Fear Tactics: Turning Out To Be a Hard Sell

There is a legitimate public policy debate to be had around Barack Obama's and the Democrats health care proposal. Someone could be taking the Republicans plan, even though they complain that Democrats are not considering it, and they could present it to the American people.

There are many who believe that the sum and substance of the policy continues to allow the free market to treat health as a commodity, allowing the insurance companies to make off with billions of dollars while leaving anywhere near 37-50 million Americans uninsured or under insured. But, if there is real alternative Republican representation to be considered, then the country deserves to read about, hear about and support it or not.

Instead, we have been treated to a tragic theater of scare tactics: death panels, forced abortions, hysterical claims of socialism and rationed health care.

The President of the United States has been demeaned and disrespected in the process. When pointed out that some of these attacks are race based, then cries of being unable to criticize a black president without charges of racism are unfair. (personally, I find it odd that all of these rallies, with the president depicted as Hitler, a socialist or a facist have almost no minorities among them, but, there you go).

Fortunately it looks as if the American pubic isn't buying what the extremists are selling.

A majority of Americans believe many of the claims about health care legislation are distortions or "scare tactics," according to a new Bloomberg poll.

Take the so-called "death panels" charge raised by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and others. The House bill calls for "advanced care planning consultations" that would reimburse doctors for talking with patients once every five years about end-of-life care. Sixty-three percent of those polled believe the "death panel" moniker is a distortion or scare tactic compared to 30 percent who said it is a legitimate criticism.

The news from the poll is not all rosy toward the Obama administration. For instance 52% believe that the country is on the wrong track.

Most (48%) are pessimistic about the governments health care plan and most (56%) are pessimistic about a plan being passed by the end of the year.

But, according to the poll Obama's 'net favorable' is 61% and his job approval rating is at 56%.

More to the point of health care, most of those polled believe characterize rationed health care, socialized medicine and government funded abortions as 'distortions and scare tactics'.

The entire poll can be seen here.

So if the distortions and scare tactics aren't working, will we now get down to real substantive policy debate? Or will the opposition just yell their claims louder?

Based on what we've seen so far, I suggest that you cover your ears...