[orbidewa]

Lawmakers doing the people's work. More people want the law amended, even expanded, than repealed. When polls ask broadly if people like it or not, the nots are in the majority.

But if they ask specifically what they want changed, those wanting it repealed completely fall into a tiny, single-digit minority. Those who want it expanded are a much larger population than those who want it repealed. And those who want a specific provision adjusted but keep the rest make up the largest portion.

TPM: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2...ls.php?ref=fpb

An effort spearheaded by Republicans to repeal the new health care law collapsed Wednesday evening after the Senate refused to ignore its adverse impact on the deficit.

By a vote of 47-51, the Senate sustained an objection to the legislation on the grounds that it does not comply with congressional budget rules. Because a full repeal of the law is projected to increase the deficit, waiving that point of order would have required 60 votes.

But even if Democrats had allowed a straight up or down vote on the amendment, it likely would have failed. No Democrats voted with the GOP to remove the objection, giving them fewer than the 51 they'd need to successfully repeal it. Republicans -- and, really, everyone else -- have been expecting this outcome for months. And while this blunts their head-on efforts at repeal, they've always expected that their best chances to destroy or chip away at the law will come either via the courts, spending bills or amendments to the law meant to weaken it.