National Journal - poll for week of 1/25/10
Bloggers Agree: Dems Have To Create Jobs
Both Sides Also Take A Fresh Look At Health Care Reform After The Massachusetts Senate Upset
National Journal has their latest poll where Right-side and Left-side bloggers are asked whether or not passing Healthcare "reform" (er, nationalization) would help Democrats or hurt them. Also, what does the MA Senate race results of Scott Brown winning portend for each political Party?
As always, click on over to see all the comments (although, being in NH, I'm singling out the NH based ones here):
1. Which of these pieces of legislation, if enacted, would help the Democrats' political prospects in the midterm elections?
Right:
Job creation 57.9% Deficit reduction 52.6% Healthcare reform 21.1% Financial regulation 15.8% Immigration reform 5.3% Tax on Big Banks 5.3% Climate Change 0.0% None of the above 15.8% Left:
Job creation 83.0% Healthcare reform 61.1% Financial regulation 55.6% Tax on Big Banks 38.9% Climate Change 22.2% Deficit reduction 22.2% Immigration reform 16.7%
2. Given the outcome of the Massachusetts Senate race, what would be best politically for <Pick your party> on health care reform?
Right:
House approves Senate bill 33.3% Congress adopts significantly scaled back bill 4.8% Congress passes compromise between House, Senate bills 9.5% Healthcare reform is shelved for 2010 47.6% Other (volunteered) 4.8%
Left:
House approves Senate bill 40.0% Congress adopts significantly scaled back bill 13.3% Congress passes compromise between House, Senate bills 26.7% Healthcare reform is shelved for 2010 13.3% Other (volunteered) 6.7%
My answers after the jump:
1. Which of these pieces of legislation, if enacted, would help the Democrats' political prospects in the midterm elections?
Climate change
Deficit reduction - X
Financial regulation
Health care reform
Immigration reform
Job creation - X
Tax on big banks
My Comment:
"if enacted" - "if enacted the right way" should be the operative phrase. The Progressives have already done things in these areas - badly, to be judged by current results. IF they approach Deficit Reduction by slashing spending (instead of raising taxes), that might help. Emphasizing policies that stimulate PRIVATE Sector job creation (instead of the Progressive "Big Government jobs solve all ills") will both give confidence to the public AND raise revenues. But sadly, the Dems never seem to learn from history that Govt is a dragging influence on the private sector - not a boosting one.
And from the socialist Progressive haunt side of New Hampshire:
Three things: "Jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs and jobs. It would be almost criminal political malpractice to concede economic populism to the GOP. Also: real access to affordable health care that voters can obtain before November." Dean Barker, Blue Hampshire
The problem with Dean's solution is that he refuses to do what most Progressives refuse to acknowledge:
- Bigger government will CRUSH job creation as it demands fealty to more and more regulations and more paperwork
- It will suck more and more money from the private sector that is necessary to create jobs - WHY would an employer hire more employees that will cost them more and more???
Oh wait - Dean has a GOVERNMENT JOB so he hasn't a clue!
2. Given the outcome of the Massachusetts Senate race, what would be best politically for <Pick your party> on health care reform?
House approves Senate bill - X
Congress adopts significantly scaled back bill
Congress passes compromise between House, Senate bills
Healthcare reform is shelved for 2010
Other (volunteered)
Comment/other:
The Founders' vision was to have a limited Govt so as to have maximum individual Liberty. Thus, the Federal role, if to be consistent with that, should be reform healthcare so as to NOT be in charge over the people, saying what they can and cannot do. Rather, they should be leveling the field in such a way that would allow all producers to compete in all states and allow the people to purchase what is best for them (without interference from elites that know better than us). The Feds should also change the tax code that so distorts this marketplace so that individuals have the same advantages as corporations.
Teddy/ObamaCare - R.I.P.
Once again, from the Progressive side of NH:
"Least worst option: House approves the Senate bill, and later fixes some of the budgetary concerns ('Cadillac' tax) through reconciliation." Dean Barker, Blue Hampshire
