One of the biggest problems America faces is the deep chasm between the views of most Democrats and most Republicans. For these groups, ideology or party identification triumphs over reality on a regular basis. I am not talking about the fact that people see things through the prism of their political viewpoints; that has always been the case. No, at the present time we have people who are unable to perceive reality because it conflicts with their partisan views.
Let's look at some examples:
1. In the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC poll, respondents who had heard coverage about the problems with the roll out of Obamacare were asked if what they had heard made them more confident, less confident or unchanged in their view of the ultimate success of the program. Among Republicans, numbers were 63% less confident, 35% unchanged and 1% more confident. Among Democrats, the numbers were 20% less confident, 63% unchanged and 16% more confident. Independents broke down with 40% less confident, 50% unchanged and 9% more confident. Think about that. The website for Obamacare is still not working one month after the roll out. Millions of folks are losing their coverage and remain unable to obtain replacement policies. Prices are extremely high and deductibles have gone through the roof. That makes one-sixth of the Democrats MORE confident in the success of Obamacare? I can understand people being unchanged, although I do not agree with that view. But MORE confident in success is a delusional position. You can be sure that if this were Bushcare and a Republican program those same 16% would be much less confident.
2. Every day, I get emails from all sorts of political groups (I am nearly everyone's mailing list). One persistent email comes from a group which will remain nameless but which writes at least weekly seeking my support for ousting Mitch McConnell from his senate seat in Kentucky. McConnell's crime in the eyes of this group is that he has not been strong enough in his support for conservative principles. A good example of this is the deal made last January to end the fight over the Bush tax cuts. McConnell managed to get president Obama to agree that tax rates for every one making under $450,000 per year would stay the same. Those with higher incomes had their taxes raised back to the old Clinton rates. It was a major victory for the Republicans. Fully ninety-nine and a half percent of the country avoided the tax increases that Obama wanted to impose. My emails from this group, however, talk about how McConnell sold out the position of opposition to tax cuts. This is delusional. Had McConnell fought on, every American would have gotten hit with a tax increase.
We all need to get serious about looking at reality.
Let's look at some examples:
1. In the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC poll, respondents who had heard coverage about the problems with the roll out of Obamacare were asked if what they had heard made them more confident, less confident or unchanged in their view of the ultimate success of the program. Among Republicans, numbers were 63% less confident, 35% unchanged and 1% more confident. Among Democrats, the numbers were 20% less confident, 63% unchanged and 16% more confident. Independents broke down with 40% less confident, 50% unchanged and 9% more confident. Think about that. The website for Obamacare is still not working one month after the roll out. Millions of folks are losing their coverage and remain unable to obtain replacement policies. Prices are extremely high and deductibles have gone through the roof. That makes one-sixth of the Democrats MORE confident in the success of Obamacare? I can understand people being unchanged, although I do not agree with that view. But MORE confident in success is a delusional position. You can be sure that if this were Bushcare and a Republican program those same 16% would be much less confident.
2. Every day, I get emails from all sorts of political groups (I am nearly everyone's mailing list). One persistent email comes from a group which will remain nameless but which writes at least weekly seeking my support for ousting Mitch McConnell from his senate seat in Kentucky. McConnell's crime in the eyes of this group is that he has not been strong enough in his support for conservative principles. A good example of this is the deal made last January to end the fight over the Bush tax cuts. McConnell managed to get president Obama to agree that tax rates for every one making under $450,000 per year would stay the same. Those with higher incomes had their taxes raised back to the old Clinton rates. It was a major victory for the Republicans. Fully ninety-nine and a half percent of the country avoided the tax increases that Obama wanted to impose. My emails from this group, however, talk about how McConnell sold out the position of opposition to tax cuts. This is delusional. Had McConnell fought on, every American would have gotten hit with a tax increase.
We all need to get serious about looking at reality.
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