Did someone say super-majority?

So as most of you know, President Obama has been pushing health care reform since his first day in office and still nothing substantial has come of it.

This might not seem like too big of a deal, plenty of bills and reform never make it thru both the House and the Senate. But this is of special importance because the Democrats have such a dominating presence in both. In fact, they had a super-majority in the Senate(meaning that the they had 61 of the 100 seats) until recently when Scott Brown-R won Ted Kennedy's seat in Massachusetts. They also hold 255 out of the 435 seats in the House.

Something should have passed through the House and the Senate, right?

But nothing has passed and depending on your perspective on the issue that can be a good or a bad thing.

Now, the issue isn't whether or not health care reform should take place, but rather why Obama and the Democrats have struggled to do anything when they have such commanding majorities in Washington and why it is not a bad thing at all.

There is a very simple answer as to why Obama hasn't been able to pass this bill in Congress and it consists of two words: Compromise and Cooperation.

During the elections back in 2008, Obama promised to work with the Republicans, to bring about change, to compromise, and essentially be a bridge between the Democrats and Republicans. But Obama has done anything but that. He attempted to pass health care and climate change bills simply by steamrolling them through the House and Senate without any concern for the Republicans and compromise. And unfortuantely for him and the Democratic party, this tactic has backfired on him.

People are becoming increasingly frustrated with Obama and the Democrats and are fleeing to the Republican party by the droves. The Democrats have lost numerous Governorships in Blue states and Obama's approval rating is falling faster than any President in the history of the United States. In his defense, I don't think that any President has come into office with so much to deal with. He's had to deal with the financial crisis, two wars, nuclear problem in Iran, a growing deficit, social security problems, health care problems, and he's the first black President...the man has the cards stacked against him and for that I say, "good luck buddy, I'm gonna love ya, I'm gonna miss ya."

Some people are beginning to say that the lack of change and progress is a bad thing. Those people want changes to be made to the political system in the US in order to help the system work more efficiently and faster.  They want a system that can take action quickly, that can do what it wants when it wants.

To those critics I would say you are completely wrong. This inability of the Federal Government to accomplish much of anything is a great thing and exactly what the founding fathers had in mind. The system is set up in order to allow minorities to stop the majority from steamrolling over them and their rights. It keeps tyrants from taking control. It allows the system to stop bills and proposals that aren't important enough to pass thru legislation (e.g. currently health care) unless compromises/changes are made so that a sufficient majority agrees. Sometimes the process is slow and frustrating, but it can work quickly and efficiently when it needs to, case in point, the financial bailout.

The system in the US isn't perfect, but I think it's the best thing out there. It protects the rights of the people, yet allows for change and progress when it is needed, not just wanted. Even when it's frustrating to see little or no progress in areas I think are important I am still grateful for the system and prefer it to almost any other system of governance.

Moral of the story: To Obama and the Democrats, stop complaining and blaming the situation on system. Take responsibility for your actions and start compromising. That is the only way anything of real worth will ever happen in Washington, and if you need a guide look to Clinton, he did a pretty dang good job of working with the Republicans in order to get bills passed thru Congress. The system is working both when it denies passage to bills and when it allows them passage...deal with it.

PS- if I can make a prediction, Republicans win next wave or two of elections and take back the Presidency so long as Sarah Palin doesn't run for office. Mark my words.