The Republicans really blew an opportunity. The 'Heritage Foundation' once supported mandated coverage. Newt Gingrich supported the 'individual mandate'.
Had he Republicans played their cards right they could have snatched a victory out of Obama's hands. (1) They could have accused Democrats of having stole their plan. (2) They could have claimed (righteously or not) that it was the Democrats who blocked the Republicans from implementing healthcare overhaul they wanted all along. (3) Could have rallied the citizens behind them which would have allowed them the leverage needed to steer the outcome of this legislation while it was still in committee.
Had they gotten onboard early on they could have looked like the champions for ordinary citizens. They could have taken control of the message and ran with it for themselves. Instead they chose to oppose their own ideas making them look rather hypocritical.
Mitt Romney Once Supported Universal Healthcare
What happened between then & now?
Hint: Obama got elected
Since Obama got elected Republicans have pursued some really bad strategy. Not only for failing to support bipartisan government ideas, but made an even a worse decision for the Republican party brand itself. Seems to me they're not only making themselves look foolish, but kicking themselves in the ass as well.
There was once a time when I voted for Republican ideas like these. Things have changed since then. Today's Republicans no longer represent what they once did. I really truly wish they could recapture those days.
These days I have no stomach for tea, the confederate flag or what they've become. Mine may be only one vote, but mine is not the only vote among others who feel this way. Many of us old enough to remember can still recall the days when true Republicans stood for something other then 'the party of NO'. They may not be embarrassed, but I would be if I supported today's version of the Republican candidates.
If you're going to raise The Heritage Foundation, you would do well to go all in: Heritage recommended mandating catastrophic coverage for adults, something to which you'd be hard-pressed to find many who would object.
ReplyDeleteSecond, if you're going to use David Gregory's use of the phrase 'what you call Obamacare' please keep in mind President Obama, himself, has used the term many times, so the 'air-quotes' in attempt to suggest only critics use the term to disparage it is incorrect.
Third, don't you think it's a bit unfair to play Gregory's question but not Gingrich's response?
-signed, the Anonymous guy who is often at the US Army, Picatinny Arsenal.
"If you're going to raise The Heritage Foundation, you would do well to go all in: Heritage recommended mandating catastrophic coverage."
DeleteWhen Democrats created the ACA, they included that as well as the Heritage foundation's 'individual mandate'. Wasn't that pretty much what the Van Jones video was all about? That being the case, what's the beef?
"...to suggest only critics use the term to disparage it is incorrect"
I didn't suggest that at all. I've often referred to it that way many times as well as Obama he himself did. On the Whitehouse's own website and in their videos they refer to it as 'Obamacare' themselves.
"don't you think it's a bit unfair to play Gregory's question but not Gingrich's response?"
Not at all. The whole point being, no matter what his response was.. Newt was all in for the 'individual mandate'. I could post the whole interview, but that's not the point is it? The point is Newt supported forcing people to buy insurance just like Mitt Romney did before he flip flopped.
Newt can bang the drum all day, spin like a top and side step all he wants, but the fact remains for both plans to work the 'individual mandate' was central to it's being a success. Newt has always been for that until he wasn't.
If there's one thing about Newt... he's never been wrong because at one time or another he's always been on both sides of every issue whenever it suited his purpose. The guy thinks he can dance through raindrops without getting wet.