Republicans think they have a winning hand on Obamacare. But this isn't poker. It's straight-up politics. Curiously, you don't see many reports on Democrats campaigning on Obamacare on TV, except on MSNBC. ABC mentions it occasionally, and it of course makes local news in some places, but MNSBC sometimes does it two and three times a day. And that is the source for this Diary.
When I search for such material via Google, I frequently get dKos stories and diaries as top hits in addition to MSNBC and various Progressive Web sites. Those dKos postings are all in the Obamacare Saves Lives group, often because I republished them there myself. (If I and JoanMar miss any, please let us know.)
Please, sir, I want some more.
Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens
No Republican is going to believe President Obama when he says that Obamacare is a success and the fight should be over. Of course they are doubling down yet again, and will do so at least until they are comprehensively defeated on the issue up and down the ballot and even in Red states. But they are finding it increasingly difficult to create ads that get traction, after the string of debacles in the easily-debunked Obamacare horror stories ads. I Diaried the latest from Fox and a few others yesterday in ACA Signups: No news, just Fox
We are having a hiatus on the ACA Signups Diaries, while brainwrap recovers from shingles on his face, interfering with his vision and his ability to work.
All In
Chris Hayes put in a segment on All In two days ago, Bush Comes to Shove, starting from a story in the NYT.
Jeb Bush’s Rush to Make Money May Be Hurdle
Jeb Bush has been out aggressively making money, sitting on six corporate boards at once, including a company involved in massive fraud, so that the company has gone bankrupt and its CEO is in prison. Worst of all,
Mr. Bush serves as a paid director to Tenet Health Care, the giant hospital owner, which supported President Obama's Affordable Care Act, aggressively encouraged Americans to sign up for insurance under the program and trumpeted the legislation as a boon to the company's finances.
Chris
then interviewed the author of the article, Michael Barbaro, together with political consultant Tara Dowdell and Tim Carney of the conservative Washington Examiner. Carney pointed to a number of Republican politicians who got into trouble with the base for associating themselves with health care companies making money off Medicare or the ACA.
Jeb is also in favor of Common Core education standards, and aligned with some of the big business interests pushing it. However, there is fury from parents on both the Left and the Right over Common Core.
There is more to the story, and I have no doubt that we will come back to it soon and for some time to come.
The Last Word
Also Ari Melber, in for Lawrence O'Donnell on The Last Word, led off that same night with this segment.
New 2014 strategy for Dems? Run on Obamacare
Now that President Obama has embraced the strong ACA enrollment numbers, can Democrats use that to their advantage in this year’s election?
Melber started off with a clip out of this ultra-lying RNC ad:
Then he quoted RNC Communications Director Sean Spicer:
It's clear that Obamacare is the number one, number two, and number three issue going into this election.
Also, the Senate Conservatives Fund
launched an attack on The Obamacare Six, the most vulnerable Senate Democrats:
---> Mark Pryor (D-AR)
---> Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
---> Mark Begich (D-AK)
---> Kay Hagan (D-NC)
---> Mark Udall (D-CO)
---> Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
(See also Talking Points Memo:
Conservative Org Launches Campaign To Defeat The 'Obamacare Six')
But they are not having this argument all to themselves. A look around the Web and dKos in particular finds these stories.
The New Orleans Times-Picayune, supporting Mary Landrieu, editorialized
Legislature should give the people the power to accept extra Medicaid money
A PAC is running pro-Obamacare ads for
Mark Begich in Alaska, as Diaried here:
THIS is how Dems should run on Obamacare
AK-Sen: Pro-Mark Begich (D) PAC Touts Obamacare Success Story In New Ad
Kay Hagan in North Carolina ran a radio ad quoting her likely opponent, Thom Tillis, who called Obamacare "a great idea that can't be paid for". The ad claims that Tillis is trying to have it both ways, praising parts of the law while campaigning to repeal it all.
Real Clear Politics: Dem Sen. Mark Udall: I Would Vote For Obamacare Again
Carbetbagger Scott Brown is having a hard time in New Hampshire against Jeanne Shaheen. He thinks he can make repeal of Obamacare his signature issue, but he can't say whether he is for or against Medicaid expansion in New Hampshire.
Schwartz embraces Obamacare in campaign ad
So that's the worst they can come up with in the Senate, and our strong responses. Next Melber took a look at the Pennsylvania Governor's race.
In an exclusive, Rep. Allyson Schwartz unveils her new gubernatorial ad touting her role in getting the Affordable Care Act passed. She joins Ari Melber and Richard Wolffe.
That's brand-new Kossack Allyson Schwartz running for Governor of Pennsylvania. On Obamacare, and against Republicans who want to get rid of their state's Medicaid expansion.
PA-Gov: I'm Proud to Defend Obamacare
by Allyson Schwartz
14 Comments on Tue Apr 22, 2014 at 10:35 AM EDT with 62 Recommends
PA GOV: One Pennsylvania & an Introduction
by Allyson Schwartz
38 Comments on Wed Apr 09, 2014 at 10:40 AM EDT with 27 Recommends
And there is more. I don't have time to give you the details on this next story.
Rev. Al Sharpton, Politics Nation
Democrats embrace Obamacare
After years of allowing Republicans to dominate the conversation around the Affordable Care Act with their criticism, a growing group of Democrats are beginning to embrace the law and tout its benefits.
Keep it up, Dems, keep it up, MSNBC, and keep it up, Kossacks.
5:27 PM PT: New NYT/Kaiser poll
Close Races in 4 Southern States Could Tip Senate Power Balance
NC Dem +2
AR Dem +10
LA Dem +24
KY GOP +1
Featured on All In with Chris Hayes, who also noted that Democrats running on Obamacare are are polling better than Republicans campaigning against it, like Gov. Bobby Jindal, in these difficult states.