Video: Texas Dem blows up when challenged on ObamaCare

How testy are Democrats going home from Congress to campaign in their districts? If this video of Rep. Ciro Rodriguez (D-TX) gives any indication, it may be the incumbents who are powder kegs and not their constituents. Last year, Democrats claimed that they couldn’t hold town hall meetings because of worries over potential violence from opposition to ObamaCare. The Texas Democrat seems to demonstrate that Democrats may have had a slight case of projection:

Mike Flynn at Big Government boils it down to its essence:

Rep. Rodriguez is an elected official with a duty to represent his constituents in Congress, no matter their political persuasion, and, he volunteered and asked for this job. He wasn’t ordered into this position by some judge, as some kind of sentence. He wants this job. It is a bit stunning that, at the first sign of criticism, he loses his temper so quickly. A confident politician would have been able to field this question.

When called out on it, ought to have been able to field the questions in a manner that didn’t resort to threats and a violent outburst. That he couldn’t tells you all you need to know about the political landscape today.

My friends, there is only one word to describe what you see in this video: PANIC.

Furthermore, this looks like a premeditated outburst.  For a year, Democrats have offered one false set of numbers after another on ObamaCare, as exemplified yet again last week by the IRS admission that they don’t have the resources to enforce the insurance mandate — and Democrats’ admission that they don’t know what the IRS needs to do it.  Certainly Rodriguez would have known that constituents would challenge his numbers when meeting with them, especially if he planned on rationalizing his support on CBO projections for health-care spending without ObamaCare.  Slamming the newspaper down in front of the constituent looks like a planned bit of theater that Rodriguez intended to boost his testicular quotient among the base; it’s likely to backfire instead.

To Rodriguez’ point, though, perhaps he should recheck his numbers with the CBO before citing them as an authority.  They have already dismantled his argument that ObamaCare saves money over the long term.

If you’re in TX-23, Rodriguez’ district, there is hope.  Francisco Canseco will challenge the incumbent in November, so perhaps it’s time to get to know him.

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