UPDATED: Maybe this explains the right-wing attack on ABC News
June 21, 2009 12:13 pm ET by Eric Boehlert
The GOP Noise Machine's war being waged on the health care debate, and ABC News specifically, has to be put into context, and folks need to understand what's really behind the phony outrage, which is that the issue of health care reform appears to be a complete loser for the Republican Party. I think that's why conservatives in the press are so desperate to squash any public debate.
The latest proof comes from the NYT:
In Poll, Wide Support for Government-Run Health
The sweeping results:
Americans overwhelmingly support substantial changes to the health care system and are strongly behind one of the most contentious proposals Congress is considering, a government-run insurance plan to compete with private insurers, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.
My guess is that if most Americans opposed health care reform than conservatives wouldn't be so nervous about ABC News hosting a debate on the topic.
Since polls pretty much back-up the fact that the majority of Americans approve of Obama and hated Bush, they are really just reflecting their constituents.
I mean, it must really suck being a right-wing freak and only have 1 network and a few print outlets to spew your garbage. But they really need to stop being so obsessed with paiting themselves as victims.
Especially since they spend so much time complaining about victimization!
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2009/06/21/nyt-cbs-stock-pro-obamacare-poll-obama-voters
Therefore Democrats are jumping on this no-brainer, correct?
As Ed Schultz said this week, Dems have there heads up their a## on this issue.
The reasons manifold, good old arivice and greed have a part. Conditioned cowardice in response to the noise machine, another.
There are a number of good left leaning folks who can stand up to the machine and throw the BS flag with some authority on this. They don't seem to get any air time, the last major part.
According to the actual poll data, of the 73% of respondents who said they voted in 2008 only 34% voted for McCain and 66% for Obama. The actual vote was 48% McCain. So, 29% of McCain voters ignored by the poll must not be Americans, according to the NYTs methodology, and there are about as much an overpolling of Obama voters.
Anything to push a meme, I guess.
Anything to push a meme, I guess.
"Why won't the Republicans fight fair fights? Why? Because they know they'd lose if they fought this fight fairly, so their only choice is to instill fear in the undereducated public."
They can't win this battle over healthcare reform by fighting a fair fight. They'd expose that they support the profits of big insurance companies over individual's health care. They'd expose that their arguments about lack of choice with a govt run system are full of holes, because people won't lose their choice options. They'd lose their battle when the argument is debunked that says it'll cost more to do this than to do nothing when people realized that they're already paying for the care of the uninsured with their (and their employer's) health insurance premiums as well as in local taxes that support free clinics and care at local county hospitals.
If health care reform goes down, it's because Democrats can't get it done within their own party. There's nothing stopping Democrats from doing whatever the hell they want to do on this issue.
I can't think of a creative way to make this happen. Do you think having state, county, district elections on issues would help our representatives know what their constituents want?
:)
I'd like to see public financing of elections work, but it doesn't look like that's going to take off any time soon. Somehow we need to counter the influence of monied special interests.
Best point I've read so far!