So, no matter which approach you favor, I believe the United States Congress owes the American people a final vote on health care reform. We have debated this issue thoroughly, not just for a year, but for decades. Reform has already passed the House with a majority. It has already passed the Senate with a supermajority of sixty votes. And now it deserves the same kind of up-or-down vote that was cast on welfare reform, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, COBRA health coverage for the unemployed, and both Bush tax cuts – all of which had to pass Congress with nothing more than a simple majority.
I have therefore asked leaders in both of Houses of Congress to finish their work and schedule a vote in the next few weeks. From now until then, I will do everything in my power to make the case for reform. And I urge every American who wants this reform to make their voice heard as well – every family, every business owner, every patient, every doctor, every nurse.
Missing from this passage, just as its missing from the entire speech? The word “reconciliation.” As you’ll see below, via Greg Hengler, The One’s affecting righteous rage to intimidate Democratic fencesitters but the fact is he can’t even muster the balls to call this procedural travesty by its name. That’s not surprising, as reconciliation actually polls worse than ObamaCare itself, but it does underscore what a pure, sweet fraud his professions of innocence about the politics are. He understands the consequences perfectly well — as does Mitch McConnell — which is why the takeaway line here is “I know it’s right.” That’s the signal to Blue Dogs to vote for the greater good and let the political chips fall where they may. It’s a kamikaze mission, in other words, ordered by yet another prominent Democrat whose own ass conveniently isn’t on the line in November. Amazing how bold he and Pelosi are in asking centrists to ignore their constituents and volunteer for an operation they themselves don’t have to take part in. Chickenhawks!
Exit question: How many times does he have to repeat this crap before the ungrateful thick-headed public “knows it’s right” too? Exit answer: Thirty-five and counting.
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