The Traditional media is catching up (Will the Democrats)

Not that anyone is really paying attention to this blog (that's ok), EJ Dionne of the Washington Post got around to commenting on something I pointed out a couple of post back. This is in regard to Chuck Todd's point regarding reconciliation.

Here is an excerpt form my post:

"Here is the reality the Senate has passed health care reform with the requisite 60 votes. If the house were to simply pass the exact same bill this is all for nothing game over. What is being considered under Reconciliation is a very small portion of the bill. Honestly, most of the stuff that they are considering items that they truthfully against."

The major point and it is a genuine point, is that the Senate is not looking to pass Health Care Reform through Reconciliation they are looking to fix the reform they have already passed (with 60 votes no less).

And again a big chunk of the things they want to fix are things pretty much everyone including republicans agree with. They are taking out the special deals that everyone found so distasteful. John McCain pointed out one such problem. The special treatment that Florida seniors receive in the Senate bill. He as a Senator from Arizone (with it's own sizable senior population) is upset about it. You know what, there are a lot of Democrats that are upset about that as well. President Obama agreed with McCain to McCain's amazement. The President and the Senate Dems are talking about fixing those deals along with a number of other tweeks.

The bottom line, the Republicans are taking their stand not based on the fact they think the Cornhusker kickback and the special deal for Florida is good policy. They are staking out there position to either 1) kill any thing from passing or 2) forcing the Democrats to pass the bill exactly as it is. The second option would allow them to campaign against the dirty back room deals. The deals that Democrats are attempting to exorcise in the Reconciliation package.

So if Republicans vote against the reconciliation fixes they are actually voting to keep these sweetheart deals in the legislation hoping they can turn around say how terrible they sweetheart deals are.

More to the point EJ Dionne gives kudos to Chuck Todd for catching this very important truth where the rest of the media (and democrat stragetist) have failed. EJ is hoping the rest of the media wakes up to the reality the Senate vote will be merely to pass fixes not pass Health Care Reform.

"Kudos to Todd for stating a truth that just about all of us have missed"

It will be interesting to see if the Democrats sharpen their focus with this more accurate description going forward. I think one reason so many in the press and escpecially on the Democrats side was they were expecting the Republicans to simply fight against reconciliation itself. Therefore, the press and the Dems were more focused on the counter argument to that position.