On our last national poll folks who supported Barack Obama for President in 2008 but are now undecided on how to vote for Congress this year said they supported the health care bill by a 59-17 margin.
That doesn't sound like a group of undecideds that the Democrats could lose to the Republicans, but it sure sounds like a group of undecideds that could decide to sit at home this year if they feel like their votes the last time around didn't accomplish anything.
As we've said repeatedly, the political damage to Democrats on health care has been done whether the thing actually passes or not. Republicans are going to be fired up right through the fall and the small number of Obama supporters who have gone over to the Republicans will come back when the economy gets fixed, not because health care fails. At this point what Democrats need to do is make the base feel like coming out in 2006 and 2008 made the country better, and that coming out again in 2010 is vital to continuing the progress.
I don't know. If I were a progressive reading Jane Hamsher and Glenn Greenwald right now, I'd be pretty upset that Obama apparently caved on the public option last July, and used it as a bargaining tool with big Pharma, in exchange for positive advertising.
ReplyDeletePassing this bill, after 65 progressive representatives said they would never vote for a bill with a public option, wouldn't make me excited for November either.
Would you be more likely or less likely to vote for a congress member who votes for the Democrat healthcare bill?
ReplyDeleteMore likely 34%
LESS LIKELY 50%
among independents:
more likely 32%
LESS LIKELY 51%
among Democrats:
more likely 55%
(ONLY 55%!?!)
more likely to vote AGAINST an incumbent that votes for the plan:
men 56%, women 45%
Even among women, opposition to the bill is high. Even among Democrats, support for the bill is low.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/march_2010/50_less_likely_to_vote_for_congress_member_who_supports_health_care_plan
The damage from Obamacare HAS NOT YET BEEN DONE. Democrats have not yet suffered half the damage they will face. If Democrats really are STUPID enough and ARROGANT enough to pass Obamacare (especially through a "self-executing" Slaughter rule), they will face a repeat of the fury Dan Rostenkowski felt over catastrophic healthcare "reform".
ReplyDeleteIf Democrats are ARROGANT enough to push Obamacare, it will be REPEALED within 5 years. Pelosi, Reid, and other Democrats will be BOOED by their own constituents and chased out of town like the COWARDS that they are, every bit as much as Dan Rostenkowski was humiliated for pushing catastrophic "reform".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eldZnspPluQ
If you really think the damage has already been done, you are delusional. If this bill ever gets passed, Americans will grow to hate it more and more with each passing day, until the Democrats will lead the charge to REPEAL their own monstrosity.
50% Say States Should Have Right to Opt Out of Health Care Reform Plan
ReplyDelete"Most voters believe passage of the health care plan will hurt the economy. While people are unhappy with insurance companies, 51% fear the federal government more than private insurers when it comes to health care decisions." (Rasmussen)
Republicans running on REPEALING Obamacare would win an overwhelming electoral mandate.
Repealing Obamacare is more popular than passing it in the first place.
Democrats have doomed themselves to linger in the minority for even proposing this monstrous healthScare bill.