In another excellent article on the health care debate, the Wall Street Journal’s Jonathan Weisman and Janet Adamy, together with Neil King get at the essence how, in the Journal’s words, Obama’s Health-Care Push Went Astray (Via Instapundit).
In brief, the Administration went after the groups Obama decried in the campaign–and whom he (and his allies) continue to attack on the stump–insurance companies and “special interests” and bypassed a direct appeal to the people*:
They expended great effort to line up the support of health-care insurers, pharmaceutical makers and care providers, believing that by keeping them around the table, they could win over Republicans and stop the kind of industry-led attacks that helped sink the Clinton plan. But this strategy left out the wooing of public opinion, which was being affected by broader events, including the economic crisis and anger over bank bailouts. . . .
The president’s focus on wooing groups often brought fewer benefits than he expected. The seniors’ lobby AARP backed him, but that prompted loud complaints from AARP members worried about Medicare cuts.
And this focus on “wooing groups” also helps expose the hypocrisy at the heart of the Obama Administration, so well documented in Michelle Malkin’s best-selling book.
*No wonder the President is making a new speech to Congress (to be telecast to the nation).
Here’s the difference between Obama and MLK: No one ever heard that MLK was about to make a speech and thought, “Oh, God, is he going to make ANOTHER one?”
I have been truly amazed at how quickly the Dems overplayed their hand. I mean I expected them to do this, but not so soon. Perhaps I’m still thinking of the last time a Dem was in the White House and how slick he was at triangulation. Love him or hate him, Bill Clinton was indeed a master at it which frankly is what I expected of Obama when he won last year’s election. Instead, he has a very poor job politically speaking. He can still recover like Clinton did, but thus far it’s not looking good for his side. Ah good times… 🙂
Altercation between Obamacare opponent and supporter results in a MoveOn.org representative biting off the finger of the health care reform opponent. He walked over to the Las Robles hospital whereupon his finger was re-attached.
Sorry…that should be “…a finger…” not “…the finger…” I’m assuming he has more than one.
#3 – that old guy was lucky to not live in a country with socialized medicine. An argument can be made that someone that age really doesn’t need all his fingers and that it would be much cheaper to just bandage the stump and send him home.
I can’t see how the libs give a crap about public opinion here.
If the Democrats had really wanted health care, they should have elected Hillary. I bet they regret that now. No, they had to have the “cool black guy” president, not the “cranky woman who knows her stuff.” Amy Poehler was dead on when she played Hillary as relentless and Congress finally giving in if this woman would just get off their backs.
Leftists are sexist idiots. That’s why John Lennon wrote Woman is the N* of the World. But leftists are so vain, they don’t think the song is about them.
Ash…you definitely add something to this blog. I think you need to come out…lol. If Clinton was the first “Black President”, then that means that Obama is actually the “second” Black President. The comparision probably means I am a Racist…lol!!!