Majority rules: Let's vote...and let's move on

[babylonsister]

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/2/26/841052/-Majority-rules:-Lets-vote...and-lets-move-on

Majority rules: Let's vote...and let's move on
by Jed Lewison

Fri Feb 26, 2010 at 11:15:11 AM PST

David Axelrod on CNN Thursday evening (video at link):

Transcript:

AXELROD: Both the House and the Senate have passed the major health care reform bills, and what has been discussed is using the reconciliation process to deal with some issues that have arisen from those bills. But every single Republican senator in that room, I believe, has cast votes for reconciliation, including for the largest tax cut in history that dwarfed this legislation.

...

I think the American people believe in the principle, as was articulated by many Republicans on many issues along the way, in majority rule. All they want is an up-or-down vote. And they want to move on.

Let’s have a vote. Let’s finish this debate. Let’s have an up- or-down vote. Let’s not use procedural blocks to keep us from having an up-or-down vote. I think the American people say, you know what, let the vote be held. Let the majority rule and let’s move on.

For all the talk about reconciliation being some sort of complicated beast, Axelrod's messaging nails the issue on the head: let's have a vote, let's let the majority rule, and then let's move on.

Obviously, unrestrained majority rule is not a good idea, but when you're dealing with policies like the current health care proposal -- as opposed to issues involving constitutional rights, such as the power to declare war or the freedom of speech -- majority rule is the American way.

It comes down to a choice between two different policies: (a) President Obama's health care reform proposal, or (b) maintaining the current broken system. There's no reason the minority should be allowed to trump the majority on this question. There's not a constitutional issue at stake, and even if there were, one of the reasons we have a judicial branch of government is to protect those liberties.

With Axelrod's comments and statements from other Democrats, it is clear that at long last, Democrats are going to move forward on health care reform, using reconciliation -- the majority option -- to get the job done, letting the nation finally move on from this divisive debate. Republicans have had every opportunity in the world to insert their ideas in the proposal, many of which have been adopted.

But if they want to kill health care reform, they're going to need to win an election first. So after Democrats pass reform, the GOP can go ahead and run on repealing it. But if they do want to repeal it, they're going to have to win a majority first, because at least in this country, the minority does not rule.

[elocs]

1. Democrats: "We have the WH and a majority in Congress. OMFG!!! What do we do!!!"

"How does this work??? What will the Republicans let us do???"

Democrats, it's time to stand up and lead and not govern with your fingers in the wind. You know what is right, just do it and allow history to judge your actions rather than the next day's polls.

[babylonsister]

2. You need to keep up...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x200790

Obama to announce path forward next week

Seems like the Dems know exactly what they're going to do.