Congratulations, Democrats. You’ve got a lot to be proud of. Significant health care reform has finally become a reality for the United States after a year of contentious debate. But moreover, the political tides have clearly shifted in your favor.
While we have won this battle, we have not won the war, that war being the rest of President Obama’s ambitious agenda.
Many may be tempted to say, let’s take it easy. We can back off major legislation, and press on in 2011 with the 112th United States Congress.
For God’s sake don’t do that.
This year presents enormous opportunity for passing more than just health care reform, all the while improving our chances of winning in November. You just have to play the cards right, and at the right time.
Dear President Obama, Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Reid:
As the key figures setting the legislative agenda, the cards are in your collective hands. Combatting the 24/7, conflict-addicted, Tea Party-obsessed news cycle will not be easy, but by timing your messages right, I’m pretty confident you can get not just one more reform done this year, but three.
First, tackle education reform. Everyone knows education is a politically safe topic. Few are opposed to it, and most on both sides of the aisle recognize the abysmal failure that was No Child Left Behind. In addition, few politicians are willing to raise the same kind of ruckus for education as they did for health care. It’s for the kids, after all.
If you pass a bill by the middle of May, you can even tie your message to the end of the school year. Imagine the headlines: “American students celebrate summer; America celebrates a new era of high-quality education.”
Secondly, duke it out for the climate bill. One version has already passed the House, and there is bipartisan support in the Senate. It will still be a tough fight, but the climate — the weather, not the political climate — will work in your favor.
Remember the ignorant skepticism of global warming because of the unusual snowfall in Washington this past winter? That same mentality applies in reverse, too. As the temperatures increase so will belief in global warming.
As more Americans travel and the economy improves, gas prices will rise, sparking more demand for energy reform and investments to reduce our dependence on oil. Nobody likes paying $4 a gallon for gas.
On top of that, hurricane season kicks off on June 1, and with it, the approaching five-year anniversary of the devastating Hurricane Katrina. Scientific evidence shows a correlation between global warming and hurricane activity, and fear of another Katrina will be just one more factor adding to popular support of a bill to combat climate change.
Finally, wrap up the year with immigration reform. Activists are already demanding it — although their rally on March 21 was largely drowned out by the health care debate.
As holidays approach, Americans will be more sympathetic to immigrant families being torn apart due to unfair immigration policy. In addition, the myriad of holidays celebrated serves to underscore the diversity in America, providing an excellent backdrop for the immigration debate.
The media won’t mind either. Passing a bill by Christmas would mean more heartwarming tales of immigrant families together for the holidays. Let them have that story.
Alex Priest is a junior in the School of Communication and Kogod School of Business and a liberal columnist for The Eagle. You can reach him at edpage@theeagleonline.com.
