The Thursday edition of the Morning Jolt features a funeral for the individual mandate, a lot of ominous Russian troop movements around Ukraine’s borders, and then these leading indicators of November . . .
Democratic Panic Watch, Part One
You know the political environment has changed dramatically when Democrats start touting their support for . . . George W. Bush. Seriously.
A longtime House Democrat in electoral jeopardy this fall says he supported former President George W. Bush more than President Obama.
Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.), first elected in 1976, is a top target of Republicans in a state where Obama has long been deeply unpopular. He is facing a state senator, Evan Jenkins, who switched to the GOP to challenge him, and the House Democratic campaign committee recently added him to its “Frontline” list of members that need the most help saving their seat in November…
“I probably have supported George Bush more than I have Barack Obama,” Rahall said. “Am I going to switch parties because of that? No. I’m a Democrat, born a Democrat, am a Democrat and will die a Democrat.”
Indeed, Congressman, and you’ll probably be voted out of office as a Democrat. But considering what we think of the Arlen Specters and Charlie Crists of the world, your determination to stick with your party even when it’s unpopular is admirable on some level.
Democratic Panic Watch, Part Two:
Here’s Representative Lloyd Doggett (D.,Texas) greeting Kathleen Sebelius during her testimony Wednesday:
“So much of the original promise of the Affordable Care Act has been undermined by faulty implementation,” said Representative Lloyd Doggett, Democrat of Texas.
In Texas, Mr. Doggett said, “more than 90 percent of the people for whom we wrote this law have not been covered.” In parts of the state, he said, it is nearly impossible for consumers to obtain “in-person assistance” in selecting a health plan.