As Democrats continue their stumbling march toward nationalized health care, splits in their coalition are growing wider. Instead of demonizing anonymous “insurance industry lobbyists” and special interest naysayers, Democratic leaders would do better to concede that their blind devotion to one solution — government-run health care — is their biggest problem.
The divisions among Blue Dog Democrats, the Congressional Budget Office, large nonprofits like AARP and even Americans who support health care reform show that President Barack Obama’s lofty rhetoric about building consensus is little more than showmanship — aka “spin.”
Consider the difficulties of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Just after Obama emphasized the importance of passing health care reform before Congress goes home, Reid said it wasn’t possible. Pelosi, for her part, had to compromise with Blue Dog Democrats to water down the public option, and worse, delay a full House vote until after the recess. That put progressive Democrats on the warpath.
All of this came even as the CBO was putting up other hurdles, issuing estimate after estimate making clear that federal spending will skyrocket under Obamacare. The CBO director, Doug Elmendorf, was called on the carpet in a special meeting at the White House, and was subsequently pilloried by Obama’s Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag for “overstepping.” Elmendorf, by the way, is a liberal Democrat, appointed by the congressional Democratic leadership.
Then there are the liberal activist groups like AARP. Leaders and staff of AARP gave beaucoup money to Obama during the 2008 election cycle, but their endorsement of the reform movement is clearly inimical to their member’s views and interests. Obamacare will create long waiting lines for appointments and special treatments, aggravate the growing doctor shortage, and generate a flood of new forms and other red tape. A Gallup poll found that 43 percent of respondents 65 years of age or older think the bill will make health care worse, while only 34 percent see it making things better.
Lesson for Obama, Reid and Pelosi: Dragging your coalition to the finish line in September could be the biggest mistake of all. The Democrats should listen carefully to the folks back home during the recess.
