That short national nightmare known as the ‘Bunning filibuster’ is finally over. The tone deaf lame duck GOP senator from Kentucky finally freed jobless benefits and other entitlement extensions from the grips of his political grandstanding last night. The new bill–which will extend unemployment and C.O.B.R.A. as well as fund some construction projects–passed the Senate by a vote of 78-19. The House passed the measure last week, so it’s off to President Obama’s desk for a quick signature. But 200,000 Americans found their jobless bennies cut -off as of Monday, and 2000 construction workers were furloughed by the Transportation Department. Presumably, all be be restored. But what havoc one bull-headed geezer can cause.
Quite frankly, I’ve just about had it with the whole sordid bunch. Republican and Democrat. Sorry libs, but even the Dems are biz as usual. And most don’t have the backbone to push forward the people’s business. That’s how the minority party has managed–with the help of hyperbolic, cynical media maestros like Beck and Limbaugh–to hold real health reform hostage. Weak- kneed democrats, whose own pockets are lined with health insurance company gold have allowed the status quo to rumble along.
And the President–who clearly quit the Senate because he couldn’t stomach the legislative sausage-making–allowed the process to be held up by a bunch of crazy tea-partiers and their cacophony of incendiary half-truths and brazen lies. It took him a year and a day long so-called health care summit before he finally had that light bulb moment. Obama conceded he might have to forget bipartisan support and push through the landmark legislation via simple majority rule. Really, it took you that long to figure this out? I mean weren’t the signs there after you took Olympia Snowe around for a half-hearted spin on the Senate dance floor last September and she whispered that “my vote today is not necessarily my vote tomorrow” sweet nothing in your ear? As Bill Maher quipped, ”Obama is like a guy in college who wastes a year trying to hit on Ellen DeGeneres. I keep telling you, Barry, they’re just not that into you.”
So the Dems may have to use reconciliation, which the GOP hypocrites are treating like its the red menace redux. Even clowns like Orin Hatch and Lamar Alexander, who have been around forever, with the records to check, are showing up on TV and in op-ed pages decrying the practice. Okay, fellas, now try to defend your participation in the scourge four or five times when ’W’ rammed through his ingenious tax cuts that have, in part, sunk us into the current economic quagmire that we have yet to slog through.
Hypocrisy, of course, is not just a Republican privilege. No, the Democrats can play that game quite deftly, too. Don’t you love Evan “Bye Bye’ Bayh? He’s got the chutzpah to embark on a farewell talk show tour, lamenting partisanship and senatorial gridlock. Make no mistake, Bayh–whose wife has a six figure plus gig on the Wellpoint board–was one of the Dems who held up health reform, refusing for a time to allow an up or down vote on the proposed legislation. He wants to get while the getting is good so he can cash in in the private sector and maybe return in six years as a re-fashioned Democrat and make a presidential bid. Just watch. In the mean time, I say bring on Senator Mellencamp. We could use another populist voice that can’t be bought and sold by corporate America.
Of course, my rage is tempered a bit by honest brokers like Iowa’s Tom Harkin and Colorado’s Michael Bennet. Harkin–a longtime supporter of a single payer health system–is also a realist who levels with people. He did just that on “The Ed Show” on MSNBC Monday when he told host Ed Schultz he won’t push for the public option if it means killing the entire health bill. There are other important provisions in the bill, things people desperately need regarding pre-existing conditions and catastrophic coverage, that Harkin simply won’t abandon. “Nothing is final,” he said. “We get what we can now and we can revisit the legislation later in the year or next year and add to it.”
That’s honest and reasonable. Harkin–pardon the pun–hearkens back to a more cooperative era in Washington, a time when pols from both sides could engage in a healthy and vigorous debate and strike a compromise. Sure, there have always been back room deals and mudslinging, but the level of discourse and honest bidding was elevated.
For his part, Bennet, has re-introduced the public option. “The fight has been difficult, but I remain confident that a public option will be included in our final health care legislation–and I still believe we can include a public option.,” he said.
To join Bennet, and Senators Kerry, Reid, Gillibrand and Brown go to: Save the Public Option .
Wake up progressives, moderates,independent-minded people of common sense and common decency. Join the Coffee Party. And let’s take back our country from the cynical and corporate shills.
Amy Beth Arkawy is a writer and radio talk show host. You can read more of her commentary on pop culture and politics on Radio Graffiti and News Junkie Post, where a version of this article originally appeared. You can also follow Amy Beth on Twitter.
The 2012 Presidential Election is fast approaching
The GOP race is now a field of 4 with only Romney, Gingrich, Paul, & Santorum still standing. Who will be the next candidate to exit the race & who will emerge as the eminent GOP nominee?
Follow us on Twitter & join our 2012 election FaceBook page for updates & new blog articles.
Contact us if you are passionate about politics & want to blog with us.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Amy,
Excellent piece. I just have a couple of points I don’t find I can swallow.
“And the President–who clearly quit the Senate because he couldn’t stomach the legislative sausage-making–allowed the process to be held up by a bunch of crazy tea-partiers and their cacophony of incendiary half-truths and brazen lies.” Obama himself only served two years and voted present more than yeah or neigh. So frankly he quit to run for president. Not because he was fed up with politics as usual. He barely tossed any meat into the grinder as you put it. As for the tea party, never in my lifetime have I heard so many politicians refer to the American public as ‘stupid‘, ‘racist’, ‘terrorist‘ or ‘evil-mongers‘. All for wanting to express their constitutional right to free speech against a policy they don t want. Something that will be remembered come elections.
As for reconciliation or the aggressive term “nuclear option” the Democrats derided the Republicans for using it, but apparently are not above doing the same themselves. A point I noticed you failed to mention. If they had the spine as you say they would not use it themselves. Even Senator Obama has said to pass healthcare and govern properly they needed a 60 vote bill to put on his desk. A change in his fundamental political thinking? Research shows that the majority of the public does not support a public option. So the horse pill is going to make many choke come elections.
Like you I feel both sides of the line are out of bounds in my opinion. And actual legislative compromise has died at the hands of party loyalty.