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The Defining Moment
It is Labor Day weekend.
We are fortunate to live in historic times: the climactic moments when we finally achieved the progressive changes in American health care long sought by Roosevelt, Kennedy and generations of progressive activists, including deep ranks of departed miners, nurses, truckers, waitresses, janitors and school teachers with no names; with beaten, unhealed bodies; with stout hearts.
And at this very moment in history, Barack Obama and the progressive majority of the Democratic Party need to realize that a principled and dignified defeat in the health care struggle might be even better for the long term prospects of progressive change than a victory, so we should roll the dice on the full progressive plan with a robust public option. Let the Blue Dogs make good on their threat to vote against the bill, if they dare. Let it go down if it must. Then let Nelson, Bayh, Conrad, Lincoln and Landrieu spend a year out in the cold and under the media microscope as the friendless Democratic traitors who killed health reform in America. Let them be forced to confront the the massive influx of out-of-state money and national partisan activism on behalf of their new primary challengers. Let us keep a list of every uninsured child who dies from inadequate care, and call them the Blue Dogged Kids. Let us make up bumper stickers and tee shirts for uninsured, inadequately insured and exorbitantly insured Americans that say "Bark, if your livin' in the Blue Dog house."
It's time to get serious about party discipline. These Blue Dog Dems have way more bark than bite. President Obama has to realize that he has a winning hand here, if only he calls the bluff. Obama might regret the fact that he has to choose a defined side in this fight, and abandon his wonted approach of bringing people together on the sensible middle ground of common sense and progress. But the millions of Americans who need robust health care reform can tell him the same thing he says his mother used to tell him: "This is no fun for us either, buster."
The middle in this case lacks common sense, and is the enemy of progress. They stand ignorantly for power and backwardness. They don't serve the many and the common good; they serve other masters. And standing up and fighting in this situation will actually enhance Obama's ability to achieve consensus later. Both his friends and enemies will be forced to respect his determination and leadership, understand the location of his heart and principles, and recognize that they cannot always get what they want if they just push hard enough; if they just threaten him; if they just demean him.
We know what his enemies think. They treat him like an illegitimate bastard president, a mixed-race mongrel too unclean even to address Americans' schoolchldren. They openly challenge his birthright, demean his ancestry and insult his religious convictions. They dishonor the mother who raised a boy to become President of the United States.
They buy guns and show sniveling, hostile contempt for the democratic rights of every American who voted for him. But it's Labor Day weekend, the time for workers. And we are still working, with no fear.
Now is the perfect opportunity to go for the vigorous progressive change on health care we have been working for these many years. We have the president; we have the large Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress. How long can those be expected to last? I believe it is a mistake to think that if the reform effort fails this year that will sacrifice or weaken the chance for reform in the future. Reform is overwhelmingly popular. If it loses, the blame will fall very heavily on those who killed it. The bills will come right back again next year, if not sooner, maybe even more strongly progressive ones. And the obstructionists will have spent months going through the political wringer, and will by then be begging to vote for robust reform.
For Obama's sake, he needs to get on the right side of this movement, with vigor and fighting spirit, so that win or lose this session he is seen as the people's champion of progress and not just part of the Washington problem. He needs to put his opponents on notice: If he loses this time, he will bring this reform effort back again and again and again, until he wins. And each time he brings it back, the political situation will get more dire for those opponents, and for the powerful interests they serve.
The very worst thing he can do is communicate to the opposition that he is desperate for a bill. If he does that, they have him. His message to the centrists should instead be, "Make my day."
This is one of those defining moments for Barack Obama, the kind of moment we all face. He needs to choose a side, cast the die, and then throw his heart into the cause he has chosen. The tumblers are all lined up. He only needs to throw open the door. He needs to ride up to Congress next week, cast off the gloom of this recession-ridden and compromise-riddled first year, raise his voice and shake a chamber still hissing with the cowardly smears and threats of militant reaction and bigotry, and seize the leadership of a new era of resolute progressive change. If he does that, he will find a powerful army behind him, one that is just waiting for its leader to arrive.
He might also ask himself this Labor Day weekend: what would his mother have wanted him to do?
We are fortunate to live in historic times: the climactic moments when we finally achieved the progressive changes in American health care long sought by Roosevelt, Kennedy and generations of progressive activists, including deep ranks of departed miners, nurses, truckers, waitresses, janitors and school teachers with no names; with beaten, unhealed bodies; with stout hearts.
And at this very moment in history, Barack Obama and the progressive majority of the Democratic Party need to realize that a principled and dignified defeat in the health care struggle might be even better for the long term prospects of progressive change than a victory, so we should roll the dice on the full progressive plan with a robust public option. Let the Blue Dogs make good on their threat to vote against the bill, if they dare. Let it go down if it must. Then let Nelson, Bayh, Conrad, Lincoln and Landrieu spend a year out in the cold and under the media microscope as the friendless Democratic traitors who killed health reform in America. Let them be forced to confront the the massive influx of out-of-state money and national partisan activism on behalf of their new primary challengers. Let us keep a list of every uninsured child who dies from inadequate care, and call them the Blue Dogged Kids. Let us make up bumper stickers and tee shirts for uninsured, inadequately insured and exorbitantly insured Americans that say "Bark, if your livin' in the Blue Dog house."
It's time to get serious about party discipline. These Blue Dog Dems have way more bark than bite. President Obama has to realize that he has a winning hand here, if only he calls the bluff. Obama might regret the fact that he has to choose a defined side in this fight, and abandon his wonted approach of bringing people together on the sensible middle ground of common sense and progress. But the millions of Americans who need robust health care reform can tell him the same thing he says his mother used to tell him: "This is no fun for us either, buster."
The middle in this case lacks common sense, and is the enemy of progress. They stand ignorantly for power and backwardness. They don't serve the many and the common good; they serve other masters. And standing up and fighting in this situation will actually enhance Obama's ability to achieve consensus later. Both his friends and enemies will be forced to respect his determination and leadership, understand the location of his heart and principles, and recognize that they cannot always get what they want if they just push hard enough; if they just threaten him; if they just demean him.
We know what his enemies think. They treat him like an illegitimate bastard president, a mixed-race mongrel too unclean even to address Americans' schoolchldren. They openly challenge his birthright, demean his ancestry and insult his religious convictions. They dishonor the mother who raised a boy to become President of the United States.
They buy guns and show sniveling, hostile contempt for the democratic rights of every American who voted for him. But it's Labor Day weekend, the time for workers. And we are still working, with no fear.
Now is the perfect opportunity to go for the vigorous progressive change on health care we have been working for these many years. We have the president; we have the large Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress. How long can those be expected to last? I believe it is a mistake to think that if the reform effort fails this year that will sacrifice or weaken the chance for reform in the future. Reform is overwhelmingly popular. If it loses, the blame will fall very heavily on those who killed it. The bills will come right back again next year, if not sooner, maybe even more strongly progressive ones. And the obstructionists will have spent months going through the political wringer, and will by then be begging to vote for robust reform.
For Obama's sake, he needs to get on the right side of this movement, with vigor and fighting spirit, so that win or lose this session he is seen as the people's champion of progress and not just part of the Washington problem. He needs to put his opponents on notice: If he loses this time, he will bring this reform effort back again and again and again, until he wins. And each time he brings it back, the political situation will get more dire for those opponents, and for the powerful interests they serve.
The very worst thing he can do is communicate to the opposition that he is desperate for a bill. If he does that, they have him. His message to the centrists should instead be, "Make my day."
This is one of those defining moments for Barack Obama, the kind of moment we all face. He needs to choose a side, cast the die, and then throw his heart into the cause he has chosen. The tumblers are all lined up. He only needs to throw open the door. He needs to ride up to Congress next week, cast off the gloom of this recession-ridden and compromise-riddled first year, raise his voice and shake a chamber still hissing with the cowardly smears and threats of militant reaction and bigotry, and seize the leadership of a new era of resolute progressive change. If he does that, he will find a powerful army behind him, one that is just waiting for its leader to arrive.
He might also ask himself this Labor Day weekend: what would his mother have wanted him to do?
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DK
You know, during the primaries my dream candidate was a president whose party held both houses and chose to sacrifice a second term for the sake of real change. Instead it looks like we will be lucky to get a little spare change. I still feel we are lucky to have Obama as our president but would feel a lot more proud if he would knuckle down and, well you know, knuckle up.
M. Paul
September 5, 2009 12:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Then let Nelson, Bayh, Conrad, Lincoln and Landrieu spend a year out in the cold and under the media microscope as the friendless Democratic traitors who killed health reform in America."
Naive is all I can say if you think that is how the MSM will play it. (Said by someone represented by Bayh, unfortunately.)
September 5, 2009 12:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
You might be right about how the MSM will play it, acamus. But contrary to popular legend, the MSM does not rule the universe.
September 5, 2009 9:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
One month and one day ... to the day . . .
You're correct Dan. It's not about the MSM .. It's all about the money. That, and how just how damn cold it can get through the winter.
At my TPM blog . . .
~OGD~
September 5, 2009 9:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nicely said.
I think the next few days will tell us a lot about whether the message can be clarified for the public. But yes, our minds should be on the right thing to do, not what the Republicans will let happen.
September 5, 2009 1:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Highly rec'ed. This comment -- it's time to lay down the line -- in it's many forms is long in coming. Bill Maher has made it. Bill Moyers just made it (and referenced TPM in it). And many others. I made something similar just a while ago. And now this.
Obama is not an ideologue. He is a policy maker. This speech will challenge him to make some clear statements -- he has run out of hair-splitting room.
John Kennedy did not want to deal with the Civil Rights issues -- he was concerned it was an area in which he could only lose. But George Wallace forced his hand. Like Obama, Kennedy had to take a strong national stance, and it became one of his finest speeches in my view.
I'll quote a portion of it [emphasis mine]:
Obama will have to be just as clear in his speech on Wednesday. Plain talk. Clear talk. No abstractions. Just like what Kennedy asked to justify the notion of equality: if you didn't want to change places with a black, then you admitted the black had a raw deal.
A beautiful way of reframing the discussion -- and one that even the largest bigot had to respond to in a certain way.
This is Obama's challenge: can he do the same on healthcare? Because his next issue will be energy... and that will be harder still.
September 5, 2009 3:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
You are so right on this CT.
If Obama chooses to continue letting the Health Insurance Industry frame the debate, we lose. Triangulation and bi-partisanship and blah blah blah has been pretty weak tea in its offering as a remediation of the poisonous, take-no-prisoners venom served up by the opposition.
The American people need to be inspired to undertake universal health care as the challenge to be overcome by this generation. And your quote from Kennedy shows just the way it can be accomplished, rhetorically.
If he uses the opportunity of his speech to simply continue reacting to the poisonous terms of debate outlined thus far, he loses strategically and we all lose the fight that was never engaged.
I'm hoping for better than that, but I gotta' say I ain't holding my breath.
September 5, 2009 11:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
I highly rec this comment.
September 5, 2009 1:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
And there was what happened to JFK, which is not that far away in everyone's mind these days.
"Black Man Given Nation's Worst Job" as the Onion put it after the election. When the owner of the Dallas newspaper, Mr. Dealey of Dealey Plaza family, ranted in JFK's face at a press meeting, Kennedy reminded him that he was elected and the publisher was not, and further, that he had to actually make decisions that would affect millions. Simply backing down a bit from anti-communist fervor and beginning some civil rights amelioration was enough to have death threats multiplying, and the military, CIA, and FBI insubordinating.
Obama keeping the temperature low is not trivial, it might be survival.
September 5, 2009 8:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
He CAN...It's just a question of whether or not he will. Anyone making book on it?
September 5, 2009 3:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
"What would his mother do?" Dead stop.
Don't pull any punches do you Dan.
With you. 100%.
See you on the other side.
September 5, 2009 4:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Great post Dan. Obama as the liberal equivalent of a Ronald Reagan, standing firmly for principle (but this time the right principle)! Is it possible? Does any Democrat have it in him or her?
September 5, 2009 9:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
While I agree with the basic sentiment of the blog that the democratic party needs to firm up its message by way of a great speech from Obama, I disagree that the best way to win is to fail if you must.
The best way to win is to create a legislative package that forces moderate dems and republicans to vote for the bill, leaving the fringes to scream in impotent frustration. If that means "killing" the public option, that is what he should do, only to resurrect it in the next session as part of the Medicare reform debate that is sure to come at some point during his term in office.
That seems a smarter, more strategic plan than blowing up the village in an effort to save it.
September 5, 2009 9:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
The problem, Jason, is that I think progressives need a victory; and short of that, they need faith. The public option has now become, with good reason, the central front in the war for progress. Progressives have already compromised much and suffered many disappointments, and their faith is hanging in the balanced. If Obama wants to keep a hopeful movement for progressive change alive, he needs to make it clear that the right wing of the Democratic Party does not control the debate and agenda.
September 5, 2009 10:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think you missed my main point, which is that any bill that takes us in the right direction, given the current state of the country, is a huge win.
A strategic retreat today, while declaring victory for all those good things that were able to get passed with wide support, will lead to a much stronger and more robust solution for the public option tomorrow.
I just don't think the public option, in this particular legislative effort, is the only way to define progress.
September 5, 2009 1:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not to mention that the nation needs a public option to recover economically, and people need health care.
Also: Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) has seen the light, and now supports a public option! All it took was for Andrew Romanoff to declare his intention to run against Bennet in a primary. Ya got to love Bennet's priciples. For months, every return email I got from him on the issue said, "Wah wah, wanh wanh, waah, I care about Coloradans, love M. Bennet."
September 5, 2009 11:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
We have a public plan already that could very easily become the public option with very little additional costs. I think the democratic party could get everything they want, and a whole lot more, if they could think a little more strategically.
September 5, 2009 2:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
What we need on Wednesday is a progressive speech analogous to the St. Crispin's Day speech of Henry V. Rec.
September 5, 2009 12:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great choice on this Labor Day, miguelitoh!
What we need is leadership to inspire "We few, we happy few!" It is what I long for, because I know the American spirit is capable of great accomplishment and will not fail in its execution if only led to a greater purpose.
And as witnessed in the recent activities of the corporate goons and their lackeys, I also know that the populace can descend into a hate-filled mob in the absence of such glorious inspiration; can fall victim to those who would inspire hatred and contempt and tribalism in the void created by leaders who fail to accept their charge.
It is my hope that Obama soon learns to channel a little more Henry V and a little less "Dandy Lion."
September 6, 2009 2:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here here!
The thing that drives me nuts about this issue...
The public option is something that poll after poll shows people WANT, once they understand what it IS.
Giving in to the teabaggers now means they will know their tactics work, and then we can forget any progressive legislation for the rest of the term.
September 5, 2009 12:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
To pretend that every objection to the current legislation is tea baggers is not being honest and misses an opportunity to actually get everything you say that you want to achieve.
I happen to think we already have a public health option that democrats and republicans both love and is in need of drastic reform to remain solvent. Positioning Medicare as a true public option in order to save it has a much higher chance of success than convincing fiscal conservatives of all political affiliations that a whole new organization is needed.
It's the difference between tactics and strategy for me.
September 5, 2009 2:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Jason, you're right that there are other opponents to the legislation we should be mindful of. Today, the St. Petersburg Times ran an OpEd by Dr. David McKalip. Remember him?
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/david_mckalip/
Here's the link to the OpEd:
http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/essays/no-to-care-by-committee/1033573
He is a senior fellow of the national Center for Policy Analysis whose mission is this:
Milton Friedman on steroids.
It's not just the fearful, the gullible, or the hapless who make up the opposition. Many of them are just unwitting recruits. The relentless driving force is a tightly focused, ideologically committed, multi-factional conglomerate who share a common goal. This is a battle on multiple fronts.
With OpEd's like this one shaping public opinion, it will require an unsurpassed level of integrity and courage on the part of our president and lawmakers to buck our corrupt system and do what's best for the people of this country.
You may be correct. Half a loaf might have a better chance of leading to a whole loaf than no loaf at all.
September 5, 2009 5:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
I suppose there always going to be people like this who can turn fear and ignorance into unreasonable objections to common sense fixes to our health care system
Which I is why I think this sort of reform was always going to require a much more strategic and subtle gamesmanship than the democratic party seems capable of managing.
September 6, 2009 8:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Mr President, throw your heart over this high wall first, and the rest of the body will surely follow.
September 5, 2009 1:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
In a country where campaign financing has strict limitations, I would agree with you Dan K.
We've known all along many politicians are elected with the help of donations from the health insurance and pharmaceutical industries.
Obama had a record number of small donors, plus a good share of corporate donations. He might get by without the big donors in 2012, but if democrats in Congress turn their backs on those industries, they would have to knock on a lot more doors to compete without support from corporate fat cats.
Given the Republicans' reputation for nastiness in broadcast media, it's no wonder democrats are running scared. They can barely compete message to message when they have money. Without it, they would likely get pummeled.
Until Americans face the ugly reality that public policy is largely determined by corporate America, not their vote, not what's in their interest, public support will continue to be swayed by bizarre, inane, inflammatory rhetoric.
I don't think many constituents accept that harsh reality yet. And that's the fault of the politicians for not telling it like it is.
The country needs strong health care reform. It also needs a strong energy policy. Without equally strong campaign finance reform to get corporate influence out of American politics, any meaningful efforts toward those reforms are doomed.
September 5, 2009 5:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm not so sure. Support for Congress is at a record low. If you want to run for Congress in 2010 you might want to change your name to None of the Above.
September 5, 2009 5:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ha. Well said and good point, bluebell.
September 5, 2009 5:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is a defining moment.
September 5, 2009 5:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
The issue has been lost unless Obama comes out and says nothing but a PO will do.
This white house in their handling of this issue has reinvigorated a dying republican party and killed the enthusiasm the country had in voting the democrats into power.
In 7 months they have managed to alienate Obamas most vocal supporters and lost the independents for good.
All because Obama failed to take a strong stand and appeared weak and unresponsive to the people who voted for him.
No one wants to hear him calling for a bipartisan solution while the republicans to a man speak only of defeating any reform he offers.
The time was right to use the liberal/progressive support to silence the voices of the far right and thus the republican party.
Obama failed to take up that cause and suddenly the crazies have become main stream and control the debate.
This is the saddest display of leadership I have ever seen on an issue.
How does this white house expect to ever regain the support Obama had?
They never will.
September 5, 2009 7:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
WELL said, Dan. Very well said.
I do think that history shows that these large reforms happen in stages. SS, I believe, was a much more modest program at first and got added to along the way.
Moreover, getting certain key reforms could help many, many people and would largely be uncontroversial to the average person who has dealt with these issues, e.g., pre-existing conditions, recision, caps, and the like.
Perhaps this is what Jason's point is, at bottom.
All that said, Obama DOES need to come out STRONGLY and PASSIONATELY for his position. It's almost as if his passion was left at the door once he'd won and had to govern.
As to the Blue Dogs, I haven't studied this. But I think it's going to be hard to run candidates to their left and win in those states and districts. But I guess one never knows...
September 5, 2009 8:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here here! .... Deep Brain Diarist . . .
Up-thread Deep Brain Diarist had left the following comment:
The following should make those in DC really think twice when reading the tea leaves on the issue of the "public option" plan.
NOTE: Question #3 below is what would be considered a "public option" to private plans:
NOTE: Question #5 below is what would be considered a "single-payer" plan with no option for ptivate insures to participate.
Here is the questionnaire:
To read the above total breakdowns see the entire poll at this link.
mnginteractive.com/live/.../2009/0825/20090825.... HealthCarePoll.pdf
~OGD~
September 6, 2009 9:53 AM | Reply | Permalink