How Obamacare Accomplishes The Unthinkable

How does this article fit into “optimism” week here at Dispatches? As I keep saying, all the issues are the same. The more the public knows and understands about the consequences of liberal Democratic Party policies — like excessive debt, a failed school system, unsustainable entitlement programs and social decay, the more they realize we can’t keep going in this direction. But they’re not going to grasp the full extent of the problems — nor will they be able to choose the right solutions — if Republicans and conservatives don’t get into the information war.

Here’s Ben Domenech from TheFederalist.com:

President Obama’s signature domestic policy may have accomplished something previously unthinkable: taking an issue where one party had a dominant hold on public opinion, and reversing it in favor of the opposing party.

If the latest poll numbers and enrollment figures are to be believed, we could be witnessing a political achievement unequaled in modern political history: the complete demolition of one party’s long-term dominance on an issue area – the Democrats’ ownership of the health care issue – in the space of a few months. Quinnipiac finds that young people trust Republicans in Congress more on health policy than the president; that a plurality of Hispanics, long the most pro-Obamacare faction, are now opposed to the law; and that overwhelming majorities (70+ percent) of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents are in favor of delaying the law. And that’s not all:

Only 19 percent of American voters say the quality of care they and their families receive will improve in the next year because of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), while 43 percent say it will get worse and 33 percent say ACA won’t affect their health care. Voters oppose the ACA 55 – 39 percent, with men opposed 59 – 37 percent and women opposed 51 – 41 percent. American voters are divided 46 – 47 percent on whether Obama “knowingly deceived” the public when he said people could keep their existing health insurance plans if they wished. Voters also support 73 – 20 percent extending the March 31, 2014 deadline for signing up for coverage without facing a penalty.

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