Bad bills - Tilting at Windmills

Washington Monthly, Jan-Feb, 2004 by Charles Peters

My friend the columnist Matthew Miller condemns the Democrats who voted against the prescription drug bill but opposed the filibuster which could have defeated it--Joe Biden, Jon Corzine, Tom Daschle, Mark Dayton, Tim Johnson, Herb Kohl, Barbara Mikulski, Patty Murray, Bill Nelson, Mark Pryor, and Harry Reid. Such votes do seem inconsistent, but there are some very good guys in that group and I have some sympathy for their position. It was a bad bill. But refusing to let it become law would have kept the Congress from declaring that prescription drugs should be part of Medicare. That is, in itself, an historic step.

As a former legislator, I understand the desirability of getting laws that take such steps on the books. You can then fight to fix their imperfections. As a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, I co-sponsored with Sen. Paul Kaufman a bill establishing the state's Human Rights Commission. As the bill passed, the commission was toothless. But it did assume for the state a responsibility for the human rights of its citizens. That crucial first step was taken. Later, I understand that teeth were added and that the commission did considerable good.

The prescription drug bill may yet turn out like the human rights bill--if the Democrats campaign to correct what is wrong with it. They have a powerful case that, in my opinion, will win them lots of votes. The same principle applies to what I think should be the other main concerns of the campaign--education and terrorism. Just as on prescription drugs, the Republicans have taken actions that sound good but really aren't. The Democrats can make hay by clearly pointing out what's wrong with the GOP policies and saying what they would do instead.