How Quickly They Forget

According to the Sunlight Foundation, the word “Obamacare” was uttered on the floor of the Senate and the House 2,753 times in September of 2013. The House, in one form or another, has attempted to repeal that statute 50 times to date. In that same month, curtailing or eliminating Obamacare was cited as one of the principal reasons for a 17-day federal government shutdown.

With passions to high and with mid-term elections coming up, you’d think that this controversial law would draw that continued focus, both within Congress itself and most certainly in the political debates between and among candidates across the land. Oh sure, the Affordable Care Act is on the “must attack” list for conservative candidates… but it does seem to have falling down as a priority. Way down.

While resistance to Obamacare is still simmering even in Congress – the House just quietly passed a bill to undermine a part of the law related to employer health plans – as of mid-September, that word had been uttered only about 50 times this month in that “esteemed” body. Huh? With the battle against the Islamic State rising and the economy showing signs of life (but the quality of jobs is still unsettling), attacking Obama care may just have passed its prime. It’s truly old news.

“With so many other issues at center stage this fall, the health-care law is simply not on voters’ minds. [Washington Post writer] Aaron Blake noted this month that polls show voters are generally unhappy with the country’s direction, but few cite Obamacare as the reason why. The issue still galvanizes the Republican base, which is why it’s the subject of many campaign attacks on Democrats, but it’s lost its boogeyman edge.

“Congress is spending significantly less time in session this September, so there are fewer words being spoken on the floor overall. But the explosive opposition to the law is now much subdued.” Washington Post, September 15^th.

There is no doubt that the Affordable Care Act is flawed, every side of the issue admits that. But while current polarization between the GOP and Dems does not augur well for a rational reexamination of the statute and a normal process of repair and adjustment, the fact that Obamacare may soon slide into “reality acceptance” mode across the land might just be the first step in pushing that medical care event into a vastly more functional place.

There are even signs that much of the grassroots resistance to Obamacare, even from those who have benefited from the program, may have more to do with dislike of its chief proponent than the statute itself: “Why would people … who are benefiting from the law vote for candidates who would dismantle it? Gov. Steven L. Beshear, one of the few Democrats forcefully promoting the law here, said many were driven by a dislike of Mr. Obama. A recent CNN poll found that only 33 percent of likely voters here approved of his job performance, and that 63 percent disapproved.

“‘The campaign by the Affordable Care Act’s critics against it has been very effective in demonizing the phrase Obamacare and anything to do with the president,’ said Mr. Beshear, who cannot seek re-election next year because of term limits. ‘So I think you find a reluctance on the part of people, even though the law is benefiting them, to publicly acknowledge it.’” NY Times, September 16^th.

Here a typical reaction: “‘I’m tickled to death with it,’ Ms. Evans, 49, said of her new coverage as she walked around the Kentucky State Fair recently with her daughter, who also qualified for Medicaid under the law. ‘It’s helped me out a bunch.’

“But Ms. Evans scowled at the mention of President Obama — ‘Nobody don’t care for nobody no more, and I think he’s got a lot to do with that,’ she explained — and said she would vote this fall for Senator Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky Republican and minority leader, who is fond of saying the health care law should be ‘pulled out root and branch.’” NY Times. When will these change? Probably not in the next two years, but perhaps flaring tempers and blanket zealousness will be replaced with logical calm. Someday. Go figure!

 I’m Peter Dekom, and when hot seething passion flickers out, perhaps there is a ray of hope for that great “American reconciliation” we so desperately need.