Obama's Organizers Beg for Positive Obamacare Stories

Worried by a wave of popular outrage at Obamacare, the activists of President Barack Obama’s community organizing arm, Organizing for Action, are urging members to share positive stories about the president’s flagship domestic policy. In an email to volunteers in Los Angeles, organizers note that “we are making a big effort to document the stories of people who have benefited from Obamacare” to counter negative stories.

Organizing for Action is also asking members to write letters to local media: “We are also encouraging all of you to spend a few minutes each week to write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper about how you, or someone you know, has been helped by Obamacare. The letters must be brief and some newspapers ask you to refer to an article in their paper related to your subject.” Training in letter-writing is provided by the group.

The president’s allies have reason to be worried. A poll released Thursday by the Kaiser Family Foundation revealed that opposition to Obamacare has risen dramatically among uninsured Americans, to 47% (as opposed to 24% who are in favor, a striking 2:1 ratio). Organizing for Action attributes the poor polling to bad media coverage, and hopes to use its vast network of donors and activists to generate positive media in response.