The longer this issue is around the worse its likely to be for Democrats.
By Karl Rove
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid described this weeks House vote to repeal and replace ObamaCare as partisan grandstanding. Other Democratic congressmen called it a political scam unfortunate and fruitless. Liberal pundits described it as useless and meaningless.
All of which confirms that the GOP is on the right path.
Republicans said during the election campaign that they would take this vote. Seasoned Democratic observers like pollster Pat Caddell believe that opposition to ObamaCare helped drive turnout and draw independents into the Republican column. The GOP would have deeply damaged its credibility if it failed to follow through on its pledge.
Moreover the fight against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of which this weeks vote is but the opening round once again focuses public attention on the laws flaws. Virtually every claim the Obama administration has made on its behalf is turning out to be untrue. (Recall If you like your current health-care plan you will be able to keep it.) Or it wasnt credible to start with such as the claim by the Office of Management and Budget that the bill will cut the deficit. A new ABC News/Washington Post poll this week showed that 62 see it as increasing the deficit 54 think itll hurt the economy and 46 think the law will cost jobs. When Republicans have winning arguments they should keep pressing them.
The House vote also gives the GOP momentum to make ObamaCare a principal issue in the 2012 election. That cant make vulnerable House Democrats who barely survived last falls campaign or the 24 Democratic senators up in 2012 (many in red states) happy. Nor can it be to the advantage of the president who will also be on the ballot.
The longer this issue is around the worse its likely to be for Democrats. This years ObamaCare-mandated Medicare cuts are geometrically larger than last years. Dissatisfaction among health-care providers will continue rising as the new health-care law adversely affects their profession. The concerns of business leaders will become more pronounced as the laws mandates limit their choices while increasing their costs. And consumer discontent will grow as promised declines in insurance premiums and health-care costs dont materialize.
This is why health-care reformunlike every other major piece of social legislation in modern historyhas become less not more popular since it passed. A poll this week from Resurgent Republic (a group I helped form) showed that voters support Republican efforts to repeal and replace the health-care law by 49 to 44 with independents supporting repeal 54 to 36.
A slew of recent polls also show that Americans favor replacing ObamaCare with sensible reforms that increase competition and choice and thereby expand access and lower cost. For example the Resurgent Republic poll showed voters support by 70 to 23 the ability to buy health insurance across state lines. They back proposals that would make it possible for workers to take their health insurance from job to job by 53 to 36. And they believe frivolous lawsuits drive up health-care costs by 53 to 38.
Other GOP initiativeslike allowing people to save more of their paychecks tax free for out-of-pocket medical expenses and letting small businesses pool risk to get the same discounts that big companies getare similarly popular. President Obama said after the midterm election results that hed be happy to consider . . . ideas for how to improve health care. Fortunately Republicans have a ready agenda with widespread public backing.
Democrats have traditionally been more trusted than Republicans to deal with health care. They enjoyed a 34-point margin in 1991 and a 25-point margin as recently as 2005. But the most recent ABC News/Washington Post poll shows that Republicans are now tied with Mr. Obama on the issue. It was not just the GOPs strong opposition to ObamaCare that closed the gap though that was essential. It was also the Republicans early efforts to sketch out a conservative vision of health-care reform.
Democrats are squawking about this weeks House vote because it signals the start of a Republican offensive on health care not the end of one. In 2010 Democrats got their law. In the process Republicans got their issue.
Mr. Rove is the former senior adviser and deputy chief of staff to President George W. Bush.
