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Karl Rove: Obama and the Perfect Political Storm-Hard to sell change voters don't think they need
The Wall Street Journal ^ | September 2, 2009 | Karl Rove

Posted on 09/02/2009 9:49:45 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

August was the worst month of Barack Obama's presidency. And he seems to know it—he is now planning to deliver a speech to a joint session of Congress 232 days into his administration in a desperate attempt to save his biggest domestic priority, overhauling health care.

He has already had the budget-busting $787 billion stimulus package, a budget that doubles the national debt in five years, an earmark-laden appropriations bill that boosted domestic spending nearly 8%, and a cap-and-trade energy tax that limped through the House with dozens of Democratic defections (and which has stalled in the Senate). These achievements are unpopular, so they are boomeranging on him.

Mr. Obama's problems are legion. To start with, the president is focusing on health care when the economy and jobs are nearly everyone's top issue. Voters increasingly believe Mr. Obama took his eye off the ball.

In addition, Mr. Obama is trying to overhaul health care without being able to tap into widespread public unhappiness. Nearly nine out of 10 Americans say they have coverage—and large majorities of them are happy with it. Of the 46 million uninsured, 9.7 million are not U.S. citizens; 17.6 million have annual incomes of more than $50,000; and 14 million already qualify for Medicaid or other programs. That leaves less than five million people truly uncovered out of a population of 307 million. Americans don't believe this problem—serious but correctable—justifies the radical shift Mr. Obama offers.

Moreover, he's tried to sell it with promises Americans aren't buying. He says ObamaCare will save money, but American believe it comes with a huge price tag because the Congressional Budget Office has said it will.

Workers are also rightly concerned they won't be able to keep their current coverage.(continued)

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bho44; bhohealthcare; congress; healthcare; obama; obamacare; socializedmedicine
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Is Karl right?
1 posted on 09/02/2009 9:49:46 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Yes, Karl is CORRECT !!


2 posted on 09/02/2009 9:51:46 PM PDT by dodger
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
"Sen. Jim DeMint (R., S.C.) was inartful but basically correct when he said if Mr. Obama loses on health care, "it will be his Waterloo." It would destroy confidence in the ability of Democrats to govern. Mr. Obama knows this, which is why he will stop at nothing to get a bill, any bill, on which the label "health-care reform" can be stuck."

A realy gratuitous slap at DeMint...very ugly

3 posted on 09/02/2009 9:54:14 PM PDT by jessduntno ("Integrity is the lifeblood of democracy. Deceit is a poison in it." - Ted Kennedy (D-HELL)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
A perfect political storm is amassing, and heading straight for Democrats.

It's not revenge we're after. It's a reckoning.

4 posted on 09/02/2009 9:59:09 PM PDT by GVnana (Sarah for America)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I guess inexperience does matter after all.


5 posted on 09/02/2009 9:59:27 PM PDT by Nonstatist
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To: jessduntno
Not really.

Rove says DeMint was right.

6 posted on 09/02/2009 10:04:57 PM PDT by what's up
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To: jessduntno

Saying it was “inartful” is not a gratuitous slap. Rove is correct because that comment was unnecessarily inflammatory and eventually turned into a soundbite for the opposition.


7 posted on 09/02/2009 10:05:35 PM PDT by Vindibudd
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To: Vindibudd

“Saying it was “inartful” is not a gratuitous slap. Rove is correct because that comment was unnecessarily inflammatory and eventually turned into a soundbite for the opposition.”

Sorry...I forgot the motto “walk softly and carry nothing...”


8 posted on 09/02/2009 10:06:50 PM PDT by jessduntno ("Integrity is the lifeblood of democracy. Deceit is a poison in it." - Ted Kennedy (D-HELL)
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To: GVnana
Different film, but:

''There's a train leaving town at noon. Be under it.'' -- James Garner, in Support Your Local Sheriff

9 posted on 09/02/2009 10:08:29 PM PDT by SAJ (way too late to 'work within the system'. just about time for rebellion)
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To: what's up

Rove says DeMint was right.

Understood...but why agree with the liberal press and help tut-tut someone who speaks up to these troglodytes?


10 posted on 09/02/2009 10:08:59 PM PDT by jessduntno ("Integrity is the lifeblood of democracy. Deceit is a poison in it." - Ted Kennedy (D-HELL)
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To: GVnana

“Hussein is my huckleberry!”


11 posted on 09/02/2009 10:14:04 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (I will raise $1 million for Sarah Palin if she runs; What will you do?)
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To: jessduntno

Well when you get a person elected president twice, I’ll take your political advice as well.


12 posted on 09/02/2009 10:15:10 PM PDT by Vindibudd
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To: Vindibudd

Demint knew what he was doing when he called it his Waterloo.That was the first shot across the bow at OBO.The second was Death Panel from Palin and that was a direct hit.The OBO scow has been taking on heaps of water ever since.


13 posted on 09/02/2009 10:24:00 PM PDT by HANG THE EXPENSE (Life is tough.It's tougher when you're stupid.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
We don't want a revised health care bill. We don't want any bill at all! Leave our health care system alone.

Something must be working right! I don't see bodies piling up on street corners. And a person on Medicaid pays nothing for their health "insurance" and they pay virtually nothing for doctors visits and meds. They are all going to be quite surprised when they find out that Obama's plan come with a monthly bill.

I can just hear the conversation now. "Hello ma'am, I am here to tell you about your new health care policy and how much it will cost each month." "Say what? I am going to have to pay premiums? Well, I'll just keep my old Medicaid coverage." "Sorry ma'am, that is no longer an option."

14 posted on 09/02/2009 10:24:51 PM PDT by REPANDPROUDOFIT (no more "till death do us part" public workers!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Of the 46 million uninsured, 9.7 million are not U.S. citizens; 17.6 million have annual incomes of more than $50,000; and 14 million already qualify for Medicaid or other programs. That leaves less than five million people truly uncovered out of a population of 307 million.

Why in the heck didn't Disidente Juan McCain tell this to the American people during the campaign???!

I swear, Republicans seem to enjoy losing.

15 posted on 09/02/2009 10:34:39 PM PDT by Jeff Chandler (Health Care Reform has met the DEATH Panel.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Do you know the difference between Hugo Chavez and Obama????
Just about 5 years!!!!!!
16 posted on 09/02/2009 10:40:12 PM PDT by oldenuff2no (I'm a VET and damn proud of it!!! I did not fight for a socialist America!!!!!!!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I read something about Obama being too insulated and controlling, just like Carter. Something far worse than a Carter disaster is in the offing. The nation can feel it, collectively.

They want to get off this crazy train before it crashes.


17 posted on 09/02/2009 10:40:31 PM PDT by Wiseghy ( ARE YOU BETTER OFF THAN YOU WERE $4 TRILLION DOLLARS AGO?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Given a choice between Obama led socialism in this country and civil war I will pick civil war.


18 posted on 09/02/2009 10:41:52 PM PDT by oldenuff2no (I'm a VET and damn proud of it!!! I did not fight for a socialist America!!!!!!!)
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To: Jeff Chandler

Insurance is an option for people who recognize that they have assets to protect. Access to some health care is easy, for the resourceful.

Many feel that they don’t have enough assets to justify the cost of gold-plated, high tech U.S. healthcare.

They also don’t feel responsible for costs if something does happen, since they see plenty of examples of such costs being deflected, absorbed or drastically reduced by others with big claims.


19 posted on 09/02/2009 10:46:48 PM PDT by Wiseghy ( ARE YOU BETTER OFF THAN YOU WERE $4 TRILLION DOLLARS AGO?)
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To: Jeff Chandler

That’s a good question about McCain. The rats keep saying 47 mil and so the big media keep saying 47 mil and it’s all we can do to hear the real breakdown.

If it weren’t for talk radio and the the internet we’d be done for.

This is a portion of a letter I got from my rat congressman in Oregon - the infamous Oregon.

On that note, I want to take this opportunity to address some concerns I’ve heard and clear up some misconceptions regarding HR 3200:

.This bill will NOT raise taxes on low and middle-class families. A small surtax on the richest 1.4% of Americans will cover most of the cost of health insurance reform. Furthermore, this increase will not occur during a recession, but is set to be implemented in 2011, long after economists predict the recession will end.

.This bill will NOT cover anyone who resides in this country illegally. Section 246 of H.R. 3200 specifically forbids federal dollars from going towards health insurance for undocumented workers.

.This bill will NOT create “death panels” or euthanize our senior citizens. Section 1233 of the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act simply allows Medicare to reimburse health professionals for a voluntary conversation about end-of-life decisions between a patient and a doctor, at the patient’s behest. Like all Medicare benefits, this is a voluntary benefit! If patients don’t want to discuss their care wishes, they don’t have to.

.This bill will NOT exempt Members of Congress and other government employees from following the same guidelines as everybody else. Any health care plan used by a federal employee or elected official will be subject to the same reforms as all other private plans.

.This bill will NOT cut Medicare coverage. This bill does include Medicare reforms designed to lower costs and increase efficiency, but NOT at the expense of caring for enrollees.

.This bill will NOT abolish the private health insurance system in this country. Under the bill, patients would be able to keep their private insurance, and there would be no mandate to switch plans or join the public insurance option. This bill is all about giving people options and letting them choose the type of care that best works for them.

Thank you again for your interest and involvement. I hope you will continue to be engaged in this debate in the coming months, and I encourage you to visit my website (www.blumenauer.house.gov) for more information about America’s Affordable Health Choices Act and health insurance reform in general.


20 posted on 09/02/2009 10:49:30 PM PDT by Aria ( "The US republic will endure until Congress discovers it can bribe the public with the people's $.")
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