Get Ahead of It This Time

This summer, Blue Girl and I discussed starting a feature that instead of making fun of the latest repug beyond-insane lie about President Obama, would try to predict the next inocuous thing Limpballs would freak out over.

Then came the Death Panels. And we realized the fatal flaw in our plan: We think. We simply could not force our rational, fact-loving, reality-based brains to operate like the gray sponges in the craniums of people who could interpret end-of-life planning as state-sanctioned murder.

But failing to anticipate those attacks on health care reform is exactly the huge mistake made by the Obama administration, Congressional Democrats and liberals, and that may still kill real reform.

Now the question is whether they have learned that lesson, and are preparing to launch a first strike on the next issue: climate change.

Steve M. doubts it.

I really appreciate today's Paul Krugman column ...

So, have you enjoyed the debate over health care reform? Have you been impressed by the civility of the discussion and the intellectual honesty of reform opponents?

If so, you'll love the next big debate: the fight over climate change....

... because Krugman shows that he clearly understands the need to anticipate, rather than merely rebut, the arguments made by the right. He knows the real battle hasn't started yet -- and he uses this column to make the case for climate-change legislation before that happens. Would that the Obama administration understood the need to do the same. Would that Team Obama were setting the terms of the debate -- now. But I'm afraid I know what's going to happen: the we're all going to die or be rendered penniless at Obama's hands!!! lies are going to fly thick and fast as soon as Washington is focused on climate change, and the White House is going to have to play a desperate game of catch-up. I really hope I'm wrong about this, but I fear no one at the White House ever really expects the worst, therefore no one at the White House has a plan for fending off the worst in order to prevail, which is the point.

I'd just add that health care reform has the huge advantage of being something many millions of people know they desperately need, and that more than 70 percent of Americans want and feel strongly that the nation must have. We all know somebody who doesn't have insurance, or lost insurance, or had medical care coverage denied by an insurer.

Anybody know someone personally injured by climate change? If so, please send that person's phone number to the White House right away.

Cross-posted at They Gave Us A Republic....