GOP Desperation Over Obamacare Growing

It is obvious that the Republican desperation over Obamacare is growing. They have now voted in the House to repeal (or defund) it 40 times. And Republicans in both the House and Senate are threatening to shut down the government (by refusing to raise the debt ceiling or refusing to extend the budget resolution) if Obamacare (the Affordable Care Act) is not completely defunded. Completely defunding it would kill it as surely as if it was repealed.

The chart above can give us a clue as to why the GOP desperation is growing. The chart above, from the website Democracy Corps, shows the views of seniors before, during, and after the implementation of the Medicare drug benefit. Before and during the implementation the feeling toward the program was more negative than positive. But less than three months after the program was fully implemented that changed, and most seniors then viewed the program more positively than negatively.

The fact is that most people are afraid of change -- any kind of change. But once the change happens, and they see it was good, then they accept it. And that is what is happening with Obamacare. A portion of the public is opposed to it right now, partially because they are afraid of change and partially because of Republicans lying about the program to play on that natural fear.

But the Republicans know, just like the rest of us do, that once Obamacare has been fully implemented, and the people see the change was good (or at least not as bad as they had feared), most people will accept the program -- and then it will be impossible to repeal it (just like the public would not stand for Social Security or Medicare to be repealed). And time is running out for the GOP, since most of Obamacare will finish being implemented in 2014. If they can't repeal it now, they won't ever be able to do it.

I don't worry too much about the threat to shut down the government to repeal Obamacare. Even if such a ridiculous measure got through Congress, the president would veto it. After all, it is his signature piece of legislation -- the thing his administration will be remembered for. And shutting down the government to try and do that will just damage the GOP brand with the public (which even some Republicans are starting to realize).

Obamacare will be accepted by most people once it is fully implemented. It's not perfect, but no one will want to go back to rising prices for less insurance coverage. And that is why the Republicans are showing so much desperation right now.