Human beings are change averse. We get a job, it’s not the best job in the world, but it’s interesting enough, so we settle down and stop looking. We find a decent hairdresser (well, OK, I don’t, but other people do) and we know that there’s probably a better one out there somewhere, but ours is friendly and reasonably competent, so we stick with him.
Exactly the same tendency applies to our political preferences, which is why Obamacare is proving tougher than expected to dismantle. The case against the current healthcare model is so familiar that it hardly needs to be rehearsed anymore. Obamacare pushes up both taxes and premiums; it deters small businesses from taking on full-time staff; it adds layers of complexity to an already byzantine healthcare system. These drawbacks have gone from being theoretical to being immediate to most Americans, and were a large part of why Republican candidates did so well at all levels six months ago.
