In Washington, there is an old saying.  If you want a friend, get a dog.   Figuratively speaking, it looks like Obamacare needs to find a dog.  The bad news about Obamacare and its implementation problems started as a trickle earlier this year but as it gets closer to October 1 when the Exchanges are suppose to be available for open season, troubling news is gushing out practically daily.  From reports of Capitol Hill Staff and Members of Congress trying to get out from underneath participating in Obamacare to large labor unions demanding major changes…or else… the reports just keep getting worse.

There is an interesting column by Scott Clement in today’s Washington Post, which shows moderate to conservative Democrats are abandoning Obamacare.  Clement rightly points out that Obamacare has never been very popular since its inception.  Polling data according to Real Clear Politics shows that Obamacare’s popularity never went above 50% with the U.S. public.  Granted, there were always positive feelings for Obamacare among Democrats but recent polling shows support for the law among moderate to conservative Democrats has significantly dropped – from a high of 76% in 2009, to a new low of 47%.  According to Clement, this is contributing to an overall decline of support among Democrats from 68% last year to 58% this year, the lowest since the law was enacted in 2010.

This news has inspired some Senate Republicans to threaten a government shutdown if any government resolution funds Obamacare for next year.  And just last week, House Republicans voted to give President Obama the authority to delay the employer mandate until 2015.  Plus, they passed a bill that postpones the requirement for individuals to purchase health coverage until 2015 as well.  (Here are the votes for the two bills, which include 35 and 22 Democrats respectively.)

Now the date to watch is October 1 to see what employers will do.  Many are already cutting employees’ hours to less than 30 per week to avoid the Obamacare mandates.  Just recently, Wegmans, the grocery chain based in Buffalo, NY, cut benefits to their part-time employees because of Obamacare.  This is too bad because Wegmans was one of the few companies that gave part-timers health benefits.  Will other employers follow suit?

Woof. Woof.