Sunday, August 08, 2010

With a one-two punch, voters rejecting health care bill

The first reviews are in concerning the government-mandated health care bill passed in March, and it's not looking good for President Barack Obama and his Democratic colleagues.

On Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Henry Hudson denied the federal government's motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the Commonwealth of Virginia challenging the constitutionality of the massive federal health care bill passed. Judge Hudson ruled that Virginia does indeed have a standing to bring its lawsuit seeking to invalidate the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and ruled that injury had been suffered by the Commonwealth since the federal law would invalidate the Health Care Freedom Act. Strike one for Obama and the Democrats.

On Tuesday ObamaCare was put before the citizens of Missouri. "Proposition C" sought to exempt Missouri from the insurance mandate currently demanded by the federal bill. In an overwhelming defeat, voters approved of Proposition C, with 71% turning their backs on ObamaCare and the Democratic health care bill. One voter even referred to it as the "vote heard round the world." Strike two for Obama and the Democrats.

The voter opposition should come as no surprise to the Obama administration and the Democratic Party. Their original goal was to push nationalized health care and have it passed by the summer of 2009. They did not expect the tremendous outpouring of negativity from the American people who protested at summer recess town hall meetings and participated in the 9/12 March on Washington in which upwards of 1.2 million citizens protested federal health care outside the Capitol in the fall of 2009.

After much arm-twisting and deal-making, the bill was finally passed in March 2010 against the will of the majority of the American people. Many vowed to have the bill repealed and went to work contacting their representatives even as naysayers suggested that, once in place, such a massive mandate could not be reversed.

Could this week's results in Virginia and Missouri begin a tsunami across the nation leading into the November elections? Political pundits have taken notice and wonder if Missouri could be a bellwether of the mid-terms.

Poll after poll have suggested Republicans may sweep into office by the dozens this fall. Opposition to nationalized health care and Democratic attempts to override state governments on issues such as illegal immigration is growing. Voters, tired of being ignored, are letting their voices be heard at the ballot box.

Could 2010, as suggested by Washington Examiner senior political analyst Michael Barone, be another 1966? Are Democrats heading for a political disaster?

Cross-posted at The Washington Examiner

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