Pelosi also talked of the strategy Democrats should use to win the public debate. She spoke of drawing a contrast with Republicans, and alluded to a tactic employed by Democrats in the 2005 Social Security fight. During that fight, she noted, "We couldn't have our own proposal on Social Security," since presenting one would only lead to confusion and blur the differences between the parties. So instead, Democrats decided that "we have a proposal on the table—it's called Social Security."Simple, effective, true. In some alternate universe there is a Democratic counterpart to Paul Ryan promoting a liberal dream budget as a counter-point, and I won't complain if Sanders or someone like that wants to take a stab at it, but in this universe, the only "serious" proposal that Democrats could unite around is Medicare-as-is. Anything else risks being whittled down in the Pre-Emptive Cave.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Medicare is the Message
Pelosi is one of the few federal Democratic leaders who keeps me from complete cynicism. Chris Bowers:
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Medicare ought to be the message - and social insurance the idea behind the message. Then you can simultaneously defend the status quo and lay the ground work for progressive change.
ReplyDeleteHere is Steven Hill's excellent plan to improve Social Security.