Democrats Nervous With 2014 Elections Looming

[deacon blues]

Obamacare is rattling the nerves of Democrats across the country with next year's elections just one year away. Some Democrats facing re-election battles next year are joining Republicans in calling for the administration to delay provisions of Obamacare.

Four reasons why Dems are handwringing over the looming midterm elections:

1. The Glitch-Filled Website Healthcare.Gov - if they can't even get the website running properly, how in the world can they run America's healthcare system? The perception is that this will be another waste-filled, corrupt and ineffective government bureaucracy. Think about any dealings you have with government run institutions: long lines, long delays, tons of paperwork, mistakes, frustrations and headaches. The image Democrats are creating for themselves is that they don't govern well, the trains don't arrive on time and no one is held accountable. After six years of Obama, voters just may decide to give the GOP greater control of the House and more importantly majority control of the Senate.

2. The Obamacare Law Itself - "The Promise" that ended with a PERIOD. If there is single thing that will damage the Democrats next year it will be the video clips of Obama and other Democrats defending the law and promising Americans over and over that NO ONE will lose their insurance coverage for ANY REASON no matter what PERIOD. GOP challengers have been given tailor-made ad material. They won't need to do much but play those clips again and again for weeks. American voters feel pretty strongly about politicians who outright lie, or give the perception of obvious dishonesty. Some Democrats up for reelection will lose next year based solely on their support of Obamacare and going on the record repeating the president's promise that no one will lose their coverage. Period. Millions have already lost their coverage, millions more will by November 2014. Thats a lot of voters.

3. Election Year Politics - All 435 House seats and 33 of the 100 Senate seats, including 21 now held by Democrats will be up for grabs next year. Five Senate Democratic incumbents are retiring, the other 16 up for re-election are especially vulnerable. Mary Landrieu of LA flew with President Obama to New Orleans last week, but didn't appear with him publicly. She had "previous engagements" scheduled in Lake Charles. Not a good sign that a sitting president is avoided leading up to an election year. Usually having a president campaign for you is a boost and a big help with fund raising. She was one of 15 Senators up for re-election that went to the White House to talk to the Oval Office about delaying implementation of the ACA. Conveniently a one year delay---just in time to get them passed Election Day 2014. Other Senators like Joe Manchin of WV have partnered with other Senators from the GOP to pass legislation that will help people who have lost their insurance under Obamacare. Mark Pryor of AR and Mark Begich of AK have called on the president to delay certain aspects of ACA. There appears to be some nervous folks in the Capital building.

4. An Emboldened GOP - the government shutdown gave the Democrats momentum in September. The president handed that right back to the Republicans with the botched rollout of healthcare.gov then with the revelation the millions were losing their insurance in spite of his and other Democrats promises. Moving forward, all efforts on the part of Democrats next year that promote Big Government solutions to issues like immigration, the flagging economy and other hot button topics will fail because the GOP will point to Obamacare, the presidents signature legislation, and call into question any of their solutions as trustworthy. The Democrats credibility has been greatly compromised, thus handicapping them next year to get much done. The GOP will keep pushing for damaging evidence that Obamacare is failing. They will subpoena stats the administration is hiding that shows how miserably ineffective this program is. States governed by GOP leaders will continue to resist implementation of the program in their states, refusing government money to expand Medicaid and other related programs. Democrats also will be contending with opposition by Republicans who seek any opportunity to call for getting rid of the health care reforms they despise. GOP legislators will fight it in committees and in both the House and Senate.

But a year is an eternity in politics. Don't underestimate the GOP's ability to screw up a gift wrapped opportunity.