House Democrats are already beginning to bear the fallout from President Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) reckless crusade to force a massive government takeover of health care through Congress without the support of the American people. As House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) stated yesterday on NBC’s Meet the Press, “Never in the history of our country have we made such a big, momentous decision on a purely party line vote.” Now we know why. Instead of taking a victory lap, Democrats are already going into “damage control” mode for all their arm-twisting, sweetheart deals, and go-it-alone governing, and it’s already being compared to the trillion-dollar ‘stimulus.’ House Democrats who supported this job-killing bill must now ask themselves whether it was worth it to side with party leaders and liberal special interest groups at the expense of their taxpaying constituents. This is not what the American people wanted out of health care reform, and they will continue to say so loudly and clearly. That’s why Republicans will fight to repeal this massive government takeover of health care and start over with solutions that focus first on lowering costs.
COMPARISONS TO TRILLION-DOLLAR ‘STIMULUS’ INSTEAD OF SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE
“No major entitlement program has become law in such partisan fashion. In 1935, more than half of the minority Republicans in Congress joined Democrats to create Social Security. And in 1965, nearly half of minority Republicans joined Democrats to launch Medicare. Both parties had skin in each game.” (Chicago Tribune editorial, 3/22/10)
Dem Pollster: “They’ve Totally Divided The Country.” “By moving the package with Democratic votes alone, ‘they’ve totally divided the country,’ and it will be difficult for Obama to calm voters before November, said Doug Schoen, a Democratic pollster who worked for former President Clinton.” (The Boston Globe, 3/22/10)
“… But it's hard to benefit politically just because things don't turn out as bad voters feared. Consider last year's economic stimulus package… Obama and Democrats have received little credit for their rescue effort…” (Los Angeles Times, 3/22/10)
“Obama’s Powers of Persuasion … Have Been Ineffective.” “Health care legislation as the public understands it is unpopular. Voters do not view Obama's handling of the health care issue favorably. His overall disapproval rating is higher than his approval rating for the first time in his presidency. It will be difficult to change this dynamic before November, especially since Obama's powers of persuasion over the last year have been ineffective in changing public opinion on several issues.” (Slate, 3/21/10)
“VOTERS ARE FURIOUS,” REGISTER RECORD DISAPPROVAL WITH CONGRESS
“Voters Are Furious … A Year of Bitter Haggling and Legislative Maneuvering.” “The initial blush of President Barack Obama's health care triumph immediately gives way to a sober political reality… Voters are furious. They hate Washington. They also detest incumbents. They're concerned most about the economy. And unemployment that's hovering near 10 percent. They're also split over whether Obama's health plan is good for a nation with enormous budget deficits and climbing debt.…Democrats face a public fed up with Washington and disappointed by a president elected to change it. A year of bitter haggling and legislative maneuvering may feed into the argument — successfully stoked by Republicans — that Democrats have failed to fix Washington. That's the reason some Democrats now worry about losing control of Congress.” (Associated Press, 3/22/10)
Record Disapproval of Congress, More Americans Think Reform Will Hurt Than Help. “The confusion over reform - and the long-running health care debate - has not endeared Congress to the American public. The legislature’s overall approval rating was near an all-time low. Just 14% of Americans said they approve of the way Congress is handling its job, while 76 percent - the highest figure ever - said they disapprove. Approval of Congress has dropped 16 points during the past year. As has been the case throughout the health care debate, more Americans think the reform bill will hurt them (35 percent) than say it will help them personally (20 percent).” (CBS News, 3/22/10)
Case Closed: Majority of Americans Oppose The Bill, Say It’s Too Much Government, And Will Increase Costs and Deficits. “A majority of Americans have a dim view of the sweeping health care bill passed by the House, saying it gives Washington too much clout and won't do much to reduce their own health care costs or federal deficits, according to a new poll released Monday. A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll found that 59 percent of those surveyed opposed the bill, and 39 percent favored it. … In addition, 56 percent said the bill gives the government too much involvement in health care; 28 percent said it gives the government the proper role and 16 percent said it leaves Washington with an inadequate role. On the question of costs, 62 percent said the bill increases the amount of money they personally spend on health care; 21 percent said their costs would remain the same and 16 percent said they would decrease. The poll's results about the bill's fiscal impact were particularly stark: 70 percent of respondents said they believed deficits would go up because of the bill; 17 percent felt they would stay the same and 12 percent said they would go down.” (CNN, 3/22/10)
DEMS GO INTO “DAMAGE CONTROL,” BUT IS IT TOO LATE?
“The Cruel Reality.” “The cruel reality: What's good for a president isn't necessarily what's good for his party. And things not turning out as badly as people feared has rarely worked as a comprehensive political strategy.” (ABC’s The Note, 3/22/10)
“Lengthy and Rancorous Debate Has Inflicted Considerable Damage” on Democrats. “The lengthy and rancorous debate has inflicted considerable damage on the president and his party. It helped spark the grass-roots ‘tea party’ movement and generated angry town hall meetings last summer that led to some opponents painting Obama as a socialist and a communist for advocating a greater government role in the health-care industry. … But there is a major difference between this health-care battle and the debates that preceded passage of Social Security and Medicare. Although there was opposition to those measures -- conservative opponents called Medicare socialized medicine -- in the end they passed with overwhelming, bipartisan majorities.” (The Washington Post, 3/21/10)
“Damage Control.” “After healthcare vote, Democrats turn to damage control. … The party now must live or die with its landmark legislation in hundreds of congressional districts across the country… ‘Given that Democrats have basically lost the healthcare messaging fight for the last year, I'm not sure why we should think they will begin to win over the next seven months,’ said Charlie Cook, one of Washington's leading election handicappers.” (Los Angeles Times, 3/22/10)
HOUSE DEMS ALREADY COPING WITH MISGUIDED VOTE FOR UNAFFORDABLE, JOB-KILLING BILL
House Democrat: “I Feel Like I Am Walking The Plank.” “Obama May Pay Price By Pushing ‘Political Chips’ on Health Care. Still, Obama’s victory leaves him depleted. ‘There has been a large ‘opportunity cost’ that the president and the Democratic Party have paid for going down this road,’ said William Galston, a onetime domestic policy adviser to President Bill Clinton. Obama is unlikely to find either Democratic or Republican willingness to work on issues of mutual concern. … Said Representative Baron Hill, an Indiana Democrat, ‘I feel like I am walking the plank.’” (Bloomberg, 3/22/10)
“Casting Votes … For Their Own Political Extinction.” “But House Democrats, who have endured months of draining debate and attacks from tea party activists … more relieved than overjoyed — and many may have been casting votes, on a warm spring night, for their own political extinction. … But even Sunday’s stunning comeback victory couldn’t paper over the reality that congressional Democrats, who face a potentially devastating backlash in the midterms, won’t enjoy the benefits…” (Politico, 3/21/10)
RENEWED SCRUTINY OF UNCONSTITUTIONAL MANDATES, SWEETHEART DEALS, AND BROKEN PROMISES
“Pelosi Will Have To Answer For … Legislative Shortcuts.” “Yet going forward, Pelosi will have to answer herself for some of the legislative shortcuts taken in her fierce ‘damn the torpedoes’ march toward final passage.” (Politico, 3/22/10)
Where Are The Lower Premiums? “Legal and Political Fights Loom for Democrats. … Attorneys general in three states — Virginia, Florida and South Carolina — have indicated they will file legal challenges to the measure, on the grounds that it violates the Constitution by requiring individuals to purchase insurance. … Republicans also expect to take advantage of the fact that while the health bill may ultimately help contain rising premiums, it is unlikely to actually bring the cost of health insurance down, and certainly not in the short term.” (The New York Times, 3/22/10)
“A Protracted And Messy Fight in the Courts.” “Attorneys general in 12 states poised to challenge healthcare bill. Attorneys general from at least 12 states say they will challenge the constitutionality of the healthcare reform bill passed by the House of Representatives Sunday night. … The threatened action suggests the controversial measure is about to move from the legislative realm into what could become a protracted and messy fight in the courts. The attorneys general say they will sue once President Obama signs the bill into law.” (The Christian Science Monitor, 3/22/10)
