– by Mike Murray
Political consultant Dick Morris claims that his conversations with reliable sources confirm what many suspect: that President Obama has not really given up on the (already passed) Senate version of health care legislation.
Morris says that arms are currently being twisted in the House, that Representatives are secretly being urged to approve the Senate version “as is” — with the promise that it will later be modified (via the so-called budget “reconciliation” process) to something more to their liking. Morris’ sources say that fifty-two (or so) Senate Democrats have (or will have) signed a written pledge to make changes to the bill after the fact.
If true, the behind-the-scenes chicanery flies in the face of the public statement recently made by Obama: That he heard the message sent by Massachusetts voters. And that, as a consequence, he is now willing to consider a less imposing form of health-care “reform” — one that is palatable to both Democrats and Republicans.
If Obama is lying about that, and is instead working in the shadows toward a completely different end, then his presidency is a complete sham.
Recall that Obama promised “transparency” in the formulation of health-care regulation. As a candidate, he went so far as to say that all interested parties would have a “seat at the table,” and that negotiations would be aired on C-SPAN. He also pledged to be a post-partisan president, a leader who would bring together both sides of the aisle, in collaborative fashion.
Obama has demonstrated, time and time again over the past year, however, that his many promises were little more than slick campaign devices — ones designed to snooker gullible voters. Which is bad enough. But if Obama, Pelosi, and Reid attempt to surreptitiously ram through legislation that voters despise (by a clear margin), they will have completely broken faith with the public they are sworn to serve.
Roughly 70% of those polled nationally responded that they are pleased that Scott Brown won the recently contested Senate race in Massachusetts — precisely because his victory eliminated the Democrats’ super-majority. Americans want Democrats in Washington to slow down; to go back to the drawing board on health care; to scale back their ambitious legislative agenda; to focus on jobs and the economy; and to return to a more legitimate, multi-party form of governance.
In short, conservatives, moderates — and even many liberals — disapprove of the way Obama and Congressional Democrats have been doing their jobs. Which is why they applaud the fact that Brown now represents the 41st “loyal opposition” vote in the Senate. Brown was elected by Massachusetts voters. But those voters mirrored the mindset of millions of their counterparts across the nation.
If the President, Speaker of the House, and Senate majority leader attempt to circumvent the will of the American people by sneaky, suspect means, there will be — you betcha — hell to pay. If they thumb their noses at us now, we will return the favor later this year. And again in 2012.
Copyright © 2010 Michael F. Murray All rights reserved.
