The Passion Gap

Senator Kennedy's passing, and the resultant outpouring of emotion -- including the venom from online commenters who accuse Kennedy of everything up to and including the faking of the moon landing -- is a reminder of the role of passion in American politics.
Something about the Kennedys always got people fired up. Teddy was a political rock star when Obama was still a little boy. Charisma alone wasn't enough to put Teddy in the White House, but it helped him become a master legislator.

You need passionate support to effect powerful change. Obama had passion on his side in overcoming the odds and winning the presidency. But there's no public passion -- or not nearly enough, as far as I can see -- behind Obama's push for sweeping health-care reform. That's why so many pundit types are sounding the death knell for the incorrectly named Obamacare (there's no such thing as Obamacare -- he just laid out some broad principles, got stakeholders to come to the table, and asked Congress to come up with a plan).

There is speculation today that, to honor Kennedy, the Democrats will find a way to gain the upper hand again in the debate. But the converse seems more likely. Kennedy was one of the last people on the Hill who could bring partisans together on a bill that could actually reach the president's desk.If the elected leaders can't or won't make it happen on their own, it'll be up to the American people to insist on a health-care bill. But it's hard to see that happening. Obama faces a Passion Gap.
The people who don't want Obama's reform don't want it more than the people who want it want it.