Poll: Americans Say Democrats Abused Power to Ram Through Healthcare Takeover

Democrats Used Bad Process to Pass Worse Policy

Democrats ‘Eager’ to Try to Sell Healthcare Takeover to Constituents:

“Play offense and ‘don't run away’ from health care reform. That's the advice Democratic leadership is giving rank-and-file members as they fan out across the country to their home districts with a health care victory in their pocket…‘Members were eager to get out of here, go back to their districts and start talking about this thing,’ Rep. Chris Van Hollen's spokesman Doug Thornell told TPMDC in an interview Friday.” (Christina Bellatoni, “No August Repeats: How the Dems Are Approaching Recess with HCR Victory Behind Them,” Talking Points Memo, 3/29/10)

Too Late: Americans Already Think Dems Abused Power To Pass Healthcare Plan:

“Now Gallup has released some new numbers that shed a bit of light on this: ‘Regardless of whether you favored or opposed the health care legislation passed this week, do you think the methods the Democratic leaders in Congress used to get enough legislation — were [they] an abuse of power, or were [they] an appropriate use of power by the party that controls the majority in Congress? Abuse of power: 53%. Appropriate use of power: 40%. No opinion 7%.’  A surprising 58% of independents, too, said Dem tactics constituted an abuse of power.” (Greg Sargent, “Gallup: Majority Says Dem Health Reform Tactics Were ‘Abuse of Power,’ The Plum Line, 3/31/10)