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Do Democrats prefer appeasing liberal base to promoting national interest?

December 7, 2009 by B. Daniel Blatt

Nearly a full year into the Obama Administration, we’re getting a real sense that the new kind of politics is promised in that campaign was just that a promise.  Transparency is going out the window, with a closed door meeting on government openness and relaxation of rules for disclosure for unions.

And on health care, we’ve got the President and congressional Democrats thumbing their nose at the American people.  While polls show opposition to the various Democratic health care reforms increasing with each passing day, indeed, increasing despite mostly favorably coverage in the mainstream media and an aggressive promotional campaign by the President and his team, they press on.

One wonders why the Democrats persist on such an unpopular initiative when voters would rather they focus on fixing the economy, bringing down unemployment and lowering the burgeoning deficit.  Over at the Wall Street Journal, John Fund may have found the answer; it’s all about appeasing the Democratic base:

. . . many in the trenches are uneasy about the sprawling, complex bill they privately acknowledge has no bipartisan support, doesn’t seriously tackle soaring costs and will increase insurance premiums. That may explain Majority Leader Harry Reid’s haste—he has ordered a rare Sunday session this weekend to hurry up the debate. Public support for the bill averages only 39.2% backing in all polls compiled by Pollster.com.

But buried in the surveys is an explanation for the Democratic obsession to pass the bill: An overwhelming 76% of Democrats back it. “They believe the liberal base expects them to deliver and will punish them if they don’t,” says Democratic pollster Doug Schoen, who worked for Bill Clinton in the 1990s.

So, now finally we have an idea of the new kind of politician we have in Barack Obama. New, this type may be on the national stage, but typical he is in the Windy City.  An executive who sees it his job to push the policies of his machine, his cronies, no matter what the cost.

Filed Under: Obama Health Care (ACA / Obamacare), Obama Hopenchange

Comments

  1. PatriotMom says

    December 7, 2009 at 1:34 pm - December 7, 2009

    Who amoung us ever believed the “transparency” BS?

  2. ILoveCapitalism says

    December 7, 2009 at 1:47 pm - December 7, 2009

    PM: Not sure about people on this blog… but lots of people where I work, unfortunately.

  3. ILoveCapitalism says

    December 7, 2009 at 1:57 pm - December 7, 2009

    As for appeasing his hard-Left base: Obama didn’t do that on Afghanistan, and it’s nice to see the resulting blue-on-blue violence (or is that red-on-red? haha). But it means He must try to appease them all the more, with a hard-Left healthcare bill.

  4. Real American says

    December 7, 2009 at 2:43 pm - December 7, 2009

    this entire bill is about entrenching Democrats in power in government. Max Baucus admits it.

    If they passed the bill, Democrats would be “rewarded in ’10, and in 10 years, in 20 years, in 30 and 40,” Baucus said. “Nothing’s more important.”

    source

  5. ThatGayConservative says

    December 8, 2009 at 12:00 am - December 8, 2009

    Obama didn’t do that on Afghanistan,

    Well, it was a half-assed appeasement. That’s what the 18 month timeline is for.

    Seems like I recall another closed door meeting on government openness like in February or March. I’m sure I saw this before on Drudge. Anybody else recall?

  6. Tano says

    December 8, 2009 at 12:08 am - December 8, 2009

    “Public support for the bill averages only 39.2% backing in all polls compiled by Pollster.com.”

    Except that part of the opposition comes from the left. Nate Silver on 538 has a nice breakdown poll which shows that only 2/3 of the disapproval numbers come from those who actually oppose Obamacare – at least 1/4 of the opposition comes from those who are wishing it be stronger.

    That accords with the many polls that show strong majority support for a public option.

    Fact is that a majority of the people support at least an Obamacare type reform.

  7. ThatGayConservative says

    December 8, 2009 at 4:37 am - December 8, 2009

    Say Tano, in what alternate universe is 1/4 greater than 2/3? Or did Hinds County Public Schools let me down again?

  8. The_Livewire says

    December 8, 2009 at 6:41 am - December 8, 2009

    Ah yes, Tano commenting on Health care… The man who believes that those evil health insurance companies are like Bull Connor (D) standing in front of the doctor’s office, saying “You shall not PASS!!!!”

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