What's in a name? Apparently quite a bit, especially when it comes to politics.
Jimmy Kimmel, the Internet's favorite prankster, proves this by hitting the streets to ask everyday people whether they support Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act. Of course, those are actually one and the same, but that doesn't stop the folks here from voicing their strong opinions.
See also: Obamacare Explained: How to Use the Internet for Health Care
The Affordable Care Act, known popularly as "Obamacare," is the law championed by U.S. President Barack Obama's that aims to restructure the American healthcare system by, among other things, opening up online marketplaces for the uninsured. Republic opposition to the law has been a chief driver of the government shutdown that began just after midnight on Tuesday morning.
Much like Kimmel's lampoons of clueless Coachella hipsters and bandwagon Lakers fans, this clip is good for some derisively incredulous laughs. But it also speaks to a bigger truth: The power of language in political debate.
Indeed, the folks Kimmel found here aren't so atypical, according to Ezra Klein of the Washington Post.
"A September Fox News poll found that 'the Affordable Care Act' is viewed five percent points more favorably than 'Obamacare,'" Klein writes. "Among Republicans, the improvement was eight percentage points."
Kimmel's video has become a hit online, with more than 250,000 views in less than a full day on YouTube.
Homepage image: Jimmy Kimmel Live, YouTube