Martha Coakley is a fundamentally flawed candidate. The latest gaffe has her criticizing her opponent for shaking hands outside Fenway Park. Not even the rankest of amateurs would make that mistake. Not even Sarah Palin would make that kind of mistake. Regrettably, the Democrats will lose this seat.
What does it mean for the current debate on health care reform?
The people want health care reform. The Republicans in Washington want health care reform. (Yes, that is not a typo. The Rs really do want health care reform; they just don't want to tell you that -- ever.) The people, however, are being told by the Republicans that the current bill in conference is the wrong one. And that is too bad...because now –with the loss of Martha Coakley in MA— a bill may not pass with the coverage of the original and the regulatory structure needed to make it work.
Make no mistake about it: the Rs want this bill. They want it to pass without their vote so they can campaign against it and complain about it for at least a full decade. The Democrats have to have the stomach to see this through one way or the other, even if it costs them seats. The Rs never wanted Social Security; the Rs never wanted Medicare for the elderly. The Rs, indeed, never want any basic reform that "promotes the general welfare" of the people. They want the Democrats to vote such measures through so they can sit back and yell "no" from the back bench where they are most comfortable. If we reach the day where the yelled "no" carries the day, well.....I hope we never reach that day.
No one, I repeat NO ONE wants to repeal Social Security; no one wants to repeal Medicare. We did not become a socialist state when they passed in 1935 and 1965, respectively, and we will not become a socialist state when health care reform is passed into law this year …or whenever. I just want reason to prevail. Is that too much to ask?
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