31 seconds of the healthcare vote that shows why people hate politics
(CNN)When House Republicans secured their 216th "yes" on the
American Health Care Act Thursday, Democrats immediately began
taunting their across-the-aisle rivals.
"Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye," Democrats sang at Republicans.
A few Democrats even waved goodbye.
The implication was obvious: Democrats believed many Republicans had
just cost themselves their political careers by voting for an overhaul of Obamacare.
And the DC political class wonders why people hate them.
I understand that Democrats not only didn't like the way this bill was
passed -- without any estimates on what it might cost or how many
people might lose coverage as a result -- but also believed the policies
contained in it would leave the country and its people considerably
worse off.
That is a worthy conversation to have. But, that's not what Democrats
were doing. Instead, they were jeering and mocking their colleagues.
Look. We have two parties in
this country for a reason. Democrats
and Republicans don't always
disagree on the problems the
country faces but do almost
always disagree on how to
solve them.
Debating those differences is the
stuff of democracy. Giving the
public the chance, every two
years, to render their judgment on who has more of the right in the
argument is the backbone of our political system.
Poll after poll suggests that one
thing both sides broadly agree
on is that they prefer bipartisan
compromise to go-it-alone-ism.
When House Democrats act like
they did today -- or President
Trump acts like he does almost
every day -- we get further and
further from even the possibility
of finding common ground or even
just talking to each other like
human beings.
It also convinces people not in Washington or not involved in politics that
the people who are representing them in DC have no real idea what
they care about or value.
That's a very bad thing for the long-term health of our democracy.
(CNN)When House Republicans secured their 216th "yes" on the
American Health Care Act Thursday, Democrats immediately began
taunting their across-the-aisle rivals.
American Health Care Act Thursday, Democrats immediately began
taunting their across-the-aisle rivals.
"Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye," Democrats sang at Republicans.
A few Democrats even waved goodbye.
A few Democrats even waved goodbye.
The implication was obvious: Democrats believed many Republicans had
just cost themselves their political careers by voting for an overhaul of Obamacare.
just cost themselves their political careers by voting for an overhaul of Obamacare.
And the DC political class wonders why people hate them.
I understand that Democrats not only didn't like the way this bill was
passed -- without any estimates on what it might cost or how many
people might lose coverage as a result -- but also believed the policies
contained in it would leave the country and its people considerably
worse off.
passed -- without any estimates on what it might cost or how many
people might lose coverage as a result -- but also believed the policies
contained in it would leave the country and its people considerably
worse off.
That is a worthy conversation to have. But, that's not what Democrats
were doing. Instead, they were jeering and mocking their colleagues.
were doing. Instead, they were jeering and mocking their colleagues.
Look. We have two parties in
this country for a reason. Democrats
and Republicans don't always
disagree on the problems the
country faces but do almost
always disagree on how to
solve them.
this country for a reason. Democrats
and Republicans don't always
disagree on the problems the
country faces but do almost
always disagree on how to
solve them.
Debating those differences is the
stuff of democracy. Giving the
public the chance, every two
years, to render their judgment on who has more of the right in the
argument is the backbone of our political system.
stuff of democracy. Giving the
public the chance, every two
years, to render their judgment on who has more of the right in the
argument is the backbone of our political system.
Poll after poll suggests that one
thing both sides broadly agree
on is that they prefer bipartisan
compromise to go-it-alone-ism.
When House Democrats act like
they did today -- or President
Trump acts like he does almost
every day -- we get further and
further from even the possibility
of finding common ground or even
just talking to each other like
human beings.
thing both sides broadly agree
on is that they prefer bipartisan
compromise to go-it-alone-ism.
When House Democrats act like
they did today -- or President
Trump acts like he does almost
every day -- we get further and
further from even the possibility
of finding common ground or even
just talking to each other like
human beings.
It also convinces people not in Washington or not involved in politics that
the people who are representing them in DC have no real idea what
they care about or value.
the people who are representing them in DC have no real idea what
they care about or value.
That's a very bad thing for the long-term health of our democracy.
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