Advice to President Obama

[fpb]

So far, you have been brilliant at splitting potential opponents, sir, and I do not understand why you seem to have surrendered this tactic and gone for its opposite when it comes to by far the most important item of your legislative program. Your health reform proposals have fearsome and committed enemies. Why multiply them by insisting on placing abortion among the basic provisions, and allowing your party to shoot down any amendment that would prevent or even limit this? The opposition to abortion in America is formidable, but it only partly overlaps the ideological (and provincial) opposition to socialized medicine. You are shooting yourself in the foot, running the risk of a humiliating and crippling defeat, and strengthening and enlarging the front of your opponents, by this ill-advised behaviour.

Comments

My 2 cents

[affablestranger.livejournal.com]

Part of the problem, and there are several, is that the bill isn't Obama's. It's Congress', specifically belonging to congressional Democrats, who, like the Republicans, aren't known for their... legislative restraint. It doesn't help that the president owes a great many favors to many in the House and Senate. And then there are the special interest groups and lobbyists to whom he has somehow, either recently or in the past, wound up owing favors as well. And this health insurance bill is their payoff. And as you and I well know, abortion rights figures promintently in many of the president's allies' and cohorts' view of How The World Should Be.

Re: My 2 cents

[redcoast.livejournal.com]

Congress has a lot of people on the extremes of political views, which is actually okay with me. They represent America too. But weird things can happen to bills in congress.

Re: My 2 cents

[mentalguy.livejournal.com]

One thought I have in this regard, which I would appreciate some international perspective on, is that part of the issue in the US is the extent to which legislators will vote on legislation without reading it, as a general thing. It seems to encourage large, poorly-focused, and often incomprehensible legislation. Is this kind of thing common elsewhere?

Re: My 2 cents

[fpb.livejournal.com]

The size of American bills do seem to be something outlandish, although we have recently had similar situations with the immense European treaties of Maastricht and Lisbon, which most chambers passed without much discussion. However, these are mostly a condensation of individual measures taken earlier and already in place.

Re: My 2 cents

[mentalguy.livejournal.com]

Also, what are your thoughts on efforts like this one?

Re: My 2 cents

[fpb.livejournal.com]

At first glance, it sounds like an eminently sensible proposal.