Strategic Advice

Steve Benen had a nice post today pointing out the inanity of the idea that Republicans are somehow offering Democrats sincere advice on how to proceed on health care.  What's most frustrating to me is that the mainstream press keeps on quoting this drivel as if it were actually some sort of non-partisan, sincere, strategic advice.  Guess what, if Republicans keep on telling Democrats it would be a horrible thing for them to pass health care reform, it would most likely be a good thing for them.  Republicans now that passing this is good for Democrats, of course, but I think they believe that if they say it enough, maybe they can get the media to convince Democrats that this is actually the case. 

…it seems McConnell is awfully anxious to give Democrats campaign advice, which he expects Dems to take seriously.

"Every election this fall will be a referendum on this bill," McConnell said Sunday on ABC's "This Week."

McConnell also said he sees no potential upside for the
Democrats, at least in the short term. "The benefits don't kick in for
four years," the Senate leader said. "Just looking at the politics of
it there's nothing but pain here for the next four years. Why in the
world would they conclude that would be popular?"…

In fact, I continue to think McConnell is protesting too much. If he
and his GOP colleagues were truly convinced that health care reform
would be the Democrats' death knell, they probably wouldn't be fighting
quite this hard to kill the bill.

It's more likely McConnell & Co. are feeling a little nervous.
After 100 years of talking about health care reform, Democrats may
actually deliver. After seven presidents tried to get this done,
President Obama may be the one to cross the finish line. For all the
GOP bravado, some Republicans might actually realize that the reform
bill, if given a fair hearing, is likely to be pretty popular with the
public.

If Dems take electoral guidance from McConnell, they'd be making a colossal mistake.

Yep.  The voting public is none too bright, but they're not particularly known for rewarding failure.