If it is true that the Democrats are willing to walk away from health care reform now -- as this New York Times piece hints at that possibility -- then I hope they lose control of the House and Senate. I would be rooting even harder against them in November -- and against President Obama in 2012 -- if I was confident that the Republican party would actually get serious about solving an issue we should have tackled decades ago. But I have no such confidence in the GOP because it seems perfectly happy to use such an important topic to score political points rather than trying to solve an obvious problem that is worsening by the year. And if the Democrats tuck their legs between their legs now -- after a year of fighting and scratching and getting reform closer to reality than ever -- then the old stereotype about Democrats not being able to lead may mean that stereotype isn't one at. I wish there was a third part, even if it meant the rise of a true Tea Party to rival the big two and not just be an appendage of the GOP. Maybe then people who are actually more concerned with getting things done than being re-elected will hold high office, and the major, complex issues of the day -- health care reform and energy policy are among the most pressing -- will be treated with the seriousness they deserve. After Gov. Mark Sanford's handling of the aftermath of his affair, I said he wasn't the man I voted for twice. If President Obama backs off now, I won't be voting for him twice, even while recognizing he should be getting much more credit from pulling us from an economic abyss.
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