Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) predicted Sunday that she would find the votes to pass a health care overhaul and said Democrats had already made major concessions to Republicans, including ditching the public insurance option.
Yes, Democrats have made significant concessions to Republicans, and I can’t believe the Democrats are still open to negotiating. The Congressional GOP will not be happy until Democrats have conceded everything in the bill and there’s nothing left—a.k.a. they won’t be happy until the bill is dead.
This was evident from this week’s health-care summit. How many GOP Congresspeople said Congress should start over with a “blank sheet of paper.” Rubbish. This is code for “we want to kill the bill.” They argue the bill is too long. Then the president’s plan is too short. Then C-SPAN cameras should have been in the negotiating rooms. Then when the cameras are present, it’s all political theater. Enough already.
Clearly the GOP is uninterested in crafting legislation to help Americans in need—the same Americans they often say they’re fighting for. I don’t know which Americans they’re fighting for, but certainly not for those in need.
Congressional Democrats are going to be judged in November on what they’ve accomplished. Now is the time to accomplish something. But not just anything. Something that makes a difference.
So if the GOP is uninterested in cooperating, Democrats should move forward on their own—and on their own terms, terms that include the public option. Time to close this concession stand. No more give-aways.