Let’s get Meta.
There’s a meme running around teh interwebz trying to explain the implosion of healthcare reform, the upshot of which is Democrats are pussies and can’t fight trench warfare against the ominous Rove-inspired disinformation machine. Apparently they are so weak-willed that a ex-Governor who lost a VP bid can just mutter about “Death Panels” on Facebook and they melt into goo like the Wicked Witch of the West.
Here’s the one thing. We have the most nasty dirty-fighting opportunistic power grab going on in Washington right now. The Democrats are fully in control, and the Republican party is completely irrelevant after spending eight years slamming itself in the face with the ball-peen hammer called George W. Bush. You want to know what happened to health care reform? The Democrats killed it, all by themselves. They passed out the torches and pitchforks and didn’t even realize what they were doing.
Here is a ten step guide on how to completely squander the high-water mark of your party’s dominance.
Mistake one: Blow all your political capital on passing two huge controversial bills before even attempting your capstone plan.
Mistake two: Throw everything in at the same time. Why narrowly focus on a single item and come up with a proposal to fix it when you can throw everything at the wall at once in a huge malignant tumor of legislation that insures that there’s at least one show-stopping revelation for just about everyone.
Mistake three: Fail to make a case that something needs to be fixed. When a major selling point is Obama saying, “If you like what you have, nothing will change,” and 70% of the population like what they have, they start wondering why you’re doing anything. When you’re pimping legislation based on all the things it ain’t going to do (like unplug grandma) you are failing to make an argument for it.
Mistake four: Make the patently stupid assertion that “new massive entitlement” = “saving money.” Compound that by complaining about the CBO like a whiny little brat when the budget impact figures are released.
Mistake five: Make bad jokes about not reading these massive bills, so you look like an arrogant tool.
Mistake six: Call your opposition un-American Nazis.
Mistake seven: Say the public option is not an essential component of the package, except when it is, and say the media is doing everyone a disservice by reporting what you actually said.
Mistake eight: Ask citizens to report on people making “fishy” claims about health care reform. When someone points out how Orwellian that is, just say “oops, our bad.”
Mistake nine: Repeatedly claim it’s all the evil Republicans’ fault that you can’t move a bill though your until-recently filibuster-proof Senate. Yeah, it’s the Republicans. They’re not being bipartisan, the bastards.
Mistake ten: If someone releases a video of you enthusiastically supporting single payer, don’t rely on the old standby of claiming your position has evolved. Don’t say that, while single payer is your preference, you’re open to other approaches. Don’t even claim out-of-context quoting. No, instead have a shill release another web-video flatly stating the original video of you is “disinformation” and combat it with other videos of you saying something completely different.
Bonus Mistake eleven: Proclaim that the time for debate is over just as your proposal really starts tanking.
8 Comments
Steve Buchheit · September 1, 2009 at 10:31 am
Actually the public has changed very little over the month of August. In most poll the generic question of Health Care Reform, the numbers supporting and in opposition stayed within the margins of error (admittedly the numbers moved toward the negative side) (a href=”http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/08/despite-weeks-of-health-care-madness-public-support-for-reform-down-only-slightly.php”>TPM article “After Weeks of Health Care Madness, Public Support for Reform Drops… Somewhat”). I’m not sure that change is exactly “tanking.”
But you are right. Us “liberals” have made many mistakes in this debate, including assuming people had been paying attention for the past two years.
Now, the good thing is the Republicans slowed down the passage. See, in November people start enrolling for their healthcare and retirement plans starting 2010. My advice to Democrats is, start fighting back now (fight smarter), and accept the delay tactic by stretching it till Thanksgiving, after everybody has a good reminder of why this is so important. The insurance industry could undermine that strategy by keeping rates even, but my guess is they won’t (their shareholders would revolt – classic rock or hardplace).
Also they should take the time to explain the bill (in sound bytes) in full. Then as the industry hikes are fresh in the public consciousness, push for cloture.
I doubt they’ll take my advice.
S Andrew Swann · September 1, 2009 at 11:34 am
Wrapped in that is an assumption that another one of the Dem’s vulnerabilities on the issue: The argument that “current system sucks” = “my system is an improvement.” That’s a common fallacy in political discourse, but it only really works when a solid majority agree that the current system sucks so bad that anything is an improvement (see: last presidential election.) in a situation where the “sucks” assertion is open to any sort of debate it leaves people vulnerable to the equally fallacious counter-argument: “it does not suck that bad” = “what you’re doing will make things suck worse.”
Of course when the one with the bully pulpit speaks in vague generalities, it doesn’t help. If you hold up an empty frame it’s easy to paint your fondest hopes and dreams on the blank canvas (see: last presidential election) but once the frame is around a specific very important issue it’s even easier for your opposition to splash the canvas with any nightmare scenario that comes to mind.
S Andrew Swann · September 1, 2009 at 11:40 am
Also, I might ask how the Republicans can slow anything with absolutely no legislative power at their disposal? Evil mind control powers? It makes as much sense (and possibly more) to blame the Libertarians for the Democrats complete legislative leadership fail.
Steve Buchheit · September 1, 2009 at 10:32 am
Coded that link wrong.
TPM article “After Weeks of Health Care Madness, Public Support for Reform Drops… Somewhat”).
Steve Buchheit · September 2, 2009 at 9:09 am
Yes, the perceived pain of change must not exceed the pain of status quo, basic Organizational Change Management. As you know, my perceived pain of change is drastically lower than the pain of the current status quo and yours is the opposite (your insurance plan has been relatively stable and you haven’t experienced any problems). I think that informs much of our positions in this debate.
And as you know, the Democratic party only recently gained a 60 count majority in the Senate (like, in July). Now we’re back to 59 (with the loss of Sen. Kennedy who was absent most of the summer anyway). The major work on the health care reform bills occurred in July, although senate consideration was postponed until after the August Recess, which is in the power of the minority to act.
And as I’m sure you know, the Democratic Party is not known for either it’s cohesiveness and “getting its members to toe the line” the way the Republican Party is.We have members with a wide range of views, positions, and political horses. It’s the proverbial “herding cats” scenario. Without some minimal support from the opposition (of the the Republican party was very open and vocal about making sure their members didn’t give any, of which the Republicans did receive when they had the majority – see Sen. Leiberman at least) it’s difficult for the Democrats in the Senate to move forward quickly (Sen. Snowe is our best ally) (and see discussion on Reconciliation).
S Andrew Swann · September 2, 2009 at 11:24 am
So, since the Democrats are unable to draft legislation that their entire caucus can agree on, it’s the Republican’s fault.
Yeah. I buy that.
Steve Buchheit · September 2, 2009 at 12:43 pm
That’s not what I said. The Democrats span a wide area of thought and policies and as a party haven’t been able to browbeat their members into lining up behind the party 98% of the time (unlike the Republicans who have that statistic).
Also, again to reiterate, in the Senate they only recently gained the 60 votes required to push through legislation on a strictly partisan basis. And during that time Sen. Kennedy was not present (so they would only have 59 votes). The power of the minority party is to delay legislation (which they did) and threaten the filibuster (which they have). And even if they did have 60 members (which includes Sen. Leiberman who caucuses with the Dems) they have never had the party discipline to force through legislation with such a narrow majority (needed to pass in the Senate). In the House they have the majority to move legislation, which is why the House Bill is further along in the process.
Or to put it another way, Republicans require allegiance to party lines (abortion, gun control, tax cuts, etc). The Democratic Party requires no such allegiance to a narrow set of principles that would directly affect legislation (including members sitting in the House right now who support Gun Bans on principle and those who are card carrying NRA members).
S Andrew Swann · September 2, 2009 at 1:15 pm
As far as “Republicans require allegiance to party lines,” I think someone forgot to tell their last Presidential candidate that. . .
Anyway, my point is, with vast majorities in both houses, the Democratic leadership can not seem to craft a bill that’s agreeable to the whole of their own caucus. Say what you want about herding cats, all it is is a lame excuse for a supreme failure of leadership. It’s not about “ramming a bill through,” its about drafting legislation that’s centrist enough that MEMBERS OF YOUR OWN PARTY ARE WILLING TO VOTE FOR IT. If you’re throwing bills on the floor that’re losing support from your own party, why would you expect Republicans to ride in and save you? Especially given the rhetoric of the party leadership.
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