"The rope-a-dope is performed by a boxer assuming a protected stance, in Mohammed Ali's classic pose, lying against the ropes, and allowing his opponent to hit him, in the hope that the opponent will become tired and make mistakes which the boxer can exploit in a counterattack.
In competitive situations other than boxing, rope-a-dope is used to describe strategies in which one party purposely puts itself in what appears to be a losing position, attempting thereby to become the eventual victor." [Wikipedia definition]
Sadly, in the case of Healthcare reforms or any reform for that matter, it s beginning to look like President Obama is the dope who got roped. During his first year in office we watched his slick advisors, lead by Rahm "the operator" Emmanuel, orchestrate all kinds of backroom deals to placate the insurance industry, the drug companies, the bank lobby, Joe Lieberman, the Republican Party yadda yadda yadda. The final result? Not a single yes vote from the Republicans. Q:What is the point of bipartisanship? A: Who knows. Seen any reform bills get signed into law lately?
Now the playing field has changed dramatically. The Dems have squandered their filibuster breaking 60th vote (you know, the one that Al Franken fought tooth and nail to deliver) and the Supreme Court has reopened the lobbyist floodgates. 2009 has gone down as a window of lost opportunity for Obama's mandate of "change'.
Sadly, 2010 is going to be a Thrilla in Reformvilla. With midterm elections in November don't bet on any Democrat knockout punches in the reform arena. They will try to communicate their hollow message of change over a cacophony of uncontrollable populism and a flood of corporate/Republican industrial complex propaganda.
It looks like the Republicans have roped their dope.
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