Health Reform--But at What Cost to Obama?

I watched the Health Care Reform vote on Sunday as if it were the Academy Awards. I was happy that it passed, but I'm fearful of what comes next. Yes, it's a triumph of political maneuvering on the part of Obama and Pelosi, but can the President sell it to these angry town-hall disrupters?

What's missing is an honest, dispassionate debate on the bill and what it does and does not say. We need to get beyond the name-calling and fear-mongering and spinning--on both sides. Yes, it's reprehensible that the n-word and the f-word were flung at congressmen by a few angry protestors and that Congressman from Texas called Stupak a baby killer (or that he said "It's a baby killer" referring to the bill, though nobody has found the "It's a..." on tape). But I want to see a calm, cool discussion on why those angry people are so angry and what are they so afraid of? I want Obama to talk to people like them and allay their fears and explain that most of the stuff they think is in the bill (death panels like on that episode of The Twilight Zone with Fritz Weaver and Burgess Meredith, rationing of care, etc.) just isn't there. Or is all this just ginned up by Fox and Friends? I feel sometimes we're living in two different worlds. One says this is the best thing that ever happened since Social Security and the Civil Rights Act, another says this is the worst thing that could ever happen and it's the end of America.

I'm genuinely worried that the congratulatory ink spilled by Paul Krugman and Maureen Dowd isn't gonna mean shit in November and possibly in 2012 when these red-state yahoos and tea-baggers try to take back Congress and the White House.

Hey, Mister Wilson!!!!!

The first thing I thought of when the media uproar started over Rep. Wilson shouting "You lie" to President Obama was "These people has obviously never watched the House of Commons in session." I recall seeing the Prime Minister adressing that body and being assailed by members with cries of "No! No!" But then the PM is not technically the head of the British government and he or she traditionally appears before the House every week and answers questions. I was disappointed that Wilson's outburst is receiving more coverage than the President's speech and the subsequent catfights between the right and the left on Fox and MSNBC, on chatboards, etc., and the stupid arguments it has engendered. Right-wing people are saying "Oh, but Obama called Hillary a liar during the primary. And Democrats booed W. during his state of the union. What a double standard." Yes but I don't think one Dem ever called W. a liar during an address before Congress--and if one did, the Reps would have called for a trial from treason. Wilson has a right to call Obama a liar if that's what he believes--just as every Dem. had a right to call Bushie and his dark overlord Cheney a liar. But it's incivil and inappropriate to do so during an address to Congress. BTW, I loved Nancy Pelosi's expression at the outburst--like a strict principal with an auditorium full of unruly high-school students making her look bad in front of a distinguished visitor.

The heckling and signs and texting are indications that this is how the Reps want to conduct the business of the people now--like the ugly town halls this summer. They think it's OK to act like it's the Jerry Springer show. Scream real loud to make your point.

Also I love that Wilson's opponent Miller raised $500K in the past two days while Wilson has collected $200K. The people who have given money to Wilson probably love that he shouted at Obama. They probably think the man has no right to be President and is trying to destroy the country they are used to--a country where everyone in charge is white and thinks like they do; a country where if you can't pay your way or if you have some bad luck, you wind up in the gutter and you deserve it--until it happens to them.

I do think there is too much reaction to Wilson's brief outburst and we should concentrate on the the President's speech and how it has changed the landscape on health care reform. Through his eloquence, the President was able to change the minds of several people; another similarity between himself and Lincoln. I'm reading Gore Vidal's novel about the 16th President and there are a lot of parallels between him and the 44th. Both several briefly in Congress, are from Illinois, came into office in times of trouble and are being villified by insurrectionists who want to secede from the union.

Note: The title of the blog is a reference to Dennis the Menace who would call to his neighbor Mr. Wilson at the top of his lungs. Keith Olbermann used the same reference last night.