The real political news this month isnt Republicans vs. Democrats and certainly not insurance companies vs. Democrats. The news is how the political left and its lobbies are roughing up fellow Democrats who wont get with President Obamas government-run program. Theyre treating the centrists who helped make them a majority as if they were Newt Gingrich without the social conscience.
Over the August Congressional recess warned Nancy Pelosi last week Republicans and insurance companies will resort to carpet bombing slash and burn shock and awe" to bring down ObamaCare. If anything the health-care 
business lobbies are helping Democrats by keeping quiet and hoping their silence buys their survival as heavily regulated utilities.
Which makes us wonder how the House Speaker would describe what Democrats are doing to each other.
On Friday Democracy for America and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee put out a rapid-response ad" against Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson who is lukewarm about a government-run insurance scheme the so-called public option.
Will Sen. Nelson choose the insurance interests who fund his campaigns to the tune of over $2 million dollars?" the ad declares. Democracy for America calls the ad a warning shot to any Senator who tries to block President Obamas public health insurance option."
Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus is another target because hes negotiating with Republicans. The same progressive" outfits recently ran an ad attacking Mr. Baucus for threatening" the public option and taking" $3.9 million from health and insurance interests." The Montana Democrat was also rapped for trying to scale back the cost to under $900 billion. In case Mr. Baucus didnt get the hint fellow Senator Tom Harkin publicly noted last week that Democrats hold a secret ballot for committee chairmen every two years. Better hire a food taster Max. Over in the House the Blue Dogs have received similar treatment since they raised doubts last months about the 5.4 surtax among other problems in the
House bill. The DNC immediately targeted the districts of 12 Democratic Members of Henry Waxmans Energy and Commerce Committee with a Its time for reform" television ad.
MoveOn.org also called out its troops to pressure Blue Dog Democrats not to miss a once-in-a-generation chance to pass real health care reform." The pressure seems to have worked because enough Blue Dogs fell in line to pass the bill with only token changes through committee last week.
Heres a typical email letter weve been receiving lately by the thousands targeting Democrats from the left this one aimed at five-term Democrat Jim Matheson of Utah:
Subject: Who Does Jim Matheson Work ForBlue Cross or the Voters?"
The text says:
Jim Matheson claims that hes taking on the insurance industry by asking for triggers before a public option would begin. But triggers are just what the insurance industry lobby wants. They dont want anyone eating their profits . . . and Jim Matheson is helping them protect their profits. Jim Mathesons district has a 12.6 uninsured rate one of the highest in the country. Why would he want people in his district to suffer so Blue Cross can make more money? "
The letter is signed by a KEVIN SNOW who is clearly part of some left-wing blast attack group. Mr. Matheson voted against the Waxman bill last week. Even the Democratic National Committee is trashing Democrats presumably with a green light from Mr. Obama and Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. Mr. Obamas political arm Organizing for America which is officially a wing of the DNC is running ads to press Democratic Senators in Arkansas Indiana Florida Louisiana North Dakota Nebraska and Ohio. The outfit has also staged demonstrations outside Senator Bill Nelsons Florida offices. The campaign is heavy-handed enough that even Majority Leader Harry Reid denounced it as a waste of money." This intraparty smackdown is all the more remarkable because by winning in swing or GOP-heavy districts and states these Members have given Democrats their governing majorities. If theres a voter backlash in 2010 these Members will also be the first to be washed out to sea.
Yet its becoming clearer by the day that Democratic leaders view these moderates as mere cannon-fodder footsoldiers in the great liberal revolution of 2009.
And if you have to shoot a couple of them yourself to keep them all marching straight so be it.
