Liberal Lament

The US political pendulum swings, but our system of checks and balances generally prevents us from adopting the most extreme positions. Even when the majority swings into support of extreme positions, our system often requires 60% support for major moves to occur; it is tough to reach and hold 60% through one complete budget cycle.

Having one republican to support a bill that is hated by unions, the self employed, insurance companies, libertarians and conservatives certainly does not imply 60% support. Yesterday, a democratic senator from ND said that merging the finance bill with one of the others, which might add a public option based on medicare distribution, would make the bill a non-starter for him. Others have said they will not vote for a bill that does not include a public option. Some of these statements will prove to be bluff and thunder, but the public will bring forth a strong protest if democrats muscle through any of these extremely expensive bills.

The Baucus bill imposes a 59% marginal tax bracket on moderate income families. Wow! Will democrats willingly commit election suicide? Is government control over health care such a priority that democrats will sacrifice their majority to obtain it?

Ironically, the second half of the Bill Clinton Administration was a swing of the pendulum to the right. Adding irony is that the George W. Bush Administration was a swing to the left (domestic policies). Completing the irony is that the peak of the pendulum swing was reached just after Obama's election; when the big government, phony stimulus package (the broken window law) was passed.

The momentum is now down the big government hill, back toward the middle. A misstep by democrats at this juncture could increase the momentum and result in big wins by republicans the next two if not three Novembers.

in reference to: Howard Kurtz - Liberal Lament - washingtonpost.com (view on Google Sidewiki)