Why Opposing Health Care Was Politically Bad For GOP

Via Pensito Review: A new Gallup finds the highest group of voters uninsured are independents. 48 percent of independent voters are without health insurance. 31 percent of Democratic voters are without health insurance. 17 percent of Republicans are uninsured. 36 percent of Democrats are on Medicare. Independents are next at 33 percent.

The Republican Party opposed to bill to appease the independents voters known as the Tea Party. The GOP's problem is their voter base is strinking. Democrats registered record numbers of voters in 2008. The Tea Party independents have long voted Republican.

Mark Blumenthal makes a strong argument that only 10 percent of independent voters can shift for either party. Third Party candidates are competing with Republicans for fundraising dollars. Democrats will use the health care bill to woe Democratic-leaning independents. Proof the Tea Party strategy was bad for the GOP: Democrats are still raising more money than Republicans.

Conservative David Frum wrote how attempts to repeal the health care bill would be a political and policy failure for Republicans.

No illusions please: This bill will not be repealed. Even if Republicans scored a 1994 style landslide in November, how many votes could we muster to re-open the “doughnut hole” and charge seniors more for prescription drugs? How many votes to re-allow insurers to rescind policies when they discover a pre-existing condition? How many votes to banish 25 year olds from their parents’ insurance coverage? And even if the votes were there – would President Obama sign such a repeal?

That is a message of hope to sell to voters.