Codger on Politics

Thursday, November 07, 2013

I'm not lying lion, tripling down on Obamacare

I'm not lying lion, tripling down on Obamacare

http://www.salon.com/2013/11/07/a_petty_rant_republicans_are_the_real_lying_liars_on_obamacare/

""But I'm also feeling unusually petty at the moment, so let's proceed in that vein for fun.

Let's stipulate that when President Obama first said "if you like your plan, you can keep your plan," he was telling a "noble lie" in the Platonic sense of the term. I'm not sure I buy that. I think it was probably more a failure to think through the dangers of being so categorical in a situation where even small margins amount to millions of people.

But let's say it was a sinister deception undertaken by a man who believed he had to lie for the greater good. Why was he being so defensive?

Part of it can be attributed to the Democrats' elephantine memory of Bill Clinton's failed attempt to overhaul the healthcare system. It turns out that the biggest obstacle facing anyone trying to reform the healthcare system is that you can't do it without creating some amount of disruption, and most people in the country have insurance they're pretty happy with. So Obama wanted to minimize not just the disruption but the fear of disruption itself. A fair critique of Obamacare is that it leaves too many of the worst parts of the old system in place.

But another part of the story is that he was responding to an incredible amount of bullshit.

And this is where I want to be petty.

Noble lies have in many ways defined the debate over the Affordable Care Act, but the vast majority of them have been lies conservatives told in a failed effort to nix reform. Death panels are the most famous such lie. Another is that Obamacare is destroying the economy, creating a part-time labor pandemic and a major obstacle to recovery from the great recession. A third is that it will blow up the debt.""

The Dims are quick to advise republicans on the errors oaf there ways. It is said when your enemy is doing himself harm, you should let him.o therefore the Dims don't believe what they are saying. To mention that the Dims are tripling down on Obamacare is a mistake is probably a mistake. Fortunately the Dims don't Lisbon, and it is to late for them anyway.

When the president shutdown the government to prevent a delay in Obamacare, they destroyed their brand. When the above come true, they are done


Dave Farnsworth

Wednesday, November 06, 2013

With the National GOP on your side, You don't need

With the National GOP on your side, You don't need any enemies
http://nationalreview.com/corner/363206/betrayal-ken-cuccinelli-maggie-gallagher

The political class is betraying you.

"Would another $3 million have swung 50,000 votes? The Republicans, starting with Bill Bolling, who undercut Cuccinelli as unelectable have egg all over their faces.

This was a winnable election. How did we give this away to Terry McAuliffe? Some serious soul-searching should be taking place among the anti-tea-party faction. "

The tea party (and like minded others) will be working hard in 2014. We need to identify the staffers in the permanent political class, and assure they and thier candidates lose, and candidates outside that class win.

I have said before, the primaries should have a real challenger in each race. This will bring up a slate of candidates for future elections, and check the leftward drift of incumbents.

How do we identify the traitors in our ranks. They will be saying "He is too extreme", "Sara is stupid", "Fix it not end it", "Obama is not lying", and they are documented in the many political books.

Don't get me wrong, we need a big tent, but there will be more room if the political class wait outside.

Saturday, November 02, 2013

Defeating Obomacare one step at a time

Defeating Obomacare one step at a time
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/the-obamacare-sabotage-campaign-99176_Page2.html

""In a normal political environment, it would have been easier for me to simply call up the speaker and say, 'You know what, this is a tweak that doesn't go to the essence of the law.' It has to do with, for example, are we able to simplify the attestation of employers as to whether they're already providing health insurance or not. 'It looks like there may be some better ways to do this. Let's make a technical change to the law.'
"That would be the normal thing that I would prefer to do," the president said. "But we're not in a normal atmosphere around here when it comes to Obamacare.''"


And why isn't it normal? Maybe it is the 'we won' attitude. The dims own Obomacare now, they gave us a broken system, they deserve to be broken on it.

A market solution to Obomacare

A market solution to Obomacare

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/frame_game/2013/10/obamacare_polls_americans_want_to_reform_the_affordable_care_act_not_repeal.html
"
the idea of the Affordable Care Act, even if they're unhappy with its implementation or some of its features. He's for something that addresses our health care needs. Republicans, lacking a plausible alternative, offer nothing but obstruction. The law is being implemented. The GOP can't fight it without, in effect, rolling back coverage and benefits. Changing the law's details is a popular position. Repealing it isn't."

I think a addition of plans that don't require insurance would be sufficient change to allow most to avoid the worst aspects. Suppose an option for health savings accounts were added with the condition that this would be in place of future Medicare or medical.

This approach would allow the supporters of Obomacare to continue using it, but allow the people who distrust government to cash out.

Obomacare would shrink if it doesn't perform and the future obligation of the federal government to provide medical support would be reduced.

What about insurance companies, wouldn't they be hurt? Yes. They were big supporters of Obomacare. That is justice.