There’s an old saying about having to hit a mule between the eyes with a two by four to get his attention. Apparently the same is true of donkeys, and the Democrats, after a year of “change,” finally get it:
There are ways Democrats can jam through the current health care bill with procedural tricks or legislative creativity. But what seemed a certainty a week ago feels unlikely today. Don’t take the word of Republicans or even reporters on this one. Listen to what Democrats are saying as they appraised the results overnight:
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) told a local reporter, “It’s probably back to the drawing board on health care, which is unfortunate.” Rep. Bill Delahunt (D-Mass.) told MSNBC this morning he will advise Democratic leaders to scrap the big bill and move small, more popular pieces that can attract Republicans. And Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) said his leadership is “whistling past the graveyard” if they think Brown’s win won’t force a rethinking of the health care plan.
Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), who now might draw a challenge from Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), said the party needs to rethink its entire approach to governing.
Gee, ya think?
A few of them do. Most of them don’t.
There will need to be a lot more pain, plus bruisin’ and contusin’, and probably some bleeding from the ears, before enough of them get it to make a difference.
And this time around, that includes the President, the Speaker, and the Senate Majority Leader.