Sweet Disarray

I don't think I've ever cared so much or been so disappointed about the state of American politics in my life. I really have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that our congressmen and women care more about their reelection than an issue as crucial as health care reform. I understand that this is their career, that their professional lives are tied up in their electability, that they don't want to commit career suicide supporting reform when its success depends on other congressmen who are also nervous about their own reelection chances. But! This is health care. They have a chance to substantially improve the lives of millions of Americans and they are choosing their own political ambition instead. That sickens me.

Obviously, I'd never survive in politics.

But seriously, why be a Democrat in Congress at all if you aren't willing to put your political future on the line for an issue like health care? Why? I simply don't understand why you'd even bother.

And speaking of political futures, do these people really think that without passing health care reform, any independent is really going to put their stock in a Democrat? The independents that don't want health care reform are going to vote for a Republican anyway. I mean, seriously, if that's what it comes down to, that's going to be their choice, I would think. But the independents that want health care reform and can see that Democrats are too pathetic to get their act together and actually do anything productive with their (still) huge majority in both houses? Don't you think they and many of their Democratic party counterparts are just going to stay home on election day?

Pass health care reform. We sent you there to do this. Not to sit on your hands and say, "Oh, but, well, you know, it's his fault, really. And, well, you know, deficit and, um, abortion maybe? And also, like, well, filibuster? And, um, yes."

Pass health care reform and the Democratic base will again be fired up. We'll be happy with the people we elected into office. Either Democrats support health care reform or they don't. Don't give me this crap about boo hoo hoo it's not universal coverage, there's no public option boo hoo hoo. Yes, that would all be wonderful, wouldn't it? But not all Democrats support the public option and the very least you should be able to do is to find consensus amongst yourselves. Compromise is good. Compromise is necessary. If you can't compromise within your own party, then you're doomed. Period. And you did it! You came to a compromise, but then Scott Brown got elected and you all suddenly felt like you had been caught with your pants down and went fishing to switch your "yes" vote to "no." Cowards.

I'm so disappointed in so many of our Democratic congressmen right now, that I most days I can't bring myself to read the news. When I read about Pelosi trying to round up votes, I just want to pull my hair out. I am demoralized nearly to the point of apathy. Why bother making phone calls? They're only out to save their own asses anyway. They only care about their next election anyway. They don't really care about doing what's right for the American people. They care about what's doing right for themselves. And that sickens me. It's not worthy of the offices they hold. It's not worthy of the oaths they have taken. It's not worthy of the trust of the American public.

If that's what they choose, they deserve to be kicked out of office. They deserve to have a Republican take their place. With Democrats in office, we get nothing but cowardice. The Republicans have been worse (stonewalling for cheap political advantage sickens me too, but I didn't believe they'd do the right thing anyway), but at least maybe Obama would be able to sign some watered-down version of health care reform if Republicans were in power because then Republicans could take credit for it. At least something would get done. It would still suck, but it would be better than nothing, which is what we've got as long as we've got cowards in power instead of congressmen.

Let me be clear, I am proud of many of the Democrats in office right now and I would love to see them pass comprehensive health care reform and generally show Republicans how change is done (remember when we thought that was going to happen?) I am not proud, however, of those that have chosen to protect their own asses over the good of the American people. But even though I'm disappointed, demoralized and losing more and more hope each day, I am still committed to doing what I can to make change happen. Yes, I'm still talking about change because we still need it. Desperately. That's why I've pledged to commit my time to reelecting the congressmen and women (aka the ones I'm still proud of) who are committed to passing health care reform. (So maybe talking about how Congress members who aren't committed to health care reform deserve to have their seats taken away by Republicans isn't exactly what they were looking for, but oh well!) I also plan on contacting every member of Congress mentioned in this article to give them a piece of my mind.

I'm not giving up on health care reform. I hope they don't either.