Nancy Pelosi, the name evoked by all liberal-haters at Tea Parties and wherever two or more Republicans are gathered together, yesterday on This Week with Elizabeth Vargas explained the noble side of public service:
VARGAS: What do you say to your members, when [the Senate health care reform bill] does come to the House to vote on this, who are in real fear of losing their seats in November if they support you now?
PELOSI: Well, first of all, our members — every one of them — wants health care. I think everybody wants affordable health care for all Americans. They know that this will take courage. It took courage to pass Social Security. It took courage to pass Medicare. And many of the same forces that were at work decades ago are at work again against this bill.
But the American people need it. Why are we here? We’re not here just to self-perpetuate our service in Congress. We’re here to do the job for the American people, to get them results that gives them not only health security, but economic security, because the health issue is an economic issue for — for America’s families.
Imagine that. “We’re not here just to self-perpetuate our service in Congress.”
We’ll soon see who is and who isn’t.
The Erstwhile Conservative: A Blog of Repentance 
ansonburlingame
/ March 2, 2010As the Speaker said, “But the American people need it”.
That is of course her view. She did not say the American people WANT it, which is the view of many polls and MAY be the consensus view of well over a majority of Americans.
As Gene Lyons writes, “how do they know” refering to polls showing 86% of Americans think government in broken. You, Duane, frequently tell us that Republicans locally justed don’t know what is good for them.
The Speaker also praises the passage of SS and Medicare as meeting a great need of Americans yet both are going broke with no solutions to “save” them from economic laws.
Is it just possible that Americans might NEED health insurance for all but do not WANT it simply because we cannot AFFORD another huge entitlement program with unknown and potentially huge unitendeded consequences as well as great uncertainty over the planned cost?
When will government AND Americans balance needs, wants and affordable costs to govern?
Anson
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Duane Graham
/ March 2, 2010Anson,
Just to correct you a bit, Americans have indicated that they like most components of the health care bill, despite not favoring the whole package, largely in my view because they have been scared dookless about things NOT in the bill.
Second, it’s not that local Republican voters, those who benefit from Democratic programs, don’t know what’s good for them, it’s just that Republicans are good at selling other issues to them: God, guns, and gays—Democrats hate God, want to take your guns, and turn your kids into homosexuals. Locals buy into the sales pitch, and vote against their own economic interests.
The answer to your last question is unknown, but what is known is that a much higher percentage of Republicans than Democrats failed to support a binding debt commission to address your concerns, some of those Republicans having co-sponsored the bill originally. As long as there is that kind of cynicism in our politics, Americans won’t have to confront the need to balance their needs and desires with the cost.
Duane
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ansonburlingame
/ March 3, 2010duane,
Well my friend, when we together can eliminate cynicism in politics it will be a whole new world.
You said (with such cynicism) “Americans won’t have to confront the need to balance their needs and desires with the cost.”
In my view we will never get rid of cynicism. BUT very simple economic principles that work just like gravity (whether we like it or not) are going to CONFRONT us all. At some point the credit card goes away. God help us when that happens.
Anson
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Duane Graham
/ March 3, 2010Anson,
I doubt you’re right about that. The teabaggers are about to take over the government and make things right. At least that’s what they say and what the media–mainstream and Fox “News”–is reporting day after day. So, don’t worry. We’re in good hands. Jim Bunning is just the tip of the iceberg.
Duane
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