From the Wall Street Journal (hat tip Independent Woman’s voice) we see that political costs of the healthcare bill are not insignificant:
The survey shows astonishing intensity and sharp opposition to reform, far more than national polls reflect. For 82% of those surveyed, the heath-care bill is either the top or one of the top three issues for deciding whom to support for Congress next November. (That number goes to 88% among independent women.) Sixty percent want Congress to start from scratch on a bipartisan health-care reform proposal or stop working on it this year. Majorities say the legislation will make them and their loved ones (53%), the economy (54%) and the U.S. health-care system (55%) worse off—quite the trifecta.
Seven in 10 would vote against a House member who votes for the Senate health-care bill with its special interest provisions. That includes 45% of self-identified Democrats, 72% of independents and 88% of Republicans.
Even more troubling for the White House and the leadership is that the political benefits of changing your mind and opposing the bill, like the benefits of quitting smoking start almost at once:
A congressman can buy himself a little grace if he had previously voted for health-care reform but now votes against it. Forty-nine percent of voters will feel more supportive of that member if he does so, 40% less supportive. More dramatically, 58% of voters say they will be more supportive of their congressman’s re-election if he votes against the bill a second time. However, for those members who voted against it in November and vote yes this time, 61% of voters say they will be less likely to support their re-election.
So much for the Damned if you do damned if you don’t argument.
The administration’s attempt to create a Fait accompli is very foolish. it has the potential to blow up in their faces like the Olympics or the Obama visit to Massachusetts during the Scott Brown election.
Democrats would be well advised to keep this in mind before they join the congressional version of Judean People’s front Crack suicide squad.
That’ll show us conservatives!
Update: The full poll is here.
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