Oh, how time it is for addressing our current moment in a bureaucracy-making process.

Twitter and blogs and cable pundits have been afire with commenting on Rep. Joe Wilson‘s lying publicly, brazenly and loudly when he shouted “You lie!” at President Obama during Wednesday night’s speech. Mainstream Republicans are understandably embarrassed by his actions.  Except for far right wingnuts, the criticism has been consistent and deserved.

So why, oh, why, has the Gang of Six–the six Senators working on the Senate Finance Committee’s version of a health insurance reform bill–why on earth, why in heaven’s name, would they do anything (as they have) to accommodate him and his wingnuts?!?

Battered Woman Syndrome.

It’s misnamed, since it doesn’t apply only to women, and in clinical circles more precise terminology predominates these days. But that’s beside the point. What is to the point is the phenomenon of people who have been repeatedly beaten, in some way or another, developing a habit of trying to stop the abusive party from being abusive by doing something to appease that person (or persons).

It’s important, for the sake of understanding the reaction of the Gang of Six in this case, and Congressional Democrats more broadly, to leave aside any considerations of how this situation is different from the domestic violence suffered by so many women and children, and yes, some men also.  What is cogent here is that the Gang of Six has adopted the same erroneous stance of trying to appease someone who was totally out of line, when they had nothing to apologize for and had not done anything wrong to begin with.

They all need therapy. Maybe Dems and progressives can provide it in a group, virtually via endless phone calls and emails, and IRT on the Senate floor.

Peace.

Deborah Alicen