The Eeyores of the conservative movement are all over this Obamacare vote, declaring that we’re doomed to perpetual socialism because Republicans never repeal anything. To them I say: bah. We’ve never been in this situation before, where we’ll actually win an election on the heels of passage.Don't get me wrong - this will be a very tough fight and there's no guarantee whatsoever of winning or of avoiding a voter backlash from the dependent class that makes up a larger percentage of our population each year. However, the only thing the voters will see of Obamacare for the next several years is more and higher taxes. The benefits don't kick in until 2014 and by then we'll have had two congressional elections and a presidential election. A lot of things can change.
Social Security: Passed in 1935. Republicans take House and Senate in 1947, 12 years later.
Medicare and Medicaid: Passed in 1965. Republicans take Senate in 1981, 16 years later.
Obamacare: Passed in 2010. Republicans take House in 2011, one year (9 months, actually) later?
There’s just no comparison. We can fight back before much of it even takes effect, not over a decade later when the benefits are entrenched. No excuses. No pessimism. Fight and win, politically.
And let's not forget that before this is all done the courts are sure to have a say in things. Parts of this law are clearly unconstitutional and I don't think they'll survive court scrutiny. The Virginia Attorney General has already promised to file suit against the individual mandates the day Obama signs the bill and his suit won't be the last.
The reconciliation measure that's supposed to "fix" all the problems in the Senate bill probably will never get out of the Senate and that means all the hideous features of the Senate bill are likely here to stay...at least until the next Obamacare bill which will create the public option and eventually the single-payer system the liberals want.
A lot of people went to the polls in 2008 expecting to see hope and change. It didn't happen. A lot of people are now looking to Obamacare expecting that it will "fix" health care. That won't happen either.
We can still stop this thing.
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I agree -- we can stop this thing. We know that the real purpose of Obamacare is power, but it's a hard idea to sell. It's sounds almost too extreme and too alarmist to be true.
Supporters are fooled by a combination of altruism and snobbery. I'm thinking of someone I spoke to today, a self-described liberal, who is not conversant with details of the issue, but who believes in a sort of fuzzy way that "liberals" care about people and conservatives are all about money. He has a geniune desire to be a "good guy" (don't we all have a good angel in our natures), but he is also very motivated by a sense of superiority. Somehow one has to let these people save face, give them room to change their minds, and also -- certainly -- give them information that will change their minds.
Obama has lied to THEM, really. How does he lie to us? You cannot con someone who sees the con. His lying to us is ineffectual. But people hate someone once they realize they've been had. Really, if these supporters ever wake up, odds are they'd be more zealous against the guy than we are. They've been suckered.
We've got to start winning people over, one by one. I've always been non-political, felt like it was none of my business what other people believe. I realize something has tipped, and people like me can't afford to be quiet anymore.
I also realize the ways I've been a coward, afraid to rock the boat. I've spent parts of today coming out of my conservative closet, asking people about this bill, trying to reach out. And I've got to keep doing it. A new me.
We want to win people over, not make them more angry, more defensive. The libs verses neo-con thing plays to the left. Party spirit keeps the stereotypes going, but doesn't solve the problems. We have to be honest with people we know, and we have to show them real respect. We have to listen, too, so that we can understand better what is motivating them -- so that we can speak to their motivations.
That's what I think. We've got a lot of brainwashing to undo, and we have to be sharp and alert to figure out what will resonate with people.
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