PowerLine:
During this year’s political campaign, Republicans accused the Democrats of having no ideas other than opposition to whatever President Bush is for. To counter that perception, Nancy Pelosi announced a legislative program the centerpieces of which were raising the minimium wage (how that’s for an original idea?) and freeing the government to negotiate lower drug prices in connection with Medicare’s new prescription-drug benefit. To say that this agenda was no “Contract with America” would be to understate its banality. Implementing these agenda items and the one or two others that went with it would take perhaps two weeks. But that was one of its virtues, since the Dems would then be free to move on to the happy business of issuing subpoenas and hauling administration officials to Capitol Hill for grilling.
But it turns out that the Democrats face what the Washington Post calls a “challenge” when it comes to reforming President Bush’s prescription drug benefit plan — the plan is too successful as it is.
Much as I dislike the idea of government being involved with this process, it does show clearly that the biggest objection they had to President Bush on this as with all other things…. was not the ideas and policies in play, but simply that the man is not a Democrat. As Powerline suggests:
I was no fan of the prescription drug benefit, and I have no idea whether it’s the smashing success the Post depicts. But I find it interesting that the Post waited until after the election to extol the virtues of a program the criticism of which was an important element in the Dems campaign.
Interesting? Damning, more like.