Small Ball

The World Series opens tomorrow.  Basic strategies seem clear.  The Yanks and Phills are not small ball teams.  Seeking a single here, some steals, sacrifices and a methodical run or two isn’t their style.  While good enough to carry out any game plan, the National and American League champs are big inning teams.  Get leadoff hitters on base so the long ball sluggers that follow can bring them home.  We can only dream about players like these in Washington D.C..

In the midst of the worst health care crisis facing any modern, industrialized nation our elected representatives struggle months on end to implement any solution.  Senate Leader Harry Reid’s rejection of those pronouncing the public option dead is welcome.  But can you even call it small ball?

Reid’s public option offers the choice of a government run insurance program to maybe ten percent of the American people.  They could actually make that choice in about seven years.  And that’s if they don’t live in a state that chooses to opt out of the plan.

Almost one year ago the American electorate embraced a historically radical shift in public policy.  George Bush to Barack Obama is a 180-degree turn.  We now watch electeds who hang back at perhaps the 30-degree turn mark.

America needs a big inning.  Americans chose the big inning team last November.  It struggles to cross a minefield of ignorance, stupidity and crass power seeking.  The scene slaps the face of millions struggling for health and life.

We’ll of course take any progress on health care.  But as Peggy Lee sang a generation ago:  Is that all there is?