I like the visual image of the pendulum to describe certain action-reaction events in life. Personally, I like to keep the pendulum close to its mid-point, avoiding the wild swings that risk breaking the apparatus.  I prefer the quest for continuous improvement over the complete overhaul, and dislike generally the outright repeal of law or overturning of precedent as a matter of principle.  It therefore concerns me when I see our political parties pulling further apart, guided by more extremist factions. I fear we are at risk of doing severe damage to our system of government.

Our recent dysfunction in Washington has focused on the nationally polarizing issue of “Obamacare.” Opinion pieces and press interviews have both sides blaming each other for a variety of sins. Many Republican barbs lately have focused on the fact that the Affordable Care Act did not receive a single Republican vote, suggesting it was therefore railroaded down the throats of Americans.  Although the voting record may be accurate, it is important to note that our political parties have made it impossible for anyone to step outside party lines. This is especially true for Republicans, with Tea Party challengers ready to pounce when there is the slightest sign of compromise.  The fact is that voting contrary to the party has become an incredibly dangerous act for anyone attempting to hold onto their seats in Congress – just look at the parade of intellectually independent leaders that have either resigned or been displaced from office recently.  The blunt truth is there would never be a bipartisan healthcare bill in 2010 or anytime soon – not a chance.  Republicans can try to claim how none of them voting for Obamacare somehow makes it a suspect law, but I’m not buying it.

It should be beyond debate that responsible regulation has a place in healthcare. Certainly some savvy Republicans had to be supportive of the general concept of reform over the past several administrations. Show me someone who thinks healthcare needed no reform and I’ll show you a fool.  I know Romneycare had some success in Massachusetts, and many of those provisions were at least loose models for the ACA.  We are even now hearing from Republican leaders that they would be willing to promote some of the key tenets of reform like a prohibition against denial of coverage based on a pre-existing condition.  And there had to be other good Republican-generated ideas on reform and a desire to develop thoughtful improvements to the national system.  Unfortunately, they waited too long, handcuffed over the last two decades by party leadership and an incredibly powerful healthcare and insurance lobby.  Healthcare reform was never going to be a Republican initiative.

I’m reminded of a movie (one of the “Babe” films – bear with me) that starts with the simple line “If only …”.  If only Republicans and Democrats in Washington had come together in the 1990s supported by business leaders and healthcare representatives to fix what everyone knew was then and still is a broken system….  If only people had stepped across party lines to create a bipartisan solution during President Clinton’s fledgling efforts or during President George W. Bush’s tenure….  If only people did not engage in delay and deferral tactics to maintain the status quo at all costs….  If only rational, thoughtful Republican and Democratic leaders had been able to sit down and create a law 20 years ago when it needed to be done…, we would not be in this mess today.

Sadly, we seem to be stuck in a political framework where wide swings of the pendulum are now the norm. Instead of staying near the midpoint with centrist minded, rational thinkers leading the way, tinkering with new or existing legislation, we get the extremes. Attitudes towards law and regulation shift to favor either a complete “laissez-faire” approach, benefiting the relevant industry capitalists, or to a near socialist regime with bureaucrats overlooking every move we make. Both of these are to the detriment of the average American.  Uncontrolled swings of the pendulum create uncertainty and hostility, and an unyielding resoluteness of position. What this country desperately needs is leadership and a return of the art of compromise – a political pendulum shifting gently left to right and back again, forsaking arrogance and recognizing the validity of at least some of your colleagues’ position.  What we are getting is polarization and, at best, stalemate. 

I cannot blame Democrats for holding firm on Obamacare.  They finally got healthcare reform passed after nearly 20 years of effort.  They arguably abused some political process to get the vote, but my goodness did the Republicans work hard over the past two decades to thwart any attempts at responsible regulation.  Again, plenty of blame to go around in Washington.

As to the impact of Obamacare, I for one am hard-pressed to believe that this law will cripple American business and send us all to the poorhouse as many have suggested in the press. In thinking about it, similar arguments were certainly raised when Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, Clean Air and Clean Water, and other landmark legislation passed. I honestly believe you could go back through our 200+ years of history and find numerous examples of legislation that detractors found “doomed to ruin forever the American way of life.” And none of them did.  American business is resilient, and I do not believe it is the mission statement of the US government to cripple American business and bankrupt all of us in the process. Regulators, lawmakers, and don’t forget the judges, have ways of interpreting and implementing these laws.  It takes time, but the impact of laws usually gets modified through regulation, future amendments, and judicial interpretation of key provisions. Repeal should almost never be an option as it sets a horrible precedent for future pendulum swings.  How can any of us know what to expect when a law or its repeal is up for grabs depending on who is in power? How could that possibly be a way to run a country?

I remain hopeful that someone in Democratic and Republican leadership can emerge to navigate a way out for both parties where they can each save face with the American people. I am now 20 years weary of the politics of polarization which has only become worse with every passing election cycle. We need leaders who don’t seek power as an opportunity to screw the other side.  That’s so un-American.  Rather, we need leaders who engage their counterparts and work with them to ensure consistency and continuous improvement – words like “repeal” and “recall” should never be rallying cries for our political parties as they have been currently.  This country has been the envy of the world in part because of our ability to have seamless transitions of power and compromise after thoughtful debate on major issues.  I fear we are quickly becoming like so many countries where the law of the land is plagued by volatility.  I fear the pendulum of politics in America is gaining speed.