DEMS DEFECTING ON HEALTH CARE - AT 7:37 A.M. ET:  The president will speak on health care Wednesday night in his 23,352nd address to the nation.  But already his own ship is leaking, as The Hill reports today:

At least 23 House Democrats already have told constituents or hometown media that they oppose the massive healthcare overhaul touted by President Barack Obama.

If Republicans offer the blanket opposition they’ve promised, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) can afford to lose only 38 members of her 256-member caucus and still pass the bill.

Most Democrats opposed to healthcare reform argue it costs too much, imposes a new tax and fines businesses that don’t provide insurance to employees. Some fear that the bill would subsidize abortion.

But wait.  There are other possible Dem defections, for entirely different reasons:

At least 60 liberal Democrats have pledged to vote against a healthcare bill with no public option, which they view as watered-down reform.

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) has said dropping the public option completely would lose 100 Democratic votes.

COMMENT:  Do you get the sense that the Democratic Party is dysfunctional and requires attention?  It's Congress, so the attention required will be fully covered by a gold-plated health plan.

The president has failed to lead, on this and on a host of other subjects.  He has turned out to be, not the "yes we can" president, but the "well, maybe" president.  Given some of his views, we should probably be relieved. 

We await the president's speech to a joint session of Congress Wednesday night.  The effect will probably last about ten minutes.  That's what overexposure does.

September 8, 2009