the minority Democratic caucus into a lean, mean, health care bill-defending machine.

It was quite a change from the party of election 2010, which seemed more interested in discussing just about anything else than the landmark law that was at the center of President Obama's domestic policy agenda and dominated political discussion for more than a year.

Reporters in the room Wednesday afternoon -- part of a "bloggers row" set up by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to set the stage for the Republican-led repeal vote -- noticed the change in tone on the health care law, and we asked the Democrats to explain what happened.

The simple answer, from multiple Democrats today: The law that was just a vague plan to improve the nation's health care delivery system for much of 2010 is now beginning to go into effect, meaning that Democrats now have something tangible to defend. And thanks to the voters in November, most of the Democrats who were really wary of reform (and voted against it when it came up) are now gone.

Dems no doubt breathe a little easier knowing that, as a legislative matter, repeal isn't going anywhere. But what we're seeing isn't relief; it's an attitude that borders on confidence. Democrats actually seem to believe they have a compelling pitch to offer voters, and think that in a straight-up, honest debate over health care policy with the GOP, the public will side with them.

I talked to a couple of Dem staffers on the Hill yesterday who said they were thrilled to see the repeal vote. In 2012, the DCCC is almost certain to run ads saying, "Rep. So-and-so sided with insurance companies and voted to make seniors pay more for prescription medication ... and voted to take away tax breaks for small businesses ... and voted to strip children with pre-existing conditions of their protections ... and voted to kick young adults off their family's plan."

Why it took so long for Democrats to realize there was nothing to be gained from a defensive crouch, I don't know. Better late than never, I guess.

—Steve Benen 9:30 AM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (17)
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archive...hp#1890433

I hope this is a lesson learned.

I see that "3 Dems voted for repeal":wow: Dan Boren (D-Okla.), Mike McIntyre (D-N.C.), and Mike Ross (D-Ark.)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/scj...18548.html

[Julie]

Ah well, three assholes from our camp in the House won't make a wit of difference in regard to this nonsense seeing the light of day in the Senate.

Julie

[Willinois]

The difference is that Democrats, and the broader left, can't unite in favor of anything. They can only unite against what they all oppose. Now they have a Republican Speaker and his agenda to unite against.

[Cha]

(01-20-2011 03:17 PM)Willinois Wrote:  The difference is that Democrats, and the broader left, can't unite in favor of anything. They can only unite against what they all oppose. Now they have a Republican Speaker and his agenda to unite against.

It seems that way. That's why DFP is such a unique concept..and here we are.

[Andy823]

Yes, by the time the elections roll around I think there will be a whole lot more people who will be able to see the "benefits" of the health care bill, and it won't be easy for republicans to try and use voting "for" the bill against them.

McConnell wants to force democrats in the senate to vote on repealing it just so they can get democrats on record as voting "for" the bill! It makes no sense at all, except to kiss up to the teabaggers in the senate. Even these morons should have been able to see that the country is starting to sway more and more "FOR" the bill, not to repeal it! Many even want MORE in the bill to help keep insurance companies from going back to being able to charge, charge, charge, but not pay out once you get sick enough to need your benefits, deny you coverage because of a pre existing condition, or keep more of their profits instead of spending more on care.

The country is not going to be as stupid as they were last year when elections roll around again, even though republicans are counting on that!

[OptimistesMaddie]

(01-20-2011 04:35 PM)Andy823 Wrote:  Yes, by the time the elections roll around I think there will be a whole lot more people who will be able to see the "benefits" of the health care bill, and it won't be easy for republicans to try and use voting "for" the bill against them.

McConnell wants to force democrats in the senate to vote on repealing it just so they can get democrats on record as voting "for" the bill! It makes no sense at all, except to kiss up to the teabaggers in the senate. Even these morons should have been able to see that the country is starting to sway more and more "FOR" the bill, not to repeal it! Many even want MORE in the bill to help keep insurance companies from going back to being able to charge, charge, charge, but not pay out once you get sick enough to need your benefits, deny you coverage because of a pre existing condition, or keep more of their profits instead of spending more on care.

The country is not going to be as stupid as they were last year when elections roll around again, even though republicans are counting on that!

You are right, especially after Issa, Boehner and the other morons prove that they do not care about the American people. I think we are starting to see some buyers remorse....if the Repugs stop the government they will suffer record losses.

[Ikonoklast]

HCR will be the cudgel Dems use to beat the Republicans in 2012.

Those that were against it will now come running to its defense in order to save their political careers.

And the Teabaggers have now failed.