Isn't Democracy Grand?

The Healthcare Bill is going to the House and many Democrats are rethinking their vote. They are in districts that are potentially competitive and they are well aware that this bill is unpopular and might cost them their job. There are about 15-20 Democrats that are probably already toast as a result of voting for the first healthcare plan in the House. They represent centrist or conservative districts that do not like the radical Obama agenda.

And make no mistake, it is radical, in its financial scale and its deviance from the Constitution. So is this sort of political self-preservation instinct something that should be celebrated? Particularly if it leads to the defeat of Obama's destructive agenda? We reach the issue of whether we want representatives that vote their conscience and their principles or we want representatives that vote according to the will of their constituents.

It is easy to slam politicians for "saying and doing whatever it takes to get elected". They vote for questionable bills and make backroom deals with other politicians in order to ensure their seat is protected, whether through special interest support, campaign contributions, or gaining porkbarrel projects for the home district. Some of this is indeed undemocratic and probably illegal, but another part of it is very democratic. A politician is a politician because he got elected by voters. He got elected because he is doing and saying what he thinks the people want. Is he not carrying out the will of the people? Isn't that what a representative government is?

It is not that simple, but lets not completely throw the spineless politician under the bus. Because in the end, we the voters seem to elect these people quite often.

It is really the great thing about a Republic. House members want to keep their jobs. But now they are aware that they will lose their job if they defy the will of their constituents. But their party wants them to ignore their constituents and vote "what is best for the country, even if its not popular". Well, there are certainly times when political courage and sacrifice are laudable, but not here.

Only socialists and statists really believe the Obamacare plan is for the greater good.

And Pelosi is not the principled ideologue that some may make her out to be. Pelosi's district has been gerrymandered to the point where essentially she selected her own constituency, and it is the one that gives her the most power and control as a Congresswoman and the Speaker. When public officials are able to define "niche" constituencies that are unrepresentative of the country as a whole, you don't have anyone that has the greater good in mind, only the good for their customized constituency. Its like a criminal defendant picking his own jury.

Those on the fence, the moderates, are there because they are not making decisions on principle. They are making decisions for the sake of self-preservation and the perceived will of their constituents. This type of Congressman is always the last to decide.

In this case, it just might be those sleazy spineless politicians that stop this Healthcare Bill because it is the will of the people. And they believe it will help them keep their job.

Thank them for blocking the Healthcare Bill. Then vote them out in 2010. At that time voters need to find out which candidates are simply the same type of spineless politician and which are principled individuals. It is not easy to tell the difference but it is our responsibility to try. Otherwise, we are culpable in the blunders of our representative government.