Right now the political landscape is grim for Republicans–and in the short term, thanks to the so-called fiscal cliff, things may get grimmer still. But moments like these can pass, often quicker than we think. And next year may turn out to be one in which the pernicious effects of the Affordable Care Act–aka ObamaCare–really begin to kick in, from higher premiums to the loss of employer-based health insurance to the start of enrollment in insurance exchanges. It will become more and more clear to the public what a nightmarish law the Affordable Care Act actually is.
“The administration is well behind schedule,” my Ethics and Public Policy Center colleague James Capretta told Byron York of the Washington Examiner. “It’s going to be a train wreck in a lot of places.”
The Affordable Care Act is President Obama’s signature legislative achievement. Even before its worst effects have been felt it was, according to the presidential scholar George C. Edwards III, “perhaps the least popular major domestic policy passed in the last century.” If conservatives are correct about the inherent flaws of ObamaCare–and I believe they are–it could well become a political millstone around the neck of Democrats for much of the rest of this decade and beyond. This will have ramifications far beyond what happens regarding the fiscal cliff.
As the problems with the Affordable Care Act mount, Mr. Obama will do what comes most naturally to him: blame others. In the end, though, ObamaCare is his baby. It’s one of the most far-reaching progressive achievements in modern times. And it will, if the conservative view of the world is right, turn out to be a policy disaster of the first order.
In 2010, Mr. Obama got what he wanted. He signed the Affordable Care Act into law. In 2012, the Supreme Court upheld its constitutionality. And it 2013 liberals and Democrats may well learn the wisdom of the words, ”Be Careful What You Wish for ’cause It Might Come True.”
Mr. Wehner – one more time, we have been reminded (yesterday) of the moral vacuity of our President – the deaths in Benghazi due to "sloppiness". All of this has been on display for quite some time. Meanwhile, his Sec of State is essentially refusing to testify to Congress about that event. Terrorists are now putting a price on the head of American diplomats and soldiers. We have heard precious little about Fast and Furious – apparently even Hispanic voters were unconcerned about the presidentially inspired mass slaughter of their quondam countrymen. nRepublicans are getting the blame for the fiscal crisis, despite the fact that the Democratic Senate hasn't passed a budget in over three years. Obama continues to lecture us about everything, and isn't above playing the most crass politics with the events in Newtown. nOver at Rasmussen, Obama's Presidential Approval Index is above 0 for the first time in years. (It was -8 on election day.) And 56% of our fellows approve of the job he is doing. nAnd the Democrats picked up 2 seats in the Senate two months ago. nBut, yeah, Americans are on the verge of figuring out what a disaster this President has been. nRight.
The President and the Dem's tried to get Rep input into the ( ACA ) but saw quickley none was there, so they were stuck having to do all the work ._Now that the republicans have blocked and hindered they want to use the ACA as a big stick to beat the dem's WOW._ If they would have done there job in the first place we the people would not have to suffer but in the end the rep's did what they always do…They serve there masters and that is not us !!!!!_This is 1 way the dem's will spin it but everyone knows in the end it will be the republicans fault
I think one of the problems is that whatever reason the media fawn over this light weight. Eventually, I believe that the American people will see that Obama is nothing more than fancy speeches with no substance…