The Admin Spin Team Keeps Frittering, While the Republicans Just Scream

After Scott Brown's election in MA it appeared to all reasonable folks that healthcare reform ("HCR"), at least an encompassing package, was dead. Put aside for a moment the rights or wrongs of such reform, can the decision on the part of the Administration to revive its hopes (and those who support it) HCR be defended? The political insanity defies explanation. While wonderful statistics can be sighted for HCR (i.e., first in healthcare spending 37th in results), is it the principle issue facing the country right now?

Sure, the country is in serious economic trouble, far more trouble than understood within the Administration or Congress. Put aside the empty ranting of the Republicans in Congress, the Administration has no one to blame but themselves. They are completely out-of-touch with the body politic and that said, the frightening thing is they seem wholly unaware of this fact. They seem to content themselves with the fact that a majority of Americans support HCR, but notably not either one approved by the House nor the Senate. Why do they continue then?

In my view, there are two primary reasons, arrogance and bad advice. Why doesn't a President, one with enough political chops to move from a first term Senator (with no House resume) to the Oval Office, get it? No one credibly argues it's a lack of brains, although some argue too many brains is at least equally problematical. How is it that someone within the Administration does not possess the President's trust to be able to tell him that he's off course and that those individuals within the Administration leading him so must go. It befuddles me how an Administration that has failed so horribly on its principle policy goals retains those who championed the failed policies (don't David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett need to spend more time with their families).

On the Republican side, the 2010 election wins will be quite substantial, but what does that mean? I have no idea. The struggle for who leads the party is an open question. That is not to say the party is not without highly capable leaders, however I'm not so sure the right people are being thrust to the front. At this point there aren't enough balls on the field for all those rushing to the podium. Rather than substantive debate of the real issues facing this country, the Republicans will continue to scream about the Administration.

That said, is there any hope? I think so, although hope, I expect, won't come from the politicians. One thing for sure, the pain ain't over, not even close.

The Mess That is Our Government

I am beyond disgust. What has happened the last week. Obama finally talks about jobs and then sources say he'll fund it with TARP funds. The knucklehead Harry Reid gets some semblance of a health care bill through (although it's ultimate prospects remain unclear). All this followed by the EPA's display of hubris, by saying if Congress didn't act that they'd put forward their own onerous version of cap and trade (put aside the ridiculously long amount of time that would take). This idiocy is only rivaled by the inanity of the loyal opposition. The Republicans say nothing meaningful.

The only conclusion I can draw is that they are completely out of touch with reality. It is shocking, simply shocking that all these idiots can do is either try to shout the other side down or trying to push forward a laundry list of political priorities irrespective of the economic reality we find ourselves in now. I have always been a political afficiando, but never have I felt so entirely voiceless. The situation is glum indeed.

House Democrats Believe Passage of Health Care Will Help Them in 2010

Self deception is dangerous and the level of self deception among Democrats, particularly the leadership is profound. How they can even make such a claim is evidence that sanity has no place in D.C. The health care debate combined with the unemployment rate and the perilous state of the US economy create dark ominous clouds over the heads of Congressional representatives recently elected. Sure it'll have little impact on the House leadership because they're in safe districts. The impact on many of their colleagues promises to be severe. It astounds me that the leadership is so tone deaf to what's going on in the real world.