Not every bad thing that happens to us is bad, long term. I’ve learned it well; some of life’s biggest blessings arrive unexpectedly, wrapped in the most unsightly dressings. It’s as if the alchemy happens in the waiting. And so it may be for the GOP, as they now get to witness certain Democrats, who supported Obamacare, paying a hefty price for their misdeeds. (And who says there isn’t a God?)
Bad choices have a way of boomeranging back and hitting us in the head. Some call it Karma, the Bible calls it The Law of the Harvest, and, in this case, the GOP should call it a gift - because a growing number of Democrats who spent more than two weeks opposing Republicans’ request for a delay in Obamacare have suddenly seen the light. Signing on to an October 22 letter written by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Democrats are asking the White House to grant an extension to Obamacare’s open-enrollment.
The letter makes it sound as if these liberals are looking out for us, but if that were true, they would not have shut down the government in the first place. Liberals are sort of like that person who tells everyone he’s buying Halloween candy “for the kids” but then has to leave his house lights off October 31 because his belly is bulging and the candy bags are empty.
Seriously, I don’t know how liberals sleep at night knowing a law they passed caused so much chaos in the lives of everyday Americans; millions are losing coverage because their plans don’t meet the ACA’s requirements. Last week in Florida alone, 300,000 people lost their coverage. The Weekly Standard estimates 16 million people will receive cancellation notices and many will experience “some pretty big rate increases.” Besides the Healthcare.gov meltdown, CBS News discovered the site’s “shop and browse” section “a serious pricing problem” wherein premiums are underestimated by half in some cases.
That said, it seems at least some Democrat Congressmen have come to their senses, right? Not even close. Reality has a way of waking us up when cold, hard facts splash us in the face like artic water. And the reality of reelection seems to have inspired some to be less-than-altruistic in their request to delay Obamacare.
It’s creepy how that works. Three weeks ago, those proposing a delay were likened to terrorists, hostage-takers, enemies of the state, insane, and catastrophe creators - but now it’s a common sense idea to push for an extension for those like Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark, whose approval numbers have plummeted 19 percent since last year. Add to that, a recent poll found that Arkansans blame Democrats for the shutdown.
In addition to Pryor, signatories to Shaheen’s letter are Senator Mark Begich, a Democrat from my new, great state of Alaska, as well as Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-La), Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Mark Udall (D-CO), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Michael Bennett (D-CO) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.).
CNN reported all Senate Democrats up for re-election will sign on -- in hopes the administration will throw them a life-line (shrouded under the guise of an extension to help constituents). In reality, an extension extends to at-risk Democrats the gift of extra time to coast through the 2014 election, avoiding the wrath of angry constituents venting with their votes over this unpopular law, its exorbitant costs, and IRS fines.
Things will get worse before they get better. Whether it is now or after HealthCare.gov’s website is finally fixed, Americans will get to know the tangled web that is Obamacare -- that Frankenstein of a bill passed in the darkness of night without a single Republican vote.
Susan Stamper Brown is an opinion page columnist who writes about politics, the economy and culture. Email Susan at writestamper@gmail.com or her website at susanstamperbrown.com