But now, Republicans are more divided than ever. They don't know how far to go to achieve their supposed goals. And really, they don’t like that their mendacity has been exposed.
If they’d been sounding the tocsins of doom in earnest, the political consequences of a shutdown would have been worth bearing. Republicans would have joined him and turned what he did from a day-long oratory into a “real” filibuster.
Does that mean Cruz and his fellow speakers are the only true believers in the GOP? I don’t think so. I think they saw an opportunity to claim the spotlight and they took it. They know the movement they’re courting rewards those kinds of demonstrations. It wasn’t an earnest attempt at persuasion — it’s not like anti-Obamacare screeds are new to anyone. Which is why it’s correct to point out, as dozens of others including Harry Reid already have, that Cruz wasn’t filibustering anything.
I agree, but only because I don’t believe Cruz ever intended to convince any of his colleagues to change their votes.
And there’s no going back from this. You can’t claim to be a hero if you won’t run into a burning building to save a child. Cruz lit the building on fire. Nearly every Republican stood safely outside. And a lot of people are going to remember that the next time any of them claim Obamacare will ruin the country and only they can stop it.
If Obamacare (aka the Affordable Care Act) is so horrible and life-threatening, then why are Republicans giving up on their effort to defund it this fall? May it be due to the reality of Obamacare not really being horrible and life-threatening? After all, the Affordable Care Act is largely based on the conservative Republican alternative to then President Clinton's 1994 health care reform proposal.
Now that the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare is being implemented, more Americans will have the chance to find affordable health insurance and better care. And it's happening thanks to a mix of stronger regulation of the insurance market, increased consumer buying power, a better social safety net for working poor in need of help, and private sector innovation. Keep in mind that most "Obamacare coverage" is actually coming from private companies or non-profit co-ops.
Wow. That doesn't sound life-threatening at all. In fact, this sounds pretty life-saving. And here we have why Republicans can't sustain their campaign to destroy the Affordable Care Act. Oh, and no wonder why they must resort to manufactured crises to spread fear, anger, and a whole lot of misinformation.
Next week, Obamacare exchanges will come online. Also next week, Congressional Republicans will start yet another debt ceiling fiasco. One crisis is simply manufactured, while the other is simply nonexistent.
No comments:
Post a Comment