Reactions to the Health Care Vote

[jefferson_dem]

Reactions to the Health Care Vote

Matthew Yglesias: "Now that it's done, Barack Obama will go down in history as one of America's finest presidents. It's always possible of course that, like LBJ, he'll get involved in some unrelated fiasco that mars his reputation. But fundamentally, he's reshaped the policy landscape in a way that no progressive politician has done in decades."

Marc Ambinder: "Republicans had bet that throwing everything into killing the bill would result in the bill's defeat. The entire strategy was predicated on killing the bill. Now that the bill has passed, it means that the health care system has been fundamentally changed, and there's no way -- and there will not be the votes -- to repeal it. No one will tell seniors that the donut hole will be opened up, or people promised new insurance that they'll have to look elsewhere, or that rescission will once again be legal. Democrats will work for to force Republicans to talk about repeal as often as possible."

Matthew Continetti: "Do not believe anyone who tells you they understand the path American politics will take after this vote. It is truly unique."

Jonathan Chait: "Let me offer a ludicrously premature opinion: Barack Obama has sealed his reputation as a president of great historical import. We don't know what will follow in his presidency, and it's quite possible that some future event--a war, a scandal--will define his presidency. But we do know that he has put his imprint on the structure of American government in a way that no Democratic president since Lyndon Johnson has."

David Frum: "No illusions please: This bill will not be repealed. Even if Republicans scored a 1994 style landslide in November, how many votes could we muster to re-open the 'doughnut hole' and charge seniors more for prescription drugs? How many votes to re-allow insurers to rescind policies when they discover a pre-existing condition? How many votes to banish 25 year olds from their parents' insurance coverage? And even if the votes were there - would President Obama sign such a repeal?"

Josh Marshall: "Again, I don't want to paint any rosy pictures. And, as I said, I don't want to hazard any predictions. But I think this conventional wisdom is quite mistaken. Hard fought victories don't deplete political capital; they build it. And political wins themselves often have a catalyzing effect that shapes political opinion far more than we realize."

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/03/22/reactions_to_the_health_care_vote.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=political-wire#ixzz0itwqMnzQ

[saltpoint]

1. A bunch of smart people offering well-deserved praise.

I like it.

Recommended.

[quaker bill]

2. Simple truth

"Hard fought victories don't deplete political capital; they build it."

"But fundamentally, he's reshaped the policy landscape in a way that no progressive politician has done in decades."

[NJmaverick]

3. K&R