They passed Obamacare knowing they would lose.
Lyndon Johnson passed civil rights knowing he would lose.
That’s the point !
They pass big things, and are willing to take the short term L because they are permanent changes.
Civil rights legislation is different but still an incremental legislative job. They took a real wrong and instead of just righting the initial wrong this could be another captive cause to advance an authoritarian agenda. They mounted an incremental PR campaign manipulating guilt to create a “privileged but controlled “ class. Unlike “privileged” classes of the past this one was very different. It was so much “privileged” but one that was controlled and manipulated. Manipulated by magnifying old wrongs & creating imaginary ones. All this was also done incrementally to create a permanent class of dependents that can be called out "politically" when needed. A modern version of the Roman Colosseum mob. It took 50-60years to go there. It didn't happen overnight as you imply.