Democrats Push Merits of Obamas Health Care Reform Law

Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON D.C. Democrats have a lot of work to do to educate the public about the need for the individual mandate in President Obamas Affordable Care Act (ACA). According to Scott Clements report about a new Washington Post/ABC News Poll 42 want the high court to throw out the entire law 25 want to do away with the mandate alone and a similar proportion wants the justices to uphold the entire law.   Clement adds that a Kaiser Poll indicates 51 believe the mandate is unconstitutional while only 28 believe it is constitutional. Dan Rivoli points out at International Business Times that the Supreme Court will decide the fate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) beginning March 26 arguably its most anticipated case in years. Rivoli adds that the High Court will deliberate about the ACA for 3 days and will address aspects of the law beyond the key question of whether the Constitution allows the government to force Americans to buy health insurance. The justices will also consider whether the law can stand without the mandate expansion of Medicaid eligibility and whether its even proper for the court to hear the challenges to the insurance-purchase requirement before it takes effect in 2014. Rivoli cites the new Kaiser Family Foundation poll indicating wide public misunderstanding about the ACA. Dems have begun addressing the merits of the health care reform law in their messaging as Deirdre Wash reports at CNN.com: Democrats will also argue that all the dire predictions GOP opponents warned about in 2009 havent materialized. Republicans said senior citizens would lose their health care coverage and private plans would be forced to impose massive hikes in premiums...None of those things have happened and in fact good things have happened -- so that is a help to us claimed one senior Democratic aide coordinating the weeks activities.

Scott Clements WaPo report about a new Washington Post/ABC news poll

People are seeing the good things and the crazy things Republicans said were going to happen didnt happen. ...Congressional Democrats this week with a major push from the White House are planning a series of events to highlight the two major provisions of the law implemented in the last two years -- rules extending health care coverage for those with pre-existing conditions and allowing young adults to remain on their parents plans until they turn 26. Kyle Kondik explains why those who are looking for an anti-incumbent tidal wave will likely be disappointed. All talk of anyone other than Romney getting the GOP nod is starting to sound a little silly. As Brad Knickerbocker reports at the Monitor on Romneys chances of victory in Illinois tomorrow Nate Silver of the New York Times FiveThirtyEight political blog gives him an 86 percent chance of winning. (The Intrade prediction market puts Romneys chances of winning Illinois at 92 percent.) Need more persuasion that its Romneys to lose? As Larry J. Sabato Kyle Kondik and Geoffrey Skelley report at the Crystal Ball

Mitt Romney appears poised to further pad his lead in delegates in upcoming Republican nomination contests starting with Illinois next Tuesday and through a northeastern primary day on April 24... From now until the end of April we expect Romney to win not only the majority of nominating contests but also the majority of delegates awarded in these contests... Barring a massive difficult to fathom shift in this contest Mitt Romney has a better than 80 chance to be the GOP nominee. No amount of wild tapping on CNNs magic wall will alter those odds.

Political Wires Taegan Goddard cites good reasons why Dems should guard against overconfidence about President Obamas re-election prospects. The AFL-CIO has a great new user-friendly web page with lots of tools for progressives to get up to speed on critical legislation political issues and campaigns. J. P. Green writes for The Democratic Strategist.