Wednesday, March 23, 2011

President Romney's Exec Order Dumps ObamaCare - NRO Op-Ed


If I were president, on Day One I would issue an executive order paving the way for Obamacare waivers to all 50 states. The executive order would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services and all relevant federal officials to return the maximum possible authority to the states to innovate and design health-care solutions that work best for them.

As I have stated time and again, a one-size-fits-all national plan that raises taxes is simply not the answer. Under our federalist system, the states are “laboratories of democracy.” They should be free to experiment.

 By the way, what works in one state may not be the answer for another. Of course, the ultimate goal is to repeal Obamacare and replace it with free-market reforms that promote competition and lower health-care costs. But since an outright repeal would take time, an executive order is the first step in returning power to the states.

March 22, 2011 8:20 P.M. National Review Online / The Corner

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Romney HC Pill Easier To Swallow Than Cheating, Quitting or Clemency Medicine.

As Mitt Romney continues to hone his message about the Health Care reform issue, a hurdle political prognosticator insist he needs to overcome should he decide on 2012 presidential candidacy, other possible GOP contenders need to seriously consider how they would address their own problematic issues.

In a National Review Online statement posted on March 22, Romney says he would use an Executive Order to provide states a waiver to avoid participating in ObamaCare. While recognizing this is not a cure all, Romney is showing how he would address the battle, until full reform could be adopted and signed.

Ever since President Obama passed his health care reform law, pundits have been writing Romney’s political obituary, citing the similarities between ObamaCare and Commonwealth Care, the plan Romney signed into law as Governor of Massachusetts in 2006. Seems everyone across a wide political swath, has been sounding off, giving advice or demanding apologies from the near certain 2012 Presidential candidate.

Obama tried to be uber-slick in his overt tainting of Romney. Mike Huckabee, still smarting and sour over the 2008 campaign, trashed Romney in his latest book. Then Haley Barbour, Paul Ryan, Rick “Someone please pay attention to me” Santorum, the recently shunned Mike Steele and eventually Rudy “Florida” Giuliani, all got into the act.

Romney to his credit remained relatively silent, opting not to take the bait of answering each and every charge directly. Such actions only prolong a negative story and create a perception of desperation and adolescent retribution. Rather, he has maintained a steadfast position since 2007, insisting the states of this great nation have the right to choose for themselves and enact health care reforms crafted for their own particular needs. Choosing when and where to address the issue, Romney has outlined solutions in his book ‘No Apology’ published in 2010. He recently spoke about reform during a speech at the Lincoln Day Dinner in New Hampshire, as well as in various points in between. With this statement at NRO, Romney clearly is not shying away from his signature legislation, of which he has stated he is very proud.

And in reality why shouldn’t he be?

As has been stated before, many times, he helped create a plan in a very liberal state, which has lowered the number of uninsured residents, provided people with the ability to purchase their own private health insurance and is currently supported by 84% of the populace. Even in Massachusetts there are not that many Socialists.

This most essential of conservative positions seems to be serving Romney quite well, as he continues to remain a top line polling leader and is improving his favorability amongst the GOP and the very conservative. This statement at National Review Online is Romney at his most efficient and effective best. It nails the issue on several points and offers a solution to what could be a legislative morass come 2012.

Critics of Romney remain unconvinced of his intentions repeal or in his ability to persuade voters to look past his role in health care reform and the perceived similarities to ObamaCare, in order to win the 2012 GOP nomination. Deciding Romney is unacceptable; these Conservative-Libertarians continue to search for a new candidate to lead them. Unfortunately for them, no candidate is ever perfect and all carry some degree of political baggage. How each handles their own liabilities raises many questions about their own political minefields..

What will eventually be tougher to explain to voters – a controversial policy decision, a controversial personal moral imbroglio, a controversial penchant for paroling violent criminals or a controversial decision to abandon one’s elected office mid-term?

Romney detractors suggest he’ll have a devil of a time addressing concerns about MassCare with primary voters, asserting he has no effective answer to placate conservative concerns about the similarities to ObamaCare. And yet candidates who would hope to benefit by seeing Romney trapped in a swamp of explanation, might very well find themselves mired in a defensive quagmire of their very own.

Exactly how resonant will be Newt Gingrich’s flaccid accounting of being “too patriotic” to remain faithful to his terminally ill, cancer ravaged wife?  Will Mike Huckabee be able to deflect concerns about his flabby resolve in keeping criminals incarcerated? Equally challenging will be the wilted defense of her resignation by Sarah Palin, a fighting Mama Grizzly, gamely proffering an “everybody was picking on me” alibi.

Given Gingrich’s palatable sleaze factor, Huckabee’s snarky and subliminal “I’m not as nice as I seem” demeanor and Palin’s rhetorical challenges in providing succinct, easily comprehensible answers, Romney’s “State’s Rights” riffs suddenly seem strong, well thought and very much in-tune with the smaller government attitudes likely to be prevalent among Republican voters in 2012.

Perhaps that is why this “anti-RomneyCare” bandwagon seems so overloaded of late.


27 comments:

larry said...

Bravo Doug!

Both you and Romney Nailed today.

Socrates said...

Great analysis.
I believe now that this Romney op-ed just signaled the beginning of the Romney 2012 campaign.

Ellie said...

Doug, I used to think Bosman was da man. today, it's YOU! This was excellent. Both the left and the far right wannabe's are trying to get Romney off the stage. Problem is, he's talking sense. And a quick read of the constitution, brings us smack dab to that pesky part about states rights, federalism and all that stuff. It seems that there are those on 'our side' who want to stick their fingers in their ears, sing LA LA LA LA LA, and then cry that Romney is the boogy man. In fact, Romney was the adult in the room, who made adult decisions based on what the children wanted.

Right Wingnut said...

I'm not sure Governor Dayton would accept your waiver, so I'd still be stuck with it unless I move, but thanks anyway, Mitt.

Anonymous said...

At least Mitt HAS a plan. Can't say much for the other former gov's. they sat on their hands.

OhioJOE said...

"At least Mitt HAS a plan." Yippie Skippy. So just the states get a waiver? Why that is too cute by half. Every American needs a waiver, not just the states. This would be a good SNL skit if it were not so sad.

Doug NYC GOP said...

I do believe there are those political minds floating around out there, who, on the day President Romney signs the repeal of ObamaCare, would be complaining about his pen.

OhioJOE said...

I do not care what pen he uses or what restroom he uses. You guys on the other hand.......

Anonymous said...

Doug, Great job on this, and great to see you back in action!

If you look at the top four, and their so-called 'issues', only Romney's is one that is actually a strength--being spun as a weakness.

-Martha

Doug NYC GOP said...

Thanks for the kind words everyone. After a little sleep I polished this up a bit, so you'll some corrections to grammer and some editorial points I wanted to make.

RockyTFS said...

I'd like to know what Huckabee, Palin, Gingrich, Ryan, Giuliani, Barbour, Santorum have done in their states to make PRIVATE health care insurance available and affordable for their citizens?

cricket......cricket.....

Revolution 2012 said...

Great piece Doug and I like your analysis.
Good to have you back. You've been missed.

OhioJOE said...

So Rocky, I suppose you want the government to make Life, home and auto Insurance among other things more available and affordable as well? That is not how the Free Market operates.

Doug NYC GOP said...

Thanks Rev.

The focus has been so intense on Romney and HC lately, it suggests he truly is the front runner or at least the most formidable contender to many.

I also began asking myself "Why this push to disavow the HC plan?" Why were people demanding he craft an answer? Who really is clamoring for it?

Then I began thinking, well he's not alone in having an issue to explain. How easy would it be for the others to unload their "baggage?"

How would the other contenders stand up to the daily pressure?

I guess time will tell, but I don't think it will be as easy as some think. Huckabee recently proved he is no master at handling bad situations.

Doug NYC GOP said...

OJ - What specifically don't you like about the MA HC plan? Explain it, detail it.

Evidently it's very popular - 84% - with residents who use the system. And don't give out with silly answers like they are all liberals, which we know not to be true.

And you guys never seem to address the fact Romney is no pushing this as a national solution. You carry on as if he is. It just makes your look contrary for he sake of being contrary.

OhioJOE said...

Oh where to I start "It just makes your look contrary for he sake of being contrary" Boy, that is a good one coming from the camp who blames Mrs. Palin for everything.

"And don't give out with silly answers like they are all liberals, which we know not to be true." No, they are not all liberals, but there certainly is a greater portion of MA that is liberal than the rest of the country. Sure there are some people of MA that are right of Center, why there are even a few Tea Partiers there, but to dispute the fact that MA is a liberal state is funny. I give you Senators Brown and Kerry.

What I do not like about MAcare is rather simple
1. Mandates, hey some of you do not mind them, well some of us do.
2. Despite that fact that this was not supposed to be a national modle, the fact is that it gave political cover to Mr. Obama to give us ObamaCare, his Union thugs gave us MA talking point. Thanks a lot guys.
3. Market distortions. Look, I realize that MAcare is its current form is not Socialism per se. However, the fact is that once you let the cammel under the tent, it is difficult to slow things down. A generation ago, HC in Canada and Europe was not totally Socialistic either. Their systems still had Capitalistic aspects. Those Capitalistic aspect are now essentially gone. This will eventually happen in MA and then the rest of the country. We are now headed for the status of a Banana Republic just like the rest of the world. It is rather difficult to stop the wheels of Socialism once they start to spin. Warning signs should have been heeded, but apparently, some people thought they were too smart to pay attention to such warnings.

RockyTFS said...

OhioJOE

"So Rocky, I suppose you want the government to make Life, home and auto Insurance among other things more available and affordable as well? That is not how the Free Market operates."


Nice try,
Your health is a necessity. Owning a home and auto and insurance for them is not.

OhioJOE said...

Since food and water are necessities, I supose that the government must pay for those item as well. Further, among other things, while health might be a necessity, Insurance is not.

GetReal said...

I wasn't aware that MassCare was single-payer insurance, OJ.

BOSMAN said...

Excellent article Doug!
I think most SANE people won't find fault with any of your analysis on this.

I'm REAL HAPPY to see you back!

Convicts4Huck said...

Isn’t that just like a Romney supporter to criticize the Reverend for having pity on the downtrodden.

I can tell you that like veterans, there are a lot of ex-cons and those who should be incarcerated out there. We like the Reverend for his BIG HEART. Romney on the other hand, did not have any pardons/clemencies/commutations during his term as Governor. The Reverend demonstrated his BIG HEART on 1033 occasions.

And so what if Governor Palin quit he job because of the pressure. If she became President some day, she’d have a VP and cabinet to carry the load.

You Romney guys crack me up.

Huckabee & Palin in 2012!

Convicts4Huck said...

According to Gallup:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/122387/uninsured-highest-percentage-texas-lowest-mass.aspx

These are the rankings out of the 50 states for having the least uninsured:

Massachusetts 1 (Romney)
Arkansas 37 (Huckabee)
Alaska 38 (Palin)
Mississippi 48 (Barbour)
Georgia 41 (Gingrich)
New York 9 (Giuliani)
Indiana 24 (Daniels)

Look at those numbers, Massachusetts is the worst!
How’s them apples you Romney guys?

Convicts4Huck said...

Oh wait, I read that Gallup poll wrong. Can someone delete my last comment?

Convicts4Huck said...

Doug, What about the little guy?

I’m in the minority in the Prison where I’m incarcerated. I’m not kept in with the majority of my brothers.

So I know what it’s like to be part of a minority.

Now Doug, you say that 84% of MA residents love the plan in MA and would not change it for anything.

What about the poor, unfortunate 16% who don’t like it. I’m sure they are forced now to buy insurance instead of playing Russian roulette with there insurance needs and trying to stay healthy and lucky. So what if they had been using an emergency room in the past. It keeps those hospital staff employed in this tough economy.

So Don’t the 16% count? Or is it only what the majority of MA residents wants?

Anonymous said...

convicts for Huck, you are a complete idiot hahaha....read the polls before you decide posting them and making yourself looking like a fool.

Ann said...

Convicts4Huck,

You are a rascal and very funny Romney supporter.
I hope you stick around and post more often.

I remember you and your Charlie Manson avatar over at ROS.

OhioJOE said...

"I wasn't aware that MassCare was single-payer insurance, OJ." Neither is ObamaCare, but both system will eventually lead us to this just like what happened in other countries.