TNR: Dear Nervous & Frustrated House Democrat...

[nsd]

http://www.tnr.com/blog/the-treatment/dear-nervous-house-democrat

Dear Nervous & Frustrated House Democrat...

It’s up to you.

A few days ago, after a year of debate, you were on the verge of achieving a goal that’s eluded progressives for nearly a century: Creating a national health insurance program. But now the whole effort could fall apart.

When Scott Brown takes his seat in the U.S. Senate, the Republicans will have 41 members in their caucus--enough to stop passage of any bill if they stay united. They’ve promised to do just that when and if they get to vote on the final version of health care reform--the one that recent House-Senate negotiations produced.

You’re depressed: Brown inherits the seat that once belonged to Ted Kennedy, who had made health care reform a lifelong crusade.

You’re angry, either for taking politically difficult votes or compromising your ideals in order to move the process along.

And, let’s face it, you’re scared. If a Democrat can lose in Massachusetts, any Democrat can lose anywhere. That includes you.

Now you have a choice.

...

I don’t want to mislead you: You could pass the Senate bill, which you may really not like, and still lose reelection. But passing health care reform would seem, if anything, to improve your odds of political survival. And if it doesn’t--if you’re doomed to lose anyway--enacting health care reform would give you a meaningful accomplishment in your record.

Think of everything you could do while serving in Congress. Would any single act be bigger than this? However imperfect, it will make a huge difference in people’s lives--and, quite likely, the evolution of the American social welfare state. You’ll be sparing financial or physical hardship for thousands of Americans every year, while delivering peace of mind--and safer, higher quality medicine--to literally millions of others. You’ll be saving the American economy and, along the way, helping people to stay healthy.

You can be a part of this moment in history--and, if you play your cards right, stick around in Congress long enough to enjoy it. It just takes some common sense--and maybe a little mettle.

Do you have those qualities? I guess we'll find out soon enough.

[CreekDog]

1. Amen

they think it's game over for health care now? if it is, that's just the beginning.

if they aren't there now to do this, then they might as well come home.

[Ozymanithrax]

2. If they don't pass the Senate bill, there will be no bill.

It gets done before Brown does his nude centerfold thing on the podium in the Senate, or it won't get done at all.

When it comes to legislation, there is what is possible and what is not.

Soon, it will simply not be possible.