.....Even if there's a strategic rationale for doing it, why are Democrats dead-set on hurting themselves?"Because they think they know what's best for the public," the strategist said. "They think the facts are being distorted and the public's being told a story that is not entirely true, and that they are in Congress to be leaders. And they are going to make the decision because Goddammit, it's good for the public."
That was the bottom line, now to go back a little into the article, York mentions Real Clear Politics healthcare averages in the polls which shows that the public, according to the latest polls from different organizations, is again the current forms of Obamacare by 53.3 percent against to 38 percent for.
Using the latest polls from Gallup, Rasmussen, Fox, CNN, Quinnipiac and Ipsos/McClatchy, they take the numbers and average them.
The Breakdown
Gallup- 48 percent Opposed to Obamacare/ 46 percent for.
Rasmussen- 56 percent Opposed to Obamacare/ 40 percent for.
Fox News- 57 percent Opposed to Obamacare/ 34 percent for.
CNN- 61 percent Opposed to Obamacare/ 36 percent for.
Quinnipiac- 52 percent Opposed to Obamacare/ 38 percent for.
Ipsos/McClatchy- 46 percent Opposed to Obamacare/ 34 percent for.
Each and every one of them shows the public opposed to the Democrats many Obamacare plans.
So, Byron York wanted to know why, with such an overwhelming oppositional rating from the American people, are Democrats willing to risk their majorities and in some cases, their careers, on such an unpopular plan?
He spoke to a Democratic strategist to get the answer.
Three different answers and three different assumed point of view, depending on whether it is the Senate Democrats, the House Democrats or the White House.
You have to look at the issue from three different Democratic perspectives: the House of Representatives, the White House and the Senate.
"In the House, the view of [California Rep. Henry] Waxman and [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi is that we've waited two generations to get health care passed, and the 20 or 40 members of Congress who are going to lose their seats as a result are transitional players at best," he said. "This is something the party has wanted since Franklin Roosevelt." In this view, losses are just the price of doing something great and historic. (The strategist also noted that it's easy for Waxman and Pelosi to say that, since they come from safely liberal districts.)
"At the White House, the picture is slightly different," he continued. "Their view is, 'We're all in on this, totally committed, and we don't have to run for re-election next year. There will never be a better time to do it than now.'"
"And in the Senate, they look at the most vulnerable Democrats -- like [Christopher] Dodd and [Majority Leader Harry] Reid -- and say those vulnerabilities will probably not change whether health care reform passes or fails. So in that view, if they pass reform, Democrats will lose the same number of seats they were going to lose before."
The conclusion and final parting shot from the Democratic strategist is the best analogy I have seen for Democrats willing to sacrifice their jobs and their majorities for a bill the public is overwhelmingly opposed to.
At that point -- Republicans will love this -- he compared congressional Democrats with robbers who have passed the point of no return in deciding to hold up a bank. Whatever they do, they're guilty of something. "They're in the bank, they've got their guns out. They can run outside with no money, or they can stick it out, go through the gunfight, and get away with the money."
That's it. Democrats are all in. They're going through with it. Even if it kills them.
They are determined to pass something, anything, no matter how bad a bill it is, because they know what is best for you even if the majority of you do not agree.
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