Ted Williams advises Dems on HCR

Word comes that Jim Bunning has a message for House Democrats: beware passing the Senate health care bill, because the reconcliation "sidecar" could fail, in which case the unaltered Senate bill will become law. That means voting for the unweakened excise tax, relatively stingy subsidies for middle class families, etc.

House Democrats will doubtless be touched that Jim Bunning has their best interests at heart.  Presumably, too, they won't note that the odds of that Senate bill will pass the House and that no reconciliation bill will also pass both chambers are approximately equal to the odds that all 41 Republicans will vote in favor of the reconciliation bill.

If House Democrats need a psyche-up (and they do, they do!), they should take one from the late great Ted Williams, who knew how to deal with Bunning.  I'm surely not the only observer who recalls this scene from Jim Bouton's baseball memoir Ball Four every time Bunning comes snarling into the national news:

Ted Williams, when he was still playing, would psyche himself up for a game during batting practice, usually early practice before the fans or reporters got there.

He'd go into the cage, wave his bat at the pitcher and start screaming at the top of his voice, "My name is Ted fucking Williams and I'm the greatest hitter in baseball."

He'd swing and hit a line drive.
"Jesus H Christ Himself couldn't get me out."

And he'd hit another.

Then he'd say, "Here comes Jim Bunning. Jim fucking Bunning and that little shit slider of his."

Wham!

"He doesn't really think he's gonna get me out with that shit."


Blam!

"I'm Ted fucking Williams.",

Pow!

Nancy Pelosi, you're on deck...