Megan McArdle links to a well-researched piece that basically makes that argument, despite what a lot of other pundits are saying about health care not being the big issue. I have to wonder how much of a role polls, showing Americans are most concerned about the economy are playing into this. I myself have been polled in regards to issues this election, and also answered the economy was my chief worry. I’m always reluctant to answer this way because I don’t think government is a magic jobs fairy, that can correct our economic woes if they would just do X, Y, and Z. A better question might be “What has Congress done this session that’s pissed you off the most?” My answer there would definitely be passing the health care monstrosity.
Anecdotally, the Health Care issue would seem to be a big issue in Pennsylvania. It was a bloodbath for Dems that voted for it. Sestak, Dalkemper, Carney, Kanjorski, and Murphy all voted for it, and all went down to defeat. Demcorats Jason Altmire and Tim Holden voted against it, and all held on to their seats. Pennsylvania Democrats also tried to make Corbett’s joining the lawsuit against Obamacare an issue in the election, and Corbett won overwhelmingly. I think people were more angry over health care than pundits are giving them credit for. I think this was an anger driven election rather than a concern driven election.
In my humble opinion it is all connected. the Government officials were not listening. The People did not want a health care overhaul. They wanted reforms, ways to make it better, and maybe ways to bring down costs. But they didn’t want National Healthcare.
They wanted jobs, they wanted big government to stop regulation controls that stop small business start ups. (My town had a regulation on taxing home businesses, which is gone now)
They wanted people/officials to listen and work to resolve the zillions of petty political arguments. I will also add that this was not a Rebublican Mandate for anything other than listening and follow the Peoples direction! Don’t get cocky you elephants, if you don’t do what the People want, we will replace you to! The rules have changed! Most of us can read now!
I think it’s also hard to quantify at this point how much it affected the elections. Sure, people were angry over ObamaCare at the time, and are probably still angry about it and factored that into their decisions. But right now, at the time these questions are being asked, people are most concerned about the economy – ObamaCare passed and repeal is unlikely, so psychologically it takes a back seat to more current concerns when people are asked.
The “Health” bill affects a subset [large but not the entirety] of economic troubles and the Federal [well, Ds] approach to them, which is to limit or eliminate choice[s] rather than increase them. Thus, yes, polls will reflect that the economy as a whole is the greater concern.
Governments of all stripes have one blindingly asinine policy, and have had for many centuries. When people are making money taxes can be raised because they citizens will still be a bit better off, and when people are NOT making increasing money taxes must be raised to provide “help/protection.”