I predict this will come down to whether Senators and Representatives, of either party, want to be on the wrong side of history, here. The New York Times' Prescriptions blog is reporting that Rep. Kucinich just declared he'd vote for health care reform:
. . . .Representative Dennis J. Kucinich, Democrat of Ohio, said today that he plans to support the health care bill when it comes up for a vote this week. He becomes the first Democrat to publicly disclose his intention to switch from a no to a yes vote on the legislation.
"I’ve decided to cast a vote in favor of the legislation," Mr. Kucinich said at a morning news conference in the Capitol. "If my vote is to be counted, let it count now for passage of the bill, hopefully in the direction of comprehensive health care reform."Mr. Kucinich said he was "quite aware of the historic fight" underway and decided to drop his opposition that the bill did not go far enough. He said, "I believe health care is a civil right. . . ."
If all those on the left resisting it because it doesn't do enough come on board, the Republicans, on the right -- will simply look like self-interested, but ultimately impotent, obstructionsists.
Fifty years on, I'd venture to guess that a "no" vote here will be read alot like a no vote on the Civil Rights Act of 1964. And so, one's vote should rightly be cast -- with the stretching shadows of history -- well in mind.
