Mr. President its time for a new hand

On Washington Week in Review with Gwen Ifil, Washington Post Reporter Dan Balz made a very interesting and illuminating observation. In commenting on the obstacles that the Obama Administration faces as the Health Reform plan meanders its way through Congress, Mr. Balz opined that the Obama Administration underestimated the nature and quickness that the political climate in Washington “re-polarized” after the election. Mr. Balz went on to note that many within the Obama administration including President Obama had hoped that the winds of change that catapulted him to the White House would be the springboard for a new spirit of bipartisan cooperation. Immediately after the election Barack Obama began an outreach to Republicans, highlighted by his meeting with his defeated rival John McCain. Then as if on cue, President Elect Obama began to take flack from the progressive wing of his party for eschewing campaigning in Georgia for the runoff election, and his selection of many holdovers from the Clinton administration in his cabinet.

After the election ,President Obama’s steady move to the center brought on even more progressive complaints. Whether it was that Judge Sotomayor was not the perfect liberal Supreme Court foil counter to Anton Scalia conservatism, or President Obama’s unwillingness to go after the Bush administration with respect to war crimes, real and imagined, and how he backed away from his zeal on repealing the “Don’t ask - don’t tell”. But it President Obama’s apparent willingness to compromise key progressive priorities in health care reform that had many in the progressive wing of the party on the brink of all and out civil war. Former DNC Chair Howard Dean warned that there would be implications if the “Public Option” the sacred cow for the left was left on the cutting room floor. I have written often about the angst of the left, as it pertains to issues not central to the Obama campaign, as I contented that President Obama ought not to waste political capital on those the agenda items near and dear to the Arianna Huffington’s and Keith Olberman’s of the world. But with respect to health care, President Obama may need to dance with the ones who brought him. The core argument of the left with respect to President Obama’s approach to heath care is this: “sir you came here with a mandate, a majority in Congress, and a filibuster proof Senate, now stand and deliver on the change we voted on.”

To President Obama’s credit, he saw a country weary of divisiveness, polarization, and fear mongering, and he believed that a spirit of compromise, and bipartisanship was also part of the change mantra. I wholeheartedly agreed. At the beginning of the Health Reform debate, the Obama Administration was driven not to repeat the failure of the Clinton Plan. Instead of ramming health care down the throats of Congress, President Obama wanted a health care plan that everyone could support. However the Republican Party had other ideas, instead of being chastened by their November thumping, they made an early strategic decision to be “the party of no”. Nowhere on their agenda save a few clear thinking Senators, did the Republicans include a good faith effort to work with the Obama Administration. There contribution has been noted in the form of amendments, many have been included in several versions, however none have translated to votes or open support for the plan. Emboldened by the intraparty struggle within the Democratic Party between the left and the conservative “Blue Dogs”, the Republicans now plan a disruptive strategy designed to create fear among voters during the congressional break. By disengaging from real policy making, they have decided to abdicate from governance, by their disruptance they are playing their hand clear and simple, they plan form the bases of their 2010 off year election strategy as a referendum against the Obama domestic program.


One of the things about Barack Hussein Obama that I continue to marvel at is his political instincts, often they have been uncanny, and served him well. In what may be the defining moment of his young Presidency, I hope he can read the cards that are being dealt and realize he has to play to his strong suit. What is evolving is a high risk game of political poker, in this game the best hand that President Obama can play is to realize his outreach program is a losing one. NBC News White House Reporter, Chuck Todd mentioned a few weeks ago that whatever health plan is passed will have to be defended stridently by the White House. If that is the case, then it makes the most sense from a practical, political, and policy standpoint to push for the health care plan that most closely resembles the one “candidate” Obama ran on. There are at least five bills in the House of Representatives, and I am certain, during this “down time” the Obama team will be making a decision on which one to push. By the mere fact there are health care proposals floating around Congress brings America closer to comprehensive health care than we have ever been - to see it slip away because the President fails to leverage his historic mandate and Congressional advantage chasing the fools gold of bi partisanship would be an monumental failure. For once, I agree with those on the left, there will be other issues and opportunities for compromise, but on what may be the most defining legislation of your administration, this is not the time for dalliances with a recalcitrant Republican Party whose sole focus is to see you fail.

Then President Elect Obama turned heads with his appointment of Congressman Raul Emanuel but insiders knew that in picking Emanuel he had his inside the Beltway version of Luca Braci. Many members of Congress owe their seat to Mr. Emanuel who as the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee raised millions for House Democrats. Now the due bill is in. President Obama’s message to the Democrats should be simple, my flirtation with compromise is over, get her done. His message to the Republican Party should be equally as simple – deal with the political consequences of being on the wrong side of change – again. Finally his message to the American People especially the millions of Americans without health care - this health care plan - my health care plan is change you can believe in.