Dem Strategy: Don't, Um, Brag About that Really Unpopular Health Care Bill

A headline in the LA Times: "Democratic candidates all but ignore their legislative successes: Avoid bragging, strategists advise, and warn against putting Republicans back in charge."

As Democrats fan out across the country to campaign for reelection this month, many are surprisingly quiet about their hard-won accomplishments — the major bills they have passed under President Obama.

In an effort coordinated with the White House, congressional leaders are urging Democrats to focus less on bragging about what they have done — a landmark healthcare law, a sweeping overhaul of Wall Street regulation and other far-reaching policy changes — and more on efforts to fix the economy and on the perils of Republican control of Congress.

You see, it's not that Democrats are scared to talk about the "landmark" legislation they passed. They're just too goshdarned humble to brag about it. Well, actually: "Democratic strategists privately acknowledge that their party's legislative record, while far-reaching and popular with party regulars, has limited political benefit in swing districts and in a stubbornly sluggish economy." 

"Limited political benefit in swing districts" is one way of putting it. But the word toxic might be a little more accurate.