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So close ... Yet so far

September 28, 2009 12:14 pm ET by Jamison Foser

Washington Post reporter Perry Bacon, responding to a question about health care reform: 

I think polling shows the point you are making: the public largely believes the Republicans are determined to oppose any bill. I think the Baucus process definitely helps make the case to the public that the Democrats tried to be bi-partisan. That said, I"m not sure voters really care that much about the process. The Republicans I meet at town halls and other things oppose so many of the core ideas of the bill that the process doesn't matter.

Good to see a reporter acknowledge that the public doesn't care as much about legislative process and politics as about the underlying policy and how it will affect their lives.  That's a (rather obvious) point I've been making for ages.  

But notice how Bacon comes to that conclusion: Republicans at town halls oppose the core ideas of health care reform, so whether the process is "bi-partisan" doesn't matter to them.  As opposed to, for example, recognizing that that majority of the public badly wants real health care reform, so they don't care as much about whether the process is "bi-partisan."

That second one would seem to be the more relevant observation in the context of the health care debate.

Tags: The Washington Post, Perry Bacon Jr.

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    • Author by DellDolly (September 28, 2009 12:26 pm ET)
      2  
      They don't care about the process, that's for sure. They don't care about the facts, either, unless those facts fit their agenda, which the facts rarely do.

      Facts like the health care reform package from Baucus was a fairly bi-partisan effort, but they'll argue until the cows come home that none of the amendments that the Republicans submitted will be approved. It's not true, for one thing, and the other thing is, most of the amendments that the Republicans submitted were ridiculous and counterproductive and not intended to improve the bill - they want to sabotage the bill, not improve it. They are just "Anti's".

      I think most Americans do care about the process. They would want the majority party to be respectful to the minority party. I think they are tired of the partisan bickering the Republicans have crafted into a science.

      I think Republicans aren't bothered by the political partisanship since it's the way they work nowadays! They saw no reason to be respectful to the minority party when they were in the majority, and one of them couldn't even make himself respectful to the President and to the House of Representatives!
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    • Author by Tbone Slickens (September 28, 2009 1:36 pm ET)
      1 2
      "recognizing that that majority of the public badly wants real health care reform"


      Hmmm...you mean like this poll? How old is your data?:

      ObamaCare polls drop again to new lows

      So close...yet SO far...
      Report Abuse
      • Author by bilbo_dies (September 28, 2009 2:15 pm ET)
          1
        Again, a loaded poll says one thing, while if you ask americans if health care needs to be reformed, it STILL shows that a majority of americans want heath care reform.


        And yes, you aren't even close.
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        • Author by Tbone Slickens (September 29, 2009 9:22 am ET)
          1  
          Oh I'm more than close. I'm right on baby! You better peruse this poll and let is swirl around the grey matter.

          People rate their health insurance as excellent or good

          87% of private and 82% of Medicare/Medicade bilbo baggins. That is a HUGE mountain to climb for you "changers". Good luck with that. New poll out this week has support down to 40% and negatives up close to 60%. I don't think y'all are gonna make it!
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      • Author by political_left-religious_right (September 29, 2009 11:14 am ET)
           
        Has anyone noticed that when Mrs. Clinton tried to reform the health care system, the Republicans called it "Hillarycare," and now, under Obama, we have "Obamacare"? Can't the Republicans show any imagination at all?

        Of course, we never saw Bushcare, for the simple reason that he didn't.
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