Dakota Beacon

Random bits and pieces from the passing scene make an eye-catching collage.

Health care legislation in its various forms considered by the senate contains various provisions Senator Conrad vows not to support. He states he will not support any measure that contains government funded abortions. He also states he will not support a “government option” health care provision.

Yet, he voted to begin debate on the senate health care bill which passed on Saturday night, November 21, with a vote of 60-39. He could have voted against sending the bill to the senate floor for debate. Instead, he voted with the majority. That means he believes that abortion and a “government option” are debatable with a good chance they will be adopted in a final senate version of the bill. Does anyone really believe he will vote against a final version of a health care bill that contains these provisions?

Speaking of health care, Senator Dorgan informed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that he intends to submit an amendment to the senate health care bill for his favorite topic -- drug re-importation. No matter that the amendment would undo the fragile alliance Obama forged with pharmaceutical companies that supported the president’s health care proposals.

The problem with drug re-importation requirements is that pharmaceutical companies selling drugs to countries with price controls, such as Canada, must recoup their losses by increasing prices on drugs and devices sold in the United States. Ergo, U.S. citizens, in effect, subsidize Canadian drugs and drug policies. Pharmaceutical companies can’t sell to U.S. citizens at Canadian prices and remain in business, much less pioneer new drugs and devices.

It doesn’t take an economist to figure out why unemployment keeps rising. As long a government insists on increasing the cost of doing business, businesses will do whatever it takes to remain solvent. That includes reducing the largest business expense of all -- personnel.

Question: What is the easiest way to win an election? Answer: Run in a vacuum. To date, Earl Pomeroy voted for a wildly unpopular health care bill after holding zero town hall meetings at home. He voted for cap and trade legislation which punishes agriculture as well as the coal and oil industries in North Dakota. Finally, he voted for the estate tax which will soundly penalize the agriculture industry. Who is holding him accountable? It certainly is not the Republican Party.

The consummate political putdown is to accuse a neighbor across the aisle of shunning bipartisanship. However, congressional cries for bipartisanship withered following a clear Democrat majority in both houses of congress. With one party in control of congress, who needs bipartisanship?

Bipartisanship may be a conundrum when used in referring to an insoluble problem. Or, bipartisanship, when used as “bipartisan cooperation“ becomes an oxymoron.

Conversely, partisanship is what people vote for and expect. The electorate votes for senators and representatives who will abide their wishes passionately. The people who put officials in office expect them to fulfill certain promises without compromise. They expect principled effort, not wishy-washy moderation.

In any case, Democrats don’t need bipartisanship. They need unity and, to date, don‘t have it.

Americans have advanced to the point where no one is responsible for the consequences of their own actions but everyone is responsible for the consequences of everyone else’s actions. Accountability becomes an American shibboleth. Is this a great country, or what?

Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at P. O. Box 337, Stanley, ND 58784 or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).