Uh oh. Here we go again.  Another senatorial Gang of Six. The last one, like the current one included three Republicans and three Democrats, the previous edition charged with charting a “compromise” course on health reform.  As we know now, for Democrats it was an effort to find common ground, for Republicans the goal was to bog down the march to health reform with phony “negotiations” while the Republican media machine and health insurers propagandized America to within an inch of its life spreading humongous whoppers.

Anytime Republicans and Democrats form a little club ostensibly in search of compromise Democrats are going to come away wondering what happened to their watches and wallets, while progressives are left to slap their heads at the sight once again of the political version of prison sex.

The new Gang of Six is said to be looking for a “middle-ground” on a long-term plan to address the debt. In effect it means Republicans come down from the mount with the Ryan Commandments (as in Paul), stake out territory to the right of Cro-Magnon Man and wait until Democrats, in the spirit of Hari-Kari bipartisanship meet them halfway to cut an unmistakably rightist deal. Jesus, I wish I had congressional Democrats for poker buddies. And your money is good in any game of mine too President Obama.

The last go-around on health reform the best the Republicans could do was dilute a progressive initiative down to a watery improvement on the status quo that was better than nothing. This time, Republicans are on the offensive (I still don’t understand how exactly since they control only one half of one branch of government, but alas, they are) with a plan so draconian it will leave the American government and the American way of life unrecognizable.

But have no fear, Obama and congressional Democrats and the Gang of Six are here to save the day. In other words, be afraid, be very afraid.