As one of the backroom deals required to pass ObamaCare through the Senate, Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) earmarked special funding for Libby, Montana to deal with an asbestos problem. At a town hall meeting featuring HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, residents weighed in with strong objections to the new law, even though they were the recipients of special treatment. “And while some Libby residents thanked Sebelius and Baucus for the health care reform law that passed last year and extended Medicare coverage to those sickened by asbestos, others questioned whether the changes to America’s health care system were Constitutional. “
The Florida chapter of the American Medical Association expressed “no
confidence” in the national organization for their endorsement of and
campaigning on behalf of ObamaCare.
ObamaCare supporters are abandoning their campaign to tout the law, instead advising lawmakers running for reelection to promise to “improve it.” Their polling shows that Americans have not been persuaded by advocates’ claims that the law will lower costs or reduce deficits.
The outside groups that championed ObamaCare and continue to campaign on its behalf are admitting defeat behind closed doors when it comes to claims that the law will lower costs. “The presentation also concedes that the fiscal and economic arguments that were the White House’s first and most aggressive sales pitch have essentially failed.”
A top Democratic pollster outlines the incredible drag ObamaCare is for his party. “Despite lofty predictions that a broad-based Democratic constituency would be activated by the health care reform bill, recent polling shows that the bill has been a disaster for the party — with near 60 percent of voters saying that they oppose the measure.”
Democrats are trying to convince senior citizens, a key voting demographic in the upcoming mid-term election, that ObamaCare is good for them. Seniors aren’t being persuaded, and still strongly oppose the bill. A significant reason is because of the huge cuts in traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage. “But political observers, even those who have served in Democratic administrations, are skeptical as to whether those benefits can offset seniors’ concerns about reduced government payments to Medicare Advantage.”
“To turn a phrase, there ought not to be a law; Obamacare should be booted from the U.S. Code and onto the ash heap of history. Think it can’t be done? Guess again — Congress has reversed course on health care reform before.”
With ObamaCare unlikely to be repealed until 2013 at the earliest, the promising tactic to defeat it is through defunding implementation. “Should Republicans regain control of Congress, they could theoretically use their new power of the purse to deny Obama the funding needed to administer his signature accomplishment. This prospect is already gaining steam among opponents of the law. The new group DeFundit.org has gotten more than 90 candidates and current members of Congress to sign a pledge supporting stripping ObamaCare of money.”
“The American people can kill this monster in its crib. Handing Republicans the keys to Congress on November 2 could smother this $2.5 trillion extravagance in its infancy. While a GOP repeal vote surely would earn a presidential veto, a Republican Congress could defund this law’s implementation. Instead, Republicans should administer a pro-market antidote to ObamaCare’s poison: health-insurance vouchers, Medical malpractice reform; universal, tax-free Health Savings Accounts; and individual, portable medical plans — all available across state lines.”
59% of likely voters told Rasmussen that they wanted to repeal ObamaCare. Only 38% told the pollster they wanted to keep it in place. This is the largest number the pollster has found to date.