SOME SANITY ON HEALTH CARE - AT 5:51 P.M. ET:  Some of the sanest members of Congress, like Joe Lieberman, are suggesting that we approach health-care "reform" incrementally, rather than trying the "great revolution" idea.  This approach might upset Che or Lenin, but it makes sense for America.  From The Politico:

Sen. Lieberman said "in a word, yes" when asked if it's time to shift to an incremental approach to health care reform, and called the Senate Finance Committee's effort to work out a bipartisan bill "the great hope now."

“Morally every one of us would like to cover every American with health insurance, but that’s where you spend most of the trillion-plus dollars, said the Independent from Connecticut, who caucuses with the Democrats. "I'm afraid we’ve got to think about putting a lot of that off until the economy’s out of recession.”

“I think it’s a real mistake to try to jam through the total health insurance reform--health care reform plan that the public is either opposed to or of very passionate mixed minds about. It’s just not good for the system—frankly, it won’t be good for the Obama presidency….There are other fights to fight,” Lieberman said on "State of the Union," listing climate change, regulatory reform, and the war in Afghanistan.

“Great changes in our country often have come in steps….let’s focus now on how to reduce costs,” Lieberman said, adding that the six members of the Finance Committee – three Democrats and three Republicans – "agree on about three-quarters of what needs to get done."

COMMENT:  Lieberman's approach requires leadership, which is precisely what we're not getting from the White House.  The blame for this mess must be placed squarely on the shoulders of Barack Obama.  He has no real ideas, can't even describe the plan he wants, and has left the fate of reform in the hands of the reckless House Democrats.  Americans are starting to understand that the man they elected last November is unprepared for the presidency, and is anything but the moderate who was sold to us.

August 23, 2009