By Donald Lambro,Washington Times
Queen Nancy Pelosi has the votes and she will pass Obamacare
Public support for the Obama administration’s sweeping government health care reforms is declining as opponents continue to pack congressional town-hall meetings with some analysts suggesting the president may have to settle for more modest legislation.
Public-policy analysts say that nearly two weeks of intense and often angry town-hall debate back home during August recess has thrown the White House on the defensive and turned its hopes for a full-blown overhaul of the health care system into a steeper climb.
"Publicity attached to town halls has kept the administration from framing the debate to its advantage. They have their work cut out for the rest of the month,"said Thomas E. Mann,senior analyst in governance studies at the liberal Brookings Institution.
But Mr. Mann said he still believes "a modest health reform bill,passed exclusively by Democrats,with [Maine Sen. Olympia J.] Snowe the only possible Republican vote in support,will clear Congress by the end of the year. But there will be many ups and downs before getting there."