Lyndon Johnson once commented that he liked winning by small margins because then he knew he'd gotten everything out of it that he could.
Pelosi was real smart here-- as soon as the anti-choice Stupak amendment passed she pushed for the vote on the whole thing, correctly figuring that Stupak and his anti-choice Democratic compatriots would now be forced to vote for a bill they had not committed to yet. She got the votes of 219 Democrats (exactly one more than she needed.) The fact that one Republican from a very heavily Democratic district broke with Boehner in his attempt to erect a solid Republican wall was likely an unexpected bonus.
I'm not thrilled about the Stupak amendment that prevents the public option from paying for abortions (after all private insurance routinely covers abortion) but on the other hand it has the silver lining that it cuts off one line of attack from the right.
We got a bi-partisan victory in the House after all. That says it all. Speaker Pelosi not only delivered but slapped Boehner in the face as well. Impressive.
The Speaker found a way to give all sides cover and still give us historic legislation. That is the hallmark of a great parliamentary leader.
Let's see what Senator Reid might have up his sleeve similar to this. I'm hoping I've been wrong about him and this was all a ruse to slip a bi-partisan victory past McConnell as well.
I don't even care if it has a trigger or an opt-out as long as the public option is written into law. It can always be held over the health care industry as a threat. That in itself might reap multiple benefits.
Call me greedy. But I want the final bill to be passed by Christmas and go into effect in 201l.
Sarah Palin needs to be made to eat crow...even though she opted out of having to face the problem at the state level by quitting as Governor before she had to make a choice on this issue.
Conservatives don't want choices because it means being responsible for their actions. No wonder their most prominent leaders are now flamboyant exhibitionists. It gives them a easy way to hide their insecurities about their own ideology under all the hype.
Always divert attention from your own weaknesses by raising questions about the weaknesses of others? Been there done that. Now let's "do" health care before the holidays.
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