Posted on 03/05/2010 5:01:03 AM PST by Kaslin
In my entire career, I have never been as confounded as I am over President Obama and the Democratic leadership's obsession with a piece of legislation that not one major national poll has shown to be popular. A quick glance at this week's surveys shows about a 10 percent spread between those who favor the latest health care legislation and those who oppose it.
In the world of politics, that's a blowout. So I have to ask, why are the president and the leaders of Congress willing to see their entire party and a multitude of other policy proposals go down in flames over something that the public can't stand?
Well, we could be altruistic and say they believe that strongly in the merits of health care reform. Indeed, there are parts of the proposal I might support. But I've been around this game far too long to believe in pure altruism from politicians. After all, I was one myself. This isn't to say that elected officials don't try to do the right thing. But when you see the public hating what you are doing, you generally start to question whether what you are promoting is really the right thing.
Folks, this is nothing more than a power grab. It's an effort to take one of the most essential elements of every person's life -- their health -- and put it under the control of government.
In the past, I have written about a growing "political royalty" in this nation. At first, I felt it was just developing out of benign neglect of the public and the naturally big egos that come with politicians. My opinion has changed.
I now believe there are many in Washington who not only consider themselves a cut above the rest of us, but who believe they must manage every aspect of our lives because we are just the common folks who need to be tended to like cattle on a ranch.
This thing is an act of madness. What the White House and Democrats are hoping is that, after the legislation passes, people will forget about the costs and the hassles in the several years that the whole thing takes to implement. They are wrong.
And just to show that I can be even-handed in my judgment about these sorts of things, let me say that I was totally opposed to the Republican impeachment of Bill Clinton. Was the impeachment "altruistic"? Absolutely. But it got us nowhere. When we decided to release Ken Starr's report, which included rather prurient information on the Internet, I argued vehemently against it.
The GOP leadership was convinced the nation would turn on Clinton, his approval ratings would sink, and he would be asked to resign the following week. Instead, his numbers went up because we Republicans looked like we were ignoring other important issues in order to pursue Bill Clinton's removal from office -- something that was never going to happen.
I guess you could say that entire impeachment episode was a power grab, as well. And it failed miserably. It also diverted our time and energy from other issues that needed to be addressed.
And that gets me back to this current insane decision by President Obama and Congress to consider a gimmick -- much like our release of the Starr Report -- of passing a health care bill as part of what is known as "reconciliation" budget legislation. (That means it would require a simple majority vote and avoid the possibility of needing 60 votes to prevent a filibuster.)
When we tried the Starr gimmick, we were too cute. The public was smart, and they viewed it as us putting sexually explicit material on the Web where kids and others might see it.
Well, guess what? The public, which hates this legislation, will treat the gimmick of "reconciliation" in the same manner. And take it from me, the tumble the Democrats will take for such a silly move will be massive.
Not one person with a brain favors Obama’s Health Proposal.
Mr. Towery wasn't around for NAFTA, huh? IIRC, all the major polls showed similar unpopularity as this health care bill, or worse.
No need to be 'confounded'.
When they feel they attain a measure of political power, this is the true face of dedicated "socialists" and "communists"!
This is the for all the marbles, folks. Cloward-Piven all the way.
Rham
That’s assuming a “sheeple” voter base. Not this year!
Watch out for the Dems working to get 40 million illegals amnestied and voting so he can have his cake and eat it too...
Embalmacare PLUS 2010 and 2012 sweeps.
“Don’t believe in totalitarinism, eh?
We must get the majority back and impeach that arrogant P O S
Shut up or go to the nearest FEMA CAMP
just joking—well almost joking
THE QUESTION ASKED BY THE WRITER OF THE ARTICLE:
“So I have to ask, why are the president and the leaders of Congress willing to see their entire party and a multitude of other policy proposals go down in flames over something that the public can’t stand?
1. Junior sees it as his legacy + our socialist advancement
2. Dems believe H.C. will create a country of dependents
It’s like a chicken in every pot but if you don’t subscribe to a food coop, you’ll get fined by the IRS, the government tells you what kind of chicken you’ll get and you won’t get it for 4 or 5 years.
already up on Drudge..that’s the plan
I like your comparison!
It’s all about controlling one sixth of the economy. They desperately need the tax revenue that this will generate before the lousy plan even takes effect. It’s such a rush, yet it doesn’t provide anything for anybody for another two years. Plan is a fraud just like obama and the rest of his stimulus ponzi schemes.
Name on Coup D'Etat that asked the Public for permission.
Not even after they legalize the illegal aliens, which is their next job to be sure.
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