As vulnerable Democrats uneasily defend their votes for Obamacare, and prominent White House alumni predict significant changes to it, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is confidently asserting that Democrats are "embracing" the unpopular law. Sundry press reports tell a different story, including this assessment from a New York Times reporter:
Then again, Pelosi's wildly unrealistic Obamacare assertions have become the stuff of legend. Why might Democrats feel motivated to "disassociate" themselves with Obamacare? Beyond the polling, the law's outcomes are directly contradicting the promises upon which the law was sold -- and average people are noticing. In California, newly enrolled consumers are complaining about their new coverage network's narrow options, while taxpayers aren't pleased about footing the bill for costly and ineffective promotional campaigns:
"They can't find any doctor -- let alone a quality one -- to accept their new insurance."
And in North Carolina -- where incumbent Sen. Kay Hagan has literally run away from Obamacare questions -- many customers continue to face unexpected bouts of sticker shock:
"Almost everyone I've talked to, their insurance has gone up."
The woman in that clip appears to be one of the many uninsured Americans who are wary of Obamacare due to high prices. Numerous independent studies have shown that only a small fraction of the "newly insured" through Obamacare's exchanges lacked previous coverage. The Washington Post reported last month that as many as 90 percent of eligible uninsured Americans had declined to obtain insurance through Obamacare plans, with the largest factor being unaffordable costs. Insurance industry sources say premiums will rise substantially in 2015, as aggregate health costs surged at the fastest rate in years last quarter.
