Here are some sophisticated reasons:
The insecurity that Baker describes was real, and some people will realize that the ACA means they no longer have that worry, or at least not to the same extent. Still, there are several barriers to it being a voting issue. For one, people tend to be optimists about their own prospects, and no candidate wants to campaign by telling voters they are more likely to lose their jobs (and their insurance) than they realize. Also, the ACA only provides access, not a seamless guarantee of constant coverage, making it harder for the press (and politicians) to easily describe how it gives people more security.
And then there’s the gap between recognizing a benefit and vote choice. […]
Let’s set aside the psychology of the voter who may or may not acknowledge the importance of Obamacare to their well-being and get to the nub of this issue: the people who benefit from Obamacare the most vote the least, especially in mid-term elections. If Democrats can find some way to magick them to the polls this election, I doubt that there will be a lot of cognitive dissonance in their polling booths. But between voter suppression, the fact that this group lacks transportation to the polls, their tendency to work multiple jobs and to have kids who need child care, this group doesn’t vote as much as, say, Medicare recipients.
(via Kevin Drum)
Obamacare Isn’t an Automatic Vote GetterPost + Comments (50)