Healthcare hostility

The August recess was supposed to be a time for the Obama administration and Congressional Democrats to solidify support for their version of healthcare reform. Two things went wrong.

First, the Democrats have yet to agree on a plan. So Obama is still promoting generalities and the Congressional Democrats are still attacking each others' plans. Democratic senators and representatives have watched agast as their townhall meetings turned into mosh pits, with arrests and bloodshed.

The Democrats have resorted to attacking the Republicans for "packing" the townhall meetings. Wait a minute. Where are the supports of reform? Where are Obama's legions of activists? They were everywhere during the campaign, jamming into every rally and disrupting whatever they could. The Obama campaign issued written instructions that told how to keep out anyone who did not support Obama.

Where are they now? Some are showing up for the townhall meetings. The problem for Obama and the Democrats: They are generally showing up to oppose healthcare reform.

Lesson for Rahm Emanuel: You are losing the middle and some Democrats, too. Unless changes are made, and quickly, this charge of the Obama brigade may lead into the valley of defeat.