I can’t believe the number of emails I’m getting about if, or how, the Democrats will get the number of votes needed to pass the House. Evidently, I’m not alone in this.
Stop worrying about it.
There are a number of reasons to do so. The first is – as any good therapist would tell you – your worrying is not going to effect the outcome. Second, no one who tells you they know how it is going to end is telling you the truth. Not even this guy. Nearly everyone who is making a bold prediction is biased or has something to gain by being right.
But the real reason is this. For Democratic Congresspeople, there will probably be no time in the near future where they can get more press and influence than by appearing to waver on health care reform. Do you think Rep. Stupak doesn’t know that? He’s in the paper every day right now. Do you think other staffers in other representatives’ offices aren’t telling their bosses right now that if they waver, they will get the same publicity?
Want to get a personal phone call from President Obama right now? Waver. Want to get a promise for something in your district in the next budget? Waver. Want to make sure your pet piece of legislation gets a committee hearing? Waver. Want to be on TV? Waver.
There’s almost no downside.
Look, it’s really out of our hands. Yes, you can call your representative and tell them what you want. In fact, that’s always a good idea. But at some point you have to trust that Speaker Pelosi and President Obama and even Rahm Emmanuel know what they’re doing (or not if you oppose reform). Either they will get it done or they won’t. But nothing you will hear on TV or in the paper in the next few days about vote counts will likely predict the outcome.
