New Spin on Health Care Reform

Let me start this piece by saying that health care reform is needed. There is simply no way it is acceptable that our per capita spending is first amongst industrialized countries, yet our results are 37th amongst the same group. Moreover, the rate of increase in costs is daunting.

That said, the latest spin is that not passing health care is worse for Democrats than passing something, anything. Given the precarious state of our economy, I find that contention patently absurd. The two disparate bills generated by the House and Senate are fraught with problems. What the bills do display in abundance is the problems with our Congress and their lack of connection with body politic. Much has been made of the deal to get Senator Mary Landrieu to buy off on cloture. That seedy deal is normal Washington politics, headline benefit with little to nothing accomplished.

The fact is the Democrats are no where near a deal on health care and the Republicans have decided to take their toys and go home. This is not to say a deal won't get done, but the abomination that will emerge if it gets done, will be ever more frightening. The Republicans seem to be hoping this happens so they can hoist the Democrats on their own petard in the '10 elections. The lack of leadership is frightening, and the complete abdication of leadership from the White House is nothing short of shocking.

The spin that something no matter how fetid and obese is better than nothing at all is obscene. Our legislature cannot effectively legislate. Moreover, the Administration pitiful silence is deafening. Do they simply not get it, not understand what their jobs are?