Monday, April 5, 2010

The credibility factor—why Obama can’t sell Obamacare
Even with a 17 minute and 2,500 word non-answer


Charlotte, NC—Health care reform may have been signed into law, but the public still isn’t buying it. In fact, during a town hall meeting, the president was asked a simple question by an attendee named Doris, “[Is it] wise decision to add more taxes to us with the health care?”

Mr. Obama’s non-answer took just over 17 minutes and 2,500 words in its entirety. And this is precisely why the American people aren’t on board—the president didn’t have any credibility going into the supposed debate. His administration and the democrat majority simply put it out there without an introduction. True, it was an integral part of Obama’s campaign stump speech but in a country with rising unemployment and golden parachutes for those largely seen as creating the problem, HCR was largely window dressing draped in the background with the economy and two wars in the foreground.

I make this point to make another point. Obama was seen as a new politician, one who would end America’s partisan divide but he didn’t use his political capital to unite quarreling factions, instead he dove head-long into an agenda item that no one was concerned about—health care. Hence, any talk about anything other than the economy and jobs (perhaps the wars), wasn’t going to win the president any support. Had Obama actually engaged the economic recession he may have had the credibility to tackle HCR. But he chose idealism over reality and because of it, the recession continues on and the American people will stay opposed to HCR for as long as the president purports it.


-- Owen E. Richason IV
Chief Editor, Killswitch Politick

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