In his column in Newsweek, George Will, writing about Barack Obama and health care, says, “His incessant talking cannot combat what it has caused: An increasing number of Americans do not believe that he believes what he says.” Will then catalogs why we have come to this pass. It is a powerfully and persuasively argued case. Will’s piece includes this ominous sign for Democrats:

McConnell notes … that never in his 25 Senate years have Republicans polled close to Democrats when the question is: Which party do you trust most to deal with health care? Until now. Last week’s polling: Democratic Party, 41; Republican Party, 39—a statistical dead heat. On a generic ballot question—which party do you intend to vote for?—the GOP has gone from down 12 points to dead even since November. Independents defected in droves from the GOP in 2006 and 2008, but today only one third of them view Obama’s handling of health care favorably.

The anti-Obama wave continues to build. When it hits shore in the form of elections—starting seven weeks from now, in governors’ races in New Jersey and Virginia—I suspect Democrats will incur an awful lot of damage.