This story pisses me off:
Late last night, House leadership decided it would postpone the release of its completed draft of health care reform legislation, after Blue Dog Democrats—and a variety of other concerned members–raised a number of objections to aspects of the proposal.
The Blue Dogs are the biggest problem facing a decent healthcare plan, and they should be stopped. The best way for that is a strong campaign of phone calls, ads and letters. Let them know what you think.
But while this does upset me, it also gives me comfort. Members of the President’s own party are putting the brakes on one of his cornerstone pieces of legislation. Could you imagine if Republicans did that to Bush? They would end up getting the Specter treatment.
So as much as I disagree with the Blue Dogs, it is nice to know that the Democratic Party isn’t so one track minded that they try to get rid of every dissenting view. That’s a new Republican trait and one of the key reasons the Republicans are in the position they are in now.
And while I do have that comfort, I also have a little despair. Not in the Blue Dogs or the Democrats or even the Republicans. My angst is with our political system. The simple fact that we are only represented by two major political parties in the most diverse country on the planet should be considered a crime. Hopefully that is something we can change in the future. A two party system is the same as looking at the country in black and white, and our nation is anything but that. A real leader will talk about this problem and bring forward ways to remedy it.