Are GOP House  Members and American Public “Extremists” in Opposing Health Law?

Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice…Moderation in pursuit of justice is no virtue..

Senator Barry Goldwater (1909-1998)

When applied to Obamacare, you see the word “extremism” loosely tossed around a lot these days.   If you read the mainstream media,  you might conclude the GOP-dominated House of Representatives is a hornet’s nest of “right-wing extremists,” a nesting place for Tea Party activists and other extremists.   This may be because The House has voted 40 times to oppose  the health care law,  Obama’s “signature achievement,” according to Obama ideological soulmates, in his first term.

But is the House of Representatives full of "extremists"?  Before you jump to that conclusion, keep in mind this salient fact: the House position reflects the opinion of the American people, who do not believe Obamacare is yet ready for prime time,  for full scale implementation.

·         An April 2013 Kaiser Poll  asked,  “Should Obamacare opponents continue to try to stop it , so it has less impact on taxpayers, employers, and health care providers?”  The answer was a resounding “Yes,” by a 53% to 33% margin,  huge in conventional pollster circles.

·        A July 12 2013 Rasmussen Poll by a  margin of 56% to 25%, found that Americans favored delaying the individual mandate, which effects them all.

Is it possible that the majority opinion of the House of Representatives reflects the majority opinion of Americans?  The House, after all, consists of  435 members of a co-equal branch of government, democratically elected every two years to reflect what Americans think.   The Senator only turns over one-third of its 100  members every two years.  Therefore, you could argue the House is more represenative of current American opinion on Obamacare.

From now to the end of the year,  the GOP House and by extension, the American people, whom  they represent,  face daunting budgetary choices -  Delay Obamacare?  Avoid a government shutdown?  Raise the debt ceiling? Whatever they decide, the will run the risk of being labeled as “extremists,”  as agents of economic chaos.   Political extremism, like Janus, the Roman God of doorways, has two faces. looking in opposite directions. One man's extremist is another man's centrist.

Tweet:  Polls indicate GOP house of representatives and Americans, whom they represent,  want health reform law  changed before it is implemented