Democrats ready to run with Obamacare [View all]

[ProSense]

Democrats ready to run with Obamacare

by Joan McCarter

Go ahead and call it Obamacare, says President Obama. And if you're a Democrat running for reelection, take advantage of Republican disunity and run on fixing the law. That's the approach Democrats all over the country will be taking this cycle, going on offense.

“Part of what we learned in 2010 is that this is a real issue of concern to voters and you can’t dodge it, you have to take it on, and I think Democrats are much more ready and willing to do that in 2014,” said Geoff Garin, a Democratic pollster who has done surveys for Democrats on the law. “We certainly have enough evidence now that this is not a fight you can win if you are in a defensive crouch.”

At the same time, as we've been there's been plenty of evidence over the last few years, there's plenty of evidence to show that the voting public is getting really sick of this fight, that they want Congress to just move on already, fix the law and work on something else for a change. Democrats apparently have finally gotten the message.

“The best way to push back on the attacks we know Republicans will launch over health care is to be on offense about what your opponent would do to health care while highlighting your commitment to fixing and improving the law,” Jesse Ferguson, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s deputy executive director, wrote in the memo. <...>

An internal Democratic poll recently conducted in Montana, where there’s a competitive Senate race, found that 65 percent of voters agree with the statement “we’ve wasted too much time talking about Obamacare and we have other problems to deal with.” Among targeted voters, those deemed as persuadable, 73 percent agreed. Among women, 68 percent agreed and 28 percent disagreed.

Another Democratic poll in a state President Barack Obama carried with a competitive Senate race found two-thirds of voters agreed with the statement: “There are problems with the law, but there are good things — including coverage for preexisting conditions … so no more bankruptcies for medical bills."

Meanwhile, Republicans are in a tea party mess, with the Ted Cruz wing of the party still in control and still pushing nothing but repeal, a message that only appeals to tea party Republicans. It's a trap Republicans built for themselves as their primary races get crazier and crazier. They'll probably be all right with that in their gerrymandered House districts in 2014, but all-repeal-all-the-time isn't going to win them Senate seats as easily as they assume. Good for Democrats for finally recognizing and embracing that.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/02/17/1278227/-Democrats-ready-to-run-with-Obamacare

Obamacare Small Business Goldmine
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024512997

Bad news for Republicans: Obamacare is helping their voters too
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024501140