Healthcare Reform and the Second Continental Congress

The Speaker of the House is the representative of arguably the most liberal congressional district of these United States and is, perhaps, emblematic of the problems with the healthcare bill as it is currently crafted. Far from being post-partisan, the Speaker is the most partisan of those pushing the healthcare debate. The primary issue is that the Speaker is having a one-sided dialog with those who agree with her: Republican input and concerns have been uniformly rejected in favor of an FDR inspired solution to nationalize healthcare.

Under President Bush there was much complaining about the war policy. In truth, Bush would have benefited from a wider set of views as the nation prepared for war. In much the same way now, the Speaker is pushing a bill which is so partisan so as to be intolerable for even the most liberal country-club Republicans.

The difference between the Bush and Obama policy regarding Iraq and Afghanistan is very small. In fact: there are more troops on the ground now then there were under Bush. Bush's policy has been vindicated by Obama's actions.

The difference between Republicans and Democrats regarding healthcare could not be more stark: the Republicans favor an open market approach and the Democrats favor a governmental approach. It really is that simple. The Republican approach would tend to maintain the status quo and the Democrat will significantly increase the position of the federal government.

I was in Philadelphia this weekend and walked through Independence Hall and considered the arguments between the Federalists and the anti-Federalists which took place during the second Continental Congress. Standing in the room in which Washington, Hamilton, Madison and Franklin crafted the shape of our nation it didn't take long to come to the conclusion that we have gone far astray.

The second Convention created the framework for our nation and established the three branches of our government. Even among the most fervent Federalists there was an appreciation for the limitation of government.

The shouting over the healthcare program is no where near completed. The Senate has yet to approve its version and then there is Conference Committee- where the real sausage making takes place.

Bottom Line: In much the same way the Bush's one-sided war policy paved the way for the movement of independent's to Obama, the healthcare (lack of) debate will move Independents away from Democrats in 2012.