An Unhealthy Vote?
2010-03-17 - by
Public Policy Polling says that – on health care reform – Democratic Congressmen Bob Etheridge and Health Shuler “both have to decide between voting the way that folks in their party would like them to, or voting the way voters in their district as a whole would like them to.”
But I’m not convinced that voting for reform will hurt them this fall.
For one thing, PPP also finds that, nationally, support for reform is rising.
For another, the picture is likely to be very different in November.
People don’t like reform now – in part – because they don’t know what’s in it. Fear trumps facts.
If a bill passes, Democrats will be able to talk about specific benefits.
If it doesn’t pass, they’ll be able to blame Republicans for everything wrong in health care.
Regardless, once the fight is over, Republicans will face the same challenge Democrats face now: how to get people interested in health-care reform when they’re mostly worried about the economy.
Health-care reform may be old news in November.
An Unhealthy Vote?
2010-03-17/
Public Policy Polling says that – on health care reform – Democratic Congressmen Bob Etheridge and Health Shuler “both have to decide between voting the way that folks in their party would like them to, or voting the way voters in their district as a whole would like them to.”
But I’m not convinced that voting for reform will hurt them this fall.
For one thing, PPP also finds that, nationally, support for reform is rising.
For another, the picture is likely to be very different in November.
People don’t like reform now – in part – because they don’t know what’s in it. Fear trumps facts.
If a bill passes, Democrats will be able to talk about specific benefits.
If it doesn’t pass, they’ll be able to blame Republicans for everything wrong in health care.
Regardless, once the fight is over, Republicans will face the same challenge Democrats face now: how to get people interested in health-care reform when they’re mostly worried about the economy.
Health-care reform may be old news in November.