Begich Punches Back Against GOP’s Obamacare Attacks: ‘Fix It’

FILE - This March 3, 2014 file photo shows Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, as he speaks to reporters after a joint session of the Alaska Legislature in Juneau, Alaska. The top prize of the November midterm elections is c... FILE - This March 3, 2014 file photo shows Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, as he speaks to reporters after a joint session of the Alaska Legislature in Juneau, Alaska. The top prize of the November midterm elections is control of the Senate for the final two years of President Barack Obama’s administration, with Republicans needing to pick up six more seats to take over. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File) MORE LESS
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Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK), a vulnerable incumbent who like many of his fellow Democrats has faced attacks over Obamacare, is attempting to counter with a new radio ad that trots out the tried-and-true Democratic rebuttal: “Fix it.”

In the spot, which debuted Tuesday, Begich acknowledges frustration with the law, but points to proposals — like a bill that would allow insurance companies to offer a cheaper plan than currently allowed — as evidence that he is working to improve it.

“To me this is a critical core issue for Alaskans. When I think about the health care law, frustrated, disappointed, you can put a lot of words towards it,” Begich says in the minute-long ad. “But everyday I work to try to fix it because the way Alaskans operate, we come together to learn how to solve the problems and move forward.”

While Obamacare has largely faded as a national electoral issue, Begich is still under attack for it. American Crossroads went up with an ad this week, and it put down $927,000 on TV air time, that focuses on the criticisms of the law.

Begich currently trails Republican candidate Dan Sullivan, 46.3 percent to 42.3 percent, according to TPM’s PollTracker average.

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Notable Replies

  1. Wouldn’t fixing it require that Republicans actually generate ideas?

    That’s a tall order.

  2. Are candidates running ads showcasing the positive aspects of the ACA?
    Seems that would be better than agreeing things are wrong with it and it needs fixing. I mean a lot of laws can be altered to be better but it the foundation is good why not tout that?

  3. Crossroads ad: “Mark Begich votes with Obama 97% of the time”

    I had no idea President Obama was on the ballot in November. And besides, it’s not as if Republicans aren’t partisan either, which of these Republicans actually broke with their party against the gridlock/obstructionism?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RKUfTb88Rs
  4. You can fix the broken parts of the law, but you can’t fix the Black part of it.

  5. Imagine an occupation where one can criticize something extensively. And then, when asked for viable suggestions, go mum.

    This type of occupation does not exist in the Military, in corporate practice, in academic circles. It only exists in American politics, specifically, Congressional Politics.

    And it only does so because the Fourth Estate is deeply invested in the Permanent Horse Race of what is now a Permanent Campaign, which is a feature of an Industry (with real, mostly geriatric, consumers) which is now just as real as the Banking Industry, the Petroleum Industry, the Pharmaceutical Industry, the Automotive Industry and the Entertainment Industry.

    And which is an integreal PART of all of the above Industries

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