Democrats mystified about the sour mood of the public might want to stop putting their fingers in their ears and humming each time another dose of reality is offered up. In the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, MSNBC tells us:

In the survey, only 33 percent say President Obama’s health-reform effort is a good idea, versus 46 percent who consider it a bad idea. That result is essentially unchanged from last month’s poll. However, the number saying that Obama’s health plan is a bad idea has increased 20 percentage points since April, when the public supported the reform effort by a 33-26 percent margin.

So it really isn’t a mystery. The Democrats made health-care reform their signature issue. It’s not the public’s primary issue; jobs and the economy are. And what the Democrats came up with is anathema to the public. So opposition builds — along with enthusiasm and, yes, anger.

But the Democratic leadership is not to be dissuaded. According to this report: “Democrats were coalescing Tuesday around a plan to force the Senate’s version of health-care reform through the House if Republican Scott Brown wins the Massachusetts Senate seat.” Because if 46 percent of the people oppose ObamaCare (more in other polling), then ObamaCare forced through in lightning speed and with no regard for the mere whims of voters is the solution, right? Well Republicans can hardly believe their opponents’ density:

Republicans were already drawing up their lists of vulnerable Democrats in the House who they think will likely vote against any health-care bill now, even if Coakley were to win.“It seems that that brain trust in the White House made a decision last January that they were willing to march 20 more centrist Democrats through a buzz saw to pass their ideological, liberal agenda. I don’t think they figured on a public revolt — on such backlash on it so quickly,” said Brad Dayspring, spokesman for House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, Virginia Republican.

“The president has lost 20 points in one year because of it, and now over 50 Democrats could lose their seats because of it,” Dayspring said. “The question for House Democrats now is whether they are willing to lose the majority, lose their seats, for a bill that they probably don’t like anyway. Their game plan seems to say they are.”

 We’ll see how things look a day or two after the election results. At some point, the Democratic leadership may find there aren’t 218 members to follow them over the political cliff.

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