At the time of passage, popular opinion was pretty evenly divided on the reform package, and that factors into account the large effort to make people hysterical with completely false information.
Most Americans approve of the actual goals of this reform, even if they believe outrageous falsehoods about it that were told to them by irresponsible individuals and groups.
Fairly divided .. means 56 opposed and 44 were in favor .. I could see where some might call that fairly close. It also passed pretty much along party lines - though there werwe a few repub senators and congress critters that got special back room deals to sweeten the ante for them to vote for the bill. There are many dems know that are saying they wished they hadn't have voted for it. I bet you don't remember it that way though.
Again, a lot of the people who oppose the reform do so because they have been deliberately misinformed about what the reform does and what it doesn't do.
People who oppose it based on how much it will add to the national debt, how much it funds abortion, and how it establishes Socialism, Communism, or Death Panels, probably half or more of those who oppose it, oppose it based on bullshit.
So, the truth is spin and all the horseshit that has been peddled about health care reform is, what, just good old fashioned hardball politics to protect the powerful few from the general public?
What is truth Gramps .. you are constantly harping about death panels as if they are a reality of life over death and how so many innocent people were mislead by those evil money managers .... you do realize that there will be panels - decisions made by bureaucrats as to whether you as a patient can have certain procedures done .. is this a death panel .. it could be in many cases .. yet you often scoff at this concept ... it is a fiscal reality and will certainly be that way in the future.
Socialism .. well you can make that decision yourself .. and you have.
I personally would have endorsed 'free' health care for everyone - managed by health care groups and with Federal watchdogs and some private watchdogs too.... that didn't happen .. shoot the pill pushers have invested too much money into this .. if we went to generic drugs then heaven forbid the costs of drugs would drop radically and Big Pharm .. who invested quite heavily into the passage of this bill would lose big $$$, So there you go .. govt in bed with Big business .. what a concept .. or is it same as it always was. But Obama promised transparency and less lobbyists .. right .. BS talk .. that is about top spin as a Serena Williams tennis serve.
As it is .. the health care industry gets fatter and fatter .. costs go up and up and up.
I just saw some m#$!#ms burning my flag on national television. Where is the the national outrage. Where is the head of their religion pleading for them to stop. Where is every other religion of the world condemning this action. But threaten to but one holy book and you get death threats.
It certainly pissed me off too ... whaddya going to do .. in this case - turn the other cheek I guess. The protests I saw was in the UK where the strong radical contingent can do what they want.
An interview with The 'sensitive' Ground Zero Mosque Imam: If You Don't Build It, They Will Attack
Big_T
Good for him, he listened to the outcry of the majority of the populace.
Too bad congress didn't hear the outcry from the majority of the populace when they didn't want Obamacare healthcare reform.