Lessons Learned?

 Politics  No Responses »
Mar 192013
 

After the election, Republicans vowed to think long and hard about why they lost the election. All that soul-searching culminated in a report released yesterday that attempts to explain how it all went so wrong in November. It’s admirably forthright in some of its admissions: the GOP is terrible at interacting with anyone who isn’t a white male, its perceived homophobia scares away voters, and it is too closely aligned with the wealthy elite. But the report stops short of making any substantive policy recommendations. I suspect that party leaders understand that some moderation is necessary to remain competitive, but they haven’t summoned the courage to stand up to the true believers who are willing to follow their principles into political oblivion.

The Republicans could still get lucky. External events could still push the country to the right without Republicans having to examine themselves in the mirror. I’m just not sure wishful thinking is a viable strategy for winning elections.

Age Of Austerity

 Politics  1 Response »
Feb 252013
 

Chris Cillizza and Aaron Blake argue in the Washington Post that the forthcoming across the board budget cuts (also known as the sequester) may be the best way to focus Americans’ minds on a basic contradiction in their thinking: they like the notion of cutting government spending but they balk when asked to identify specific cuts they would prefer. As the cuts take hold and people begin to notice the consequences, perhaps they will start pressing lawmakers for a smarter, less arbitrary method to reduce spending.

Of course, this assumes that the cuts will be sufficient to get voters’ attention. On this point, I’m skeptical. Even though the Obama administration is doing its best to illustrate how the sequester will have real-life consequences, it may not happen quickly enough to register as a noticeable change. We are already accustomed to tolerating flight delays, understaffed government agencies, and underfunded schools. I’m not sure the sequester will be draconian enough to upset the average American’s low expectations of the public sector—expectations that have already declined substantially in recent years.

Equality Is Coming

 Politics  No Responses »
Feb 072013
 

Governor Dayton’s call to legalize same-sex marriage in his State of the State address didn’t come as a surprise, but it should be an encouraging sign to fellow progressives. Perhaps this will prompt DFL legislators to pass a bill this session. It could still happen in 2014, but House members may be a little skittish because they will be facing reelection. It may be better to do it this year while the political winds are favorable.

Perhaps my gay friends will be inviting me to their wedding receptions sooner than we thought possible.

 

If You Can’t Beat ‘Em…

 Health Care, Politics  No Responses »
Feb 062013
 

While many states have refused to set up health insurance exchanges, resistance to the Obamacare Medicaid expansion appears to be crumbling. I previously wrote about Arizona Governor Jan Brewer’s decision to proceed with the expansion. And now Ohio’s John Kasich, another Tea Party favorite, has declared his own support for a Medicaid expansion. Not wanting to feel left out, Michigan’s Rick Snyder embraced an expansion as well.

These governors deserve some praise for placing the welfare of their constituents above political ideology. But their change of heart occurred only after an electoral drubbing for Republicans. Would they have been as willing to advocate for a Medicaid expansion if Romney occupied the White House? Probably not. These governors discovered pragmatism only after political defeat. That’s not how good governance should work. We shouldn’t have to endure nearly three years of paranoid hysterics before political leaders can come to their senses and do the right thing. I’m glad and relieved that low-income people in these states will have health coverage, but it shouldn’t have been such a slog to reach this point.

Losing An Ally

 Disability, Politics  No Responses »
Jan 282013
 

The news of Senator Tom Harkin’s retirement saddens me. The Iowa Democrat played an instrumental role in passing the the Americans with Disabilities Act and he has been a vocal advocate for people with disabilities during his long tenure. I can’t think of another national political figure who is so closely identified with disability rights, which makes it unlikely that someone else will fill the void Harkin leaves. And that’s unfortunate because people with disabilities still need strong, committed leadership on issues ranging from employment to health care.

Safe Seat?

 Politics  No Responses »
Jan 222013
 

Mid-term elections are still a political eternity away, but early polling is looking good for Minnesota Senator Al Franken. He leads Norm Coleman, who has already said he won’t challenge Franken for the seat, by a comfortable margin. A Franken-Bachmann matchup is even more lopsided. Franken can’t be considered a beloved political figure in Minnesota, but he may benefit from a weak Republican bench that can’t seem to field likeable or organized candidates. Pawlenty may be a possibility, but I doubt he’ll be interested in giving up a lucrative private sector gig for an opportunity to re-introduce himself to fickle Minnesota voters. Like Amy Klobuchar, Franken may be able to cruise to reelection with a big assist from an inept and talent-starved state GOP.

A Man Of His Times

 Politics  No Responses »
Jan 212013
 

Obama’s inaugural speech could be considered the first of its kind that truly reflects a changing nation wrestling with 21st century challenges. Its highlighting of marriage equality and climate change would have been a political fantasy just eight short years ago. Congress may not be prepared to partner with the President on addressing these challenges, but a second Obama term will make it more difficult for future political leaders to ignore issues like clean energy and income disparities. I’m hopeful that the President will achieve at least some modest progress on these fronts, not to mention health care. Second terms are not always kind to presidents, but today I’m both happy and relieved we aren’t ushering in a Romney administration.

The Public Trust And Private Actions

 Health Care, Politics  No Responses »
Dec 112012
 

MPR is running an interesting investigative piece about two state legislators whose business dealings and legislative agendas intersect to a point where colleagues are questioning their ethics. Last year, as part of the deal to end the state government shutdown, the Republican-led legislature passed a law that would require some people enrolled in state-subsidized MinnesotaCare health insurance to purchase private insurance with the help of a state voucher. Individuals purchase coverage with the help of an insurance broker. After the law passed, Representative Steve Gottwalt and Senator David Hann, both sponsors of the legislation, became licensed insurance brokers. Gottwalt is now associated with a firm that lobbied for the Healthy Minnesota voucher program. Both legislators claim they do not serve anyone in the program.

It’s doubtful that either man has done anything unethical. They are free to pursue a living and it doesn’t appear that they have personally profited from the program. Still, their career choices seem a little tone-deaf to public perception. Gottwalt in particular might have given more thought to joining a firm that had testified before his committee just last year.

Meanwhile, the Healthy Minnesota program that both men championed isn’t proving too popular. It might have something to do with the fact that coverage is both costlier and less comprehensive than what was available under MinnesotaCare.

Tinfoil Hats And Disability: The Aftermath

 Disability, Politics  No Responses »
Dec 102012
 

Jonathan Alter is the latest pundit to pile on with criticism of the Senate Republicans who voted down the U.N. disabilities treaty:

Cruelty, fear, cowardice, xenophobia and disrespect invaded the inner sanctum of the U.S. government this week, bringing embarrassment and dishonor to what was once the greatest deliberative body in the world: the U.S. Senate.

I wonder if Republicans are beginning to have second thoughts about this vote, considering all the negative attention it has garnered in the press. Perhaps they assumed that nobody would much care about the fate of a largely symbolic international treaty concerning a marginalized group of people. But at a time when Republicans can’t stop talking about how to re-brand themselves, this vote only served to remind people of the party’s worst ideological impulses. Even after a disastrous election, conservatives are blindly following each other over the brink of political relevance with stupid votes like this.

If Republicans can’t summon the courage to vote for something as benign as this treaty, can they really be trusted to do anything on the economy or immigration reform?

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