What is Ken Baer talking about? No one's pleased that Medicare makes mistakes and wastes money, but does he really think that Democrats are resisting efforts at "reform" because we want more medical mistakes and less money for the program? Does he really think Medicare, with higher patient satisfaction than private insurance and slower cost growth, is "FUBAR" (if so, why reform it? "Fucked up beyond all repair" kinda precludes, you know, repair)? Does he really think Democrats should be loudly demanding reform at a moment when we can't pass or craft any legislation on the subject?
Since the DLC conversation has been raging around, I might as well tap it now: this is what I don't like about the DLC breed. It's not that they're not progressive -- I'm almost certain Ken and I would agree on what to do here -- it's that their rhetorical devices for getting there tend to include 1) a lot of sniffing and despairing at all those hopelessly irresponsible liberals followed by a 2) high-minded promise to stroll into whatever trap the Republicans have set for them or 3) set one themselves if the right's been remiss.
