Government-Run Health Care Is A Loser!
For your reading enjoyment:
From Byron York, In Virginia and New Jersey, health care was a losing issue: the economy and jobs were the number one issue in both states.
From Heather Richardson Higgins: What Women Want on Health Care Two-thirds are less likely to back candidates who support government care. After my posts and comments on the swine flu, I was interested to see this insert:
This poll wrapped up just as Mr. Obama declared a swine flu emergency and before Americans became angry about the shortage of the swine flu vaccine. The swine flu vaccine is itself a harbinger of government-run health care, and Internet message-boards are filled with frustrated moms.
One can only speculate how the administration’s handling of the swine flu would have affected the outcome of our survey if it had been conducted later.
From Dick Morris and Eileen McGann: A deathblow to ObamaCare:
New Jersey is the quintessential blue state. If it goes Republican, blue state congressmen needn’t worry. Their districts are likely still safe. But when a Republican in Virginia wins by 20 points, it sends a message to red-state Democratic congressmen to take cover.
From Michael Barone (via Big Government): Lessons from the 2009 election results:
Finally, third, what will be the impact of these elections on forthcoming votes in Congress on the Democratic leaddership’s controversial and unpopular health legislation. The Virginia Board of Elections give us some hints when it aggregates the results by congressional district. In the 2008 elections three Democrats captured three previously Republican congressional districts in Virginia, giving Democrats six or the eleven-member delegation.
The results of the gubernatorial election show that at least some of these Democrats are imperiled….
The 2009 election results are certainly not going to make it easy for Speaker Nancy Pelosi to round up the needed 218 votes for Democrats’ health care bills.
__________
H/T: Washington Examiner, Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Big Government, Washington Examiner.
[1]
Great link on more practical lessons from yesterday’s slaughter of statists:
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2009/11/024872.php
“1. The “independents” or “moderates” get it. That is, they seem to understand that the Obama agenda and those allied with it are bad news for the economy. Whether they understand HOW bad Obama is for the economy, and how much of a danger he poses to other things like, say, freedom, cannot be determined from last night’s results. But the independents are no longer nearly as taken in by the smooth talk as they were a year ago.
2. The era of succeeding by running against George Bush is over.
3. Intensity counts.
4. Far from being a post-racial figure, Obama is the most racially polarizing politician since George Wallace. The white vote shifted dramatically against the Dems. On the other hand, what did they expect after Van Jones, ACORN, and the rest of Dear Leader’s fellow “community organizers”?
5. Goldwater 2.0 is underway. That is, the Republican Party, which, in domestic policy, had been all but emasculated by Bush’s playing kissy-face with welfare state and corporate liberalism (No Child Left Behind, prescription drug benefit, cheap and easy money, bank bailouts, and more), is into the process of discovering that conservatism is its heart and its salvation.”
[2]
Me thinks the death of Obamacare is VERY wishful thinkin’
Powergrab is TOO TOO big for statists…..
Next week this time me think we be howling here on BJG about how statists wont relent in HC takeover!
[3]
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NmNiOWI0YTA0OTM3Y2M0NTk0ZTE5NWY1YjFiMTA0ZDU=
Styen is exactly correct.
The HC takeover now becomes a political imperative for the statist long term electoral survival. They need to grow that dependency!
Also, short term too many ascribe to the foolish theory of “D lost in 94 because they failed to pass Hillarycare”.
Plus any number of statist probably figure that 10 is a write off now anyways so they might as well go out with a “legacy” accomplishment like HC….
[4]
I think the dims will press even harder to get a bill through this year. However, what this election has done is to show what all the words of the teaparties were trying to say. The elections “told” the politicians that people were serious about their concerns over the policies being entertained and/or passed by the muscle of majorities in the House and Senate.
“Stop, you serve us!” is what VA and NJ were saying to any astute politician.
Now, who will listen?
[5]
Coffee with Mr. Reality Wizbang link
[6]
Don’t count on the Obama administration listening to the people. They are single-minded on the leftist agenda, and focused entirely on self and what it will mean to their power retention.
They will continue to lose the people if not the media, but it will not stop them.
We, the people, will have to stop them by any means.
[7]
The problem for Blue Dogs is, do I dare go where the powers wish me to follow? If your one of the 80 some Blues grazing in Red territory you have to be asking — “Do I try to go for $400, in the game of Votes n’ Consequences” That pretty obvious for the Dims.
But the Reps have the harder message. What did NY-23 tell them? One could make the argument that the Teas made no difference and full speed ahead with a boatload of moderates. The problem is there is no way of knowing if that is true or not. Had Hoffman won the case would have been made.
[8]
sounds like the Repubs have learned at least some lessons from last night. The RNSC has announced they’ll stop taking an active role in primaries. a good first step (though they can’t “un-ring” the Crist bell)
[9]
The GOP surely cannot go with another scuzzy. There was way too much room to the right of her. Even the dem was looking to the left to see Scuzz.
They should have learned something.
[10]
.- .-.. .-.. –. — — -.. !!!
[11]
drdog — I think the message of NY-23 is that generalities don’t apply. Even though the district was a heavy Republic area, most of them could be considered “moderate” Republicans. I’m not sure that Hoffman fit the profile of that area…and, the fact he didn’t live in the district came back to haunt him. But, hey look at how close he came to Owens!
Justrand, I hadn’t heard that about the RNSC. If they learned not to meddle, that was a significant lesson!
[12]
(though they can’t “un-ring” the Crist bell) — JR
The voters can, which is their role anyway. But its good to see at least some glimmer of a light bulb.
Wonder if Steele had been hammering Sessions and the outcome of the NY-23 thing brought it all to a head? So the inquiring mind question would be — is Sessions in the dog house? If he is, might somebody be brought in to replace him as RNSC head? Hmmmm.
[13]
You guys see the Pelosi link on Drudge? “Democrats won last night”
From one of commenters on Politico: PELOSI IS AN IDIOT. IT IS PROBABLY BECAUSE OF ALL THE PRESSURE ON HER BRAIN DUE TO HER STRECHED FACIAL SKIN.
Classic.
[14]
Pelosi is just blowing smoke.
[15]
Posts #10 and #13 look like a flea circus came to town.
[16]
Hey let Mrs. P keep thinking that way! Generals dream to have a dumb opponent to face.
Obama
Has
No
Coat
Tails
That is a strategic advantage for the Reps now if they will only mine it and stay focused on economic issues. All those Donkeys are going to be ‘every man for himself’. Come mid next year Obammy is going to be the Maytag repairman on the election front. Be very surprised if any Donk will want him stumping for them.
[17]
Mr. Deeds response to our resident dit-dah-heads.
[18]
Hmm, who would’ve thought that ABBA could’ve written two songs, (SOS & Waterloo) in the 80’s about somebody who wouldn’t be president until 2008.
[19]
See, them statist WONT quit on HC…..you will have to be up in their grill in vocal opposition for them to drop it…..its too big a power grab for them…..
Sorry, just dropping the public option is NOT derailing a governemnt HC takeover…the real takover is the regulations, subsidies/taxes, and mandated participation by 100% of us!
I dont think for a second either that the smarter KOSers dont know this – they will at the end of the grumble a bit but gladly take the incremental step to full governement HC and political dominance….they will tote the line provided they get a good show by Pelosi and Reid that they are “fighting” for the public option…
[20]
Here is a radical thought for all you BJGers on here who are ripping the GOP and Hoffman as a candidate…
The D Owens WAS A PRETTY SOLID canidate!
He appears to talk a moderate game and is a military retiree in a district who largest employer is FT Drum NY (think many DOD employees and Military retirees):
http://www.observer.com/4850/meet-bill-owens-dccc-approved-non-democrat-house
I think this guy was a smart pick by D to play to the military element in the district or at least blunt that vote.
The other side gets to think too and Owens was a solid choice
NOTE: this does not constitute any form of endorsement of Owens goofy statist views; its simply a comment on the politics of the situation lol
[21]
Ace of Spades, this observation in today’s post –
AoS
Now if I had been McConnell I would have done some preparations prior to the vote. I would have purchased 41 linen cloths on which 41 wakizashi rested on each Republican Senator’s desk. The blade of each wakizashi would be wrapped in paper as is the Japanese custom. On the note would be the following —
“Now is not the time for Republicans to commit Seppuku. Let your esteemed opponent fall on that sword called health care. “
[22]
I’m not sure that Hoffman fit the profile of that area…and, the fact he didn’t live in the district came back to haunt him.
I think it was his outsider status and the oppositions portrayal of him as a 3rd party recluse.
He was not ultra conservative at all, and he used to live in the district before he got gerrymandered out of it.
I think it was the combination of Scozza endorsing Owens and campaigning for him, plus the R party’s previous portrayal of him as an extremist, which was dishonest and sickening.
The GOP lost this seat, NOT Hoffman.
[23]
Wylie, I think the criticism was aimed at Dede as an R candidate. I believe it was mentioned that she was more liberal than Owens.
[24]
Amen to that!
[25]
The voters in NY 23 have obviously not had enough punishment from the Democrats.
I was sure that it would be NJ that would volunteer for more beatings, but strangely they did not.