Consider two questions that often come up in discussions of the health care debate:
- Why would Congressional Democrats vote for a bill if it means the potential end of their political careers and losing the majority in 2010?
- Does anybody really believe Democrats will follow through on plans to cut Medicare as called for in the various bills?
Then consider that if Democrats lose in 2010, Republicans are responsible for either cutting Medicare or undercutting the cost savings in the bill. Whatever they do will become the next Medicare Part D “doughnut hole.” In addition, they’ll be in office as the higher taxes kick. That is, if Republicans don’t repeal the bill, which they won’t because they won’t have 60 Senate seats of their own to overcome either a filibuster or a presidential veto.
Republicans will get the blame for screwing up health care because they’ll be in charge when the bad stuff hits. They’ll lose in 2012, then the subsidies and all the “good stuff” will kick in for 2013 or 2014, securing Democrats through the end of Obama’s second term.
Merry Christmas
