Why the Public Isn't Buying Obama's Health Care Plan

Because there really isn't a plan yet
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 29, 2009 11:49 AM CDT
Why the Public Isn't Buying Obama's Health Care Plan
President Barack Obama participates in an AARP tele-town hall on health care, Tuesday, July 28, 2009, in Washington.   (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

Americans still want health care reform, polls show, but they're losing confidence in the Democrats' plan, and who can blame them, writes writes Nate Silver on FiveThirtyEight.com, because Democrats don’t actually have a plan yet. It probably would've been better if Obama had given them a plan, instead of letting them hash one out on their own, but that's water under the bridge. To win over the public now, they need to clearly and concretely explain what they want to do, and how it’ll drive down costs, and change ordinary Americans’ lives.

The House must pass a bill by Friday if Democrats are to have something to talk about over the recess. Otherwise they’ll be “drowned in a sea of process stories” about stalemates and infighting. Obama, losing popularity because of a non-existent “bill,” should hang back until Democrats have one plan, then deliver a speech—not a town hall, not a press conference, “not some bullshit at a steel mill in Toledo”—one big, make-or-break speech explaining the details. (More health care reform stories.)

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