How in the Hell Did Democrats Save Health Reform?

If everything continues on the present trajectory there may be a health care reform bill on the President’s desk by Monday morning. Given the bleak outlook for reform after the Massachusetts Senate debacle one can be excused for wondering just how in the hell we got here?

First, Democrats and liberals have decided to grow up, stop their pouting and rally behind the current health care reform bill. Public Policy Polling brings us the numbers,

Last month 73% [of liberals] said they supported the plan with 19% opposed. Now 89% say they support the plan with only 3% opposed.

The shift has come completely with Democratic voters. A month ago 39% of independents said they supported it, now 40% do. A month ago 10% of Republicans said the supported it, and that’s now actually down to 8%. But Democratic support has risen from 63% to 76% in the last month

During the height of liberal petulance I wrote about the need for left-wing activists to learn when to temper the activism and rally around legislation once it is apparent that the deal on the table is the best we’re going to get.

There seems to be a belief amongst the hard-liners that centuries worth of economic and social justice can be won in one grand ideological battle if only everyone shared their deep commitment and held absolutely firm, accepting no compromise. It’s all a bit Trostkyist at times.

We on the left need to be far more strategic than the present day neo-conservatives and the Norquist led anti-tax jihadists.

Without solid support from their base why would Democrats in marginal districts cast their lot in with the reformers?

It’s not all thanks to the base though, we’ve finally seen real leadership from the President and, shockingly, Congress. Dennis Kucinich flipped to a “Yes” vote after the President dropped in on his district. On Wednesday night Obama went straight into the lions den and delivered a pugnacious interview on Fox News. He delivered some of his most populist speeches since the campaign when he went to St. Louis and Pennsylvania last week to fight for reform.

And now we’re even seeing pro-life House Democrats backing the bill. Nancy Pelosi has become the anti-Reid in recent days, adroitly applying pressure on her members and demonstrating a willingness to ruthlessly use procedural gimmicks to advance the reform package. After watching Reid bumble about for the last 7 months Obama and Pelosi have finally decided that the only way to get a job done right is to just do it themselves.

It’s amazing what can happen when Democratic Congressmen begin to feel pressure from their base, the President decides to forcefully and unapologetically campaign for his agenda,  and an adept leader uses those tools to whip her caucus while resorting to whatever procedural means necessary to close the deal.

A final vote will come this Sunday at the earliest, given the ebb and flow of this debate I’m hardly feeling comfortable about final passage but the end does appear to be nigh.

Photo by talkradionews