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The Central Georgian
COMMENTARY
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All or nothing: Democrats have raised the political stakes in effort to pass health care reform It is now or never for health care reform, and even if this legislation gets passed, a political fight will ensue this fall to either validate or invalidate health care reform and other Democratic initiatives. Lobbying groups on both sides such as Americans United for Change has reportedly spent a half of a million dollars for television commercials aimed primarily at African-American viewers in congressional districts across the country. Americans for Prosperity, a conservative organization who is against health care reform, is reportedly buying ads worth $750,000, and are used in targeted congressional districts across the nation. In Georgia’s 8th Congressional District, conservative Democrat Jim Marshall is not likely to vote for health care reform and has been a constant critic of policies put forth by the Democrats in Congress. The pro-health care reform ads are not likely to have an effect in Marshall’s district, a congressional area that has been trending conservative the last few years mainly due to voter apathy. However, an independent challenger may emerge or possibly a primary challenger. In Georgia’s 2nd Congressional District, one of the nation’s most conservative African-American Democrats, Sanford Bishop, has not committed one way or another publicly, and we may not know until he casts his vote. Bishop is wary of a Republican challenger in the fall, but is the veteran Democrat more concerned at winning his seat or will he vote yes on potential landmark legislation that can help millions of people in regard to health care? Democrats are feeling the pressure of passing health care legislation in an election year, and with daily challenges from Republicans to halt the passage of health care reform, a parliamentary measure is being considered by a Democratic lawmaker to push the bill through Congress. Republicans are heavily critical of House Democrats strongly considering using the Slaughter Rule. This parliamentary rule is named after House Rules Committee Chairwoman Louise Slaughter, a Democrat from New York. In an effort to resolve the differences between the House’s version of health care reform and Senate version and get this legislation passed, the Senate reconciliation bill could be passed without a House vote. Republicans have expressed outrage and may consider using legal remedies to fight a Democrat effort to use the “Slaughter rule”, but federal courts have ruled that engaging in self-executing rules is constitutional. One example is the case of Public Citizen v. United States . The Supreme Court decided that the measure is constitutional and that it is the equivalent of a law being passed by both the Senate and House of Representatives. Self-executing rules are not uncommon and both Democrats and Republicans have been using these procedures – even though it may be infrequent-- for many years and have withstood the scrutiny of federal courts. So under this "deem and pass” approach, the House of Representatives will bypass approving the reconciliation fixes, and "deem" the Senate bill to be passed. In essence, the Democrats get the Senate bill passed while at the same time coming out against the unpopular features of the same bill such as the infamous “Cornhusker Kickback.” The Republicans had six years of control that began in 2001 and lasted until 2006 while controlling all three branches of government, but never seriously took health care reform up as an issue. President Obama and most Democrats have given the Republicans opportunities to come to the table literally and figuratively. Republicans appear to be in obstructionist mode and doing whatever it takes to derail reform. Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson remarked through a press release that he is disappointed in President Obama deciding to move forward with passing health care reform. Isakson simply wants to go back to the drawing board, but what are his motives? “I am disappointed that the president has decided to move forward on health care with more of the same,” Isakson said. “There are ways to find common ground, but recycling legislation the American people have already rejected is not the way to go about it.” Most Americans in polls conducted want health care reform along with a robust public option. So Isakson comments aren’t really in line with the American people or even folks here in Georgia. However, there is a phrase: if you don’t vote, you don’t count. In a non-presidential year, Georgians and people across the nation can’t afford to stay home. Republicans are betting Democrats and frustrated independents stay home in November, and this will be the challenge for Democratic incumbents and candidates—get people to the polls. While some conservative Democrats such as Jim Marshall, Sanford Bishop and Alabama’s Artur Davis may vote no to health care reform, blacks and Latinos need to realize their vote does count and in the fall, an opportunity exists to correct historic inequalities in the health care system among people of color and all Americans.
The Central Georgian, 2007, Disclaimer..
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