The nihilist right can smell blood. And they will try to interpret this special election as a repudiation of everything Americans voted for in 2008. They may well succeed, as the Rovian gambit seems to be working again. It barely registers that health insurance reform was in Obama's platform, debated ad nauseam in the campaign, a clear distinction from McCain's refusal to take the uninsured as a legitimate issue. There are of course legitimate reasons to oppose the bill – but the GOP have no alternative plans to rein in healthcare costs, no alternative plans to insure more people, and no alternative plans to restrain spending in general. To vote GOP to restrain spending is like voting for Biden because you love the sound of silence.
In fact, here is one of conservatism's leading lights making one criticism of the healthcare bill.
In Jeff Jacoby's view, one problem with the bill is that it would
Yep: Republicans in defense of Medicare with no cuts! If you want no attempt to rein in Medicare's costs, vote Brown. If you want no entitlement reform, vote Brown. If you want to postpone health inusrance reform for another decade, vote Brown. If you want a restoration of torture, vote Brown. If you want more debt, by slashing more taxes and reducing no spending, vote Brown.
Maybe it will make some people feel better. But this is politics as populist, nihilist emotion. Which is what this country voted against over a year ago.
The Dish 