Christmas came a day early for Americans this year, as the Senate voted down the Republican filibuster in order to permit full consideration of the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care" Act a bit after midnight. The last time the Senate voted on Christmas eve day was in 1895, when the issue was whether or not to provide federal benefits to U.S. military servicemen. I assume that the people we now call "Republicans," but back then probably were Southern democrats--anyhow, the same group that provides the core of ongoing political racism and opposition to federal government actions of any beneficial sort--were the "againsters" then as well. (Although I don't know that for sure; perhaps I will try to look it up).
Humor was provided by Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid, who had worked so hard to assemble and keep a supportive coalition, actually initially voted "nay" by mistake! Senator Harry Byrd, the ill 92 year-old that Republicans and their "Christian" allies had vocally prayed would die and thus be unable to vote yes managed to make it there, too. Of course, the biggest advocate of health insurance reform, Senator Ted Kennedy, did pass away a few months ago, perhaps showing the power of such pacts with the devil against progressive forces do sometimes work after all?
I don't know: I have never prayed for someone to be harmed, at least not that I can remember. Sometimes I've been a little glad for their misery, though, like the plumber in my neighborhood who cheated me, and now is unable to sell his house. Is that the Hand of God in action?
But anyhow, I am (mostly) a Buddhist--although we will attend a Christmas day mass tomorrow, and certainly celebrate this evening.
Always, when human progress is made, there are opponents. The Republicans know full well that their only hope for a political comeback after the catastrophic Bush years is that Obama somehow "fails." So they don't want unemployment to go down, they want it to go up; they want more people to lose their houses and their life savings; they hope that there will be terrorists attacks against the US that they can blame on Democratic laxness, as they have attempted to do with the Fort Hood tragedy and the prospect of trials in American courts; they want to prevent action against climate change--and perhaps top among their priorities, they don't want the health insurance system to be improved and they don't want Americans who lack coverage now to get any.
Some countries talk about "gross national happiness" as their major goal, but for Republicans, adding to the "gross national misery" in the US during 2009 and 2010 and 2011 and 2012 is their chief, and really their only, objective.
But, anyhow, it happened to that this day, and the Christmas holiday, started with something good, something beneficial. There is still a lot of work to be done, trying to blend very different House and Senate legislation. The liberals will be angry that the resulting product isn't "strong" enough, and conservatives will be angry if anything at all is passed. (Indeed, John McCain is now unalterably opposed to his own prior proposal to expand Medicare to younger people!)
Of course, every member of Congress has perfectly fine government-provided health insurance. None have offered to give up it, or Medicare, or Social Security. It is just that if you are the constituent of a Republican, and out of work, and in financial stress, as so many millions are, or if you are sick and might cost a private insurer to lose money, they don't want YOU to have it! Better that you simply die, like they hoped for Senator Byrd.
Talk about your "death panels!" Here are groups of Republicans gathered, in family groups or what they consider to be "Christian" (sic) churches, praying for the Grim Reaper to come and take away a fellow man. (Of course, there were a lot of people that wanted Jesus to die, too--and he did. But right now, we celebrate his birth).
It isn't that there is a rotten apple in the barrel. Sometimes the barrel is nearly half full of rotten apples! But for today, Christmas eve, Christmas in the US came a day early, and every American has an opportunity to feel at least a tiny bit more secure that progress is being made, even as a second big winter storm is coming upon us.
Be careful out there!
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