The Real Meaning of NY-26

The lead article in today’s New York Times, “Democrats Force a Medicare Vote, Pressuring G.O.P.,” illustrates the real sentiment from everyday Americans against privatizing Medicare or making it into a voucher program.

Republicans, in a textbook example of overreach, thought somehow that their mandate in the mid-term elections, when they ran on jobs, extended to their entire anti-government philosophy. I was frankly surprised at the speed with which they adopted the Ryan budget plan because they did not need to go that far with national elections on the horizon.

The extent of the unhappiness with the Ryan plan surfaced at town hall meetings around the country when the Republicans, for a change, were confronted by angry voters. The special election in NY Congressional District 26 represented the first test case of this sentiment. This district was so Republican that it was one of only four in New York State to vote for Palladino for Governor. And one of the few to go for McCain in the last Presidential election.

If Republicans were wise, they would see a warning in the Democrats’ win and make modifications for their future elections. But based on yesterday’s test vote in the Senate, when the Democrats offered up the Ryan plan for Republicans to vote for like sheep going to the slaughter, they seemed to double down instead. Only four Republican senators voted against it.