Fix Health Care Policy

Obamacare Proponents Running Scared

A new messaging strategy, based on public polling results from top Democratic pollsters, suggests that congressional lawmakers should wave the white flag when discussing Obamacare in their election campaigns. The PowerPoint presentation, released in a conference call organized by Families USA, encouraged officials to “keep claims small and credible: don’t overpromise or ‘spin’ what the law delivers.”

In other words, abandon ship on claims that lawmakers made for months during the health reform debate—that the legislation would in any way reduce the nation’s deficit or lower health care costs (in fact, this was a recommendation in the presentation’s “not-to-do” list). (more…)

Tags: health care costs, higher deficits, ObamaCare, pollsters, public disapproval, repeal

There is Nothing Conservative About This President

According to a new poll by the Pew Research Center, public confidence in government is at one of the lowest points in a half century. Pew Research Center president Andrew Kohut writes in today’s Wall Street Journal: “A desire for smaller government is particularly evident since Barack Obama took office.” Last March, by 54% to 37%, more people said it was a good idea for the government to exert more control over the economy. Now, by 51% to 40%, a majority of Americans say they want less government control.

President Obama has always tried to cast himself as a centrist. During the 2008 campaign, he promised Americans he would cut their taxes, expand the military, and enact “a net spending cut” for the federal government. Lower taxes, a strong defense and shrinking the size of government; these are core conservative beliefs. Unfortunately, President Obama has completely abandoned them by raising taxes on lower-income Americans, cutting defense spending, and enacting a $862 billion failed stimulus.

And we haven’t even mentioned the President’s health care plan yet. With polls showing that the President’s health care plan has only gotten less popular since it became law, the White House has been desperate to portray their plan in as centrist a light as possible. So on March 30th, President Obama told “Today” show host Matt Lauer that “a lot of ideas in terms of the exchange, just being able to pool and improve the purchasing power of individuals in the insurance market, that originated from the Heritage Foundation.” Heritage Center for Health Policy Studies director Robert Moffit responds in today’s Washington Post: (more…)

Tags: Individual Mandate, insurance portability, national health exchange, ObamaCare, President Barack Obama, public disapproval, robert moffit

New Video: What Obamacare Means For Americans

Ever since Sunday’s vote to pass health care reform, the media has focused on the reconciliation vote in the Senate, analysis of how passage affects Democrats political standing, President Obama’s poll numbers—anything other than how this new law will affect the American people. However, now that Obamacare is law, it’s more important than ever to remind ourselves about the true consequences of this massive legislation and the importance of repealing it.

As Heritage Foundation President Ed Feulner says in the video: “While the Heritage Foundation recognizes that health care system requires reform, such reform cannot proceed until this intolerable act is consigned to the dustbin of history.” Watch the video to learn more.

Tags: ObamaCare, public disapproval, reconciliation, repeal, Sunday passage