Annie
Diamond Member
- Nov 22, 2003
- 50,848
- 4,827
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No time to lose, hey:
Economy looks grim? Pass healthcare reform - Healthcare Reform | Obama Health Care Plan - Salon.com
No mention of cap and trade? Card check?
If the jobs bill was so important, why hasn't the first stimulus money been fully spent?
Economy looks grim? Pass healthcare reform - Healthcare Reform | Obama Health Care Plan - Salon.com
...In politics as in economics and love, timing is everything. Obama cant wait much longer if he wants to convince waivering and worried conservative Democrats to join him in a last-ditch 51-vote reconciliation measure to get healthcare through the Senate. Were already in the gravititational pull of Novembers midterm elections. But the economy is taking a longer time to turn around than anyone expected, and telling Americans the jobs numbers are getting worse more slowly isnt exactly reassuring.
One small political consolation is the worst job numbers continue to be on the coasts and the old Rust Belt where Dems are relatively safer, and the best numbers in the Midwest and mountain states and South where Dems are weakest. So at least blue-dog Dems who are under the most pressure from their conservative constituents on healthcare arent grappling with the biggest job losses.
Another is that all across the nation, the people being hit worst by this continuing jobs recession/depression are the poor and lower middle class whom Republicans are trying to court. Theyre in greatest danger of losing healthcare coverage if they havent lost it already, and in greatest need for subsidies to allow them and their families to afford it. Waivering and worried congressional Dems should be reaching out to them.
Americans desperately need healthcare reform. They also desperately need jobs. Even if its difficult for many to make the connection, its still possible for the nation to try to do two important things at the same time. We need a big jobs bill -- including especially extended unemployment insurance, aid to hard-hit states and cities -- and we need healthcare reform. The sooner we do the former and get the economy moving into positive job numbers again, the more quickly and easily we can afford the latter. The big question is whether the president can make the case.
No mention of cap and trade? Card check?
If the jobs bill was so important, why hasn't the first stimulus money been fully spent?