Intraparty Squabbles

Unhappy with compromises made to appease conservative Senators, like stripping away the public option and the Medicare buy-in, progressives have now come out against the senate bill and against the President

Former DNC Chair Howard Dean has rallied the troops with the refrain “Kill the bill.”

Glenn Greenwald grumbles the administration hasn’t done enough:

“The evidence was overwhelming from the start that the White House was not only indifferent, but opposed, to the provisions most important to progressives.  The administration is getting the bill which they, more or less, wanted from the start -- the one that is a huge boon to the health insurance and pharmaceutical industry.”

Even unions are considering pulling their support, and Bernie Sanders says he will vote against the bill.

To what end is this opposition useful? Progressive advocacy for the public option kept it alive a lot longer than it would have without it, but I can’t see an upside to riling the progressive base in opposition to this bill. If this is a hardball negotiating tactic, what are they negotiating for? What else is still on the table?

My chief concern is that this opposition will further turn people off at a time when they should be excited. Most people aren’t policy wonks. They aren’t interested in the nuance of Congressional negotiation. They’re concerned about their families, about the economy, and about their own welfare. We shouldn’t call a success a failure. This bill will help them. The Democrats need to get on message about how this bill will benefit the American people, their families, and their children.

Democrats should be singing their praises for being just outside of accomplishing what has no one has been able to do in 50 years, not fighting with each other because the bill didn't turn out perfect.