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For all the launch problems with Obamacare, the political consequences of that debacle in the 2014 congressional races remain very uncertain because what Republicans are offering as an alternative — repeal and replace — is less popular than fixing the law and continuing to implement it.
For Democrats, the message strategy in 2014 on Obamacare is all about avoiding a referendum on the new law and instead setting up a choice for voters between the less than perfect reforms and the GOP alternative. It’s not rocket science, but it’s why the lack of real GOP policy alternatives on health care reform comes with a political price for Republicans.
This has been installment #462 in why Democrats are lucky to have Republicans as opponents.
We’ve got a hot new interactive tool for tracking Obamacare enrollment. We’re launching it today and will keep updating it through the end of the open enrollment period in March. See how your state is doing.
Remember, the official nominations period has begun for the 2013 Golden Dukes Awards! We’ve already gotten a slew of great nominations and what I guess we might call open enrollment for Golden Dukes nominations closes on Monday the 16th. So seriously, get your nominations in now. For instructions on submitting your nomination and this year’s categories, see yesterday’s announcement.
Keith Michael Novak, an intelligence analyst with the Minnesota National Guard and self-styled “militia commander” has been charged with stealing the names, Social Security numbers and clearance IDs of some 400 soldiers from Fort Bragg in order to make fake IDs for members of his militia.
The Justice Department just announced that Ryan Loskarn, the chief of staff for Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), was arrested this afternoon on child pornography charges. More here.
We’ve learned this afternoon that the child porn investigation tied to Sen. Lamar Alexander’s (R-TN) chief of staff is being run by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which so far isn’t saying much because the case is still under seal.
We’ve also put together some background about the chief of staff, Ryan Loskarn, who has been placed on leave by Alexander’s office.
Ed Kilgore on what’s really going on with the Republican ‘Civil War’.
Sen. Alexander (R-TN) just announced that his Chief of Staff’s personal residence is currently being searched as part of a child pornography investigation.
For John Boehner the Speakership has been one never-ending dignity loss as he’s been lead around by various high-dollar “Tea Party” groups who run the House in spite of him. Apparently the soul-crushing got too much for him this morning: “”You mean the groups that came out and opposed it before they ever saw it? They’re using our members and they’re using the American people for their own goals. This is ridiculous.” Watch.