[Update: Tim Noah on the risible Stupak.]
Despite the embarrassing gamesmanship of Stupak[*] and others seeking their 15 minutes of legislative fame, the House of Reps did the right thing last night. The U.S.'s disgusting insurance industry is a little less dangerous today, and health care provision a little more fair. That's a hell of a thing - not least to the millions soon to get real health coverage for the first time. Now to improve the bill and get the implementation right at state and local levels - no small task, of course. As for the Democrats and Republicans, the only poll that counts happens on Election Day, but that day is looking a little brighter for the Commies Dems right about now.
Big political winner in this part of the process: Nancy Pelosi. This woman might just help turn the Democrats into a functional political party. Perish the thought. I'm sure the dumb bastards will land on a novel own-foot-shooting method soon enough.
Comedy to come: watching far-right candidates run on repeal this fall. That insane strategy will work at lower organizational levels, alas, and it'll provide a daily dose of laughs during what's sure to be an unfortunate election for the House and Senate both.
Good day so far.
[*] Stupak, the pillock, won some (mixed) press before settling for a compromise consisting of an Executive Order that says nothing new. This is disappointing - we should provide state/federal funds for abortions, which despite (because of!) their 'moral complexity' are life-saving procedures - but it looks an awful lot like a small, primarily symbolic concession to a grandstanding pol in a Republican-leaning district. These things happen all the time, I know, I know. But Stupak's hypocritical intransigence has cost the nation far more than his cooperation capitulation will win him in his district.
