There have been too many stories like this one lately:
“Republicans Have Obama Playing Defense: The GOP strategy of principled opposition is winning over independents” by Fred Barnes (WSJ, Aug 23)
It reminds me too much of the MSU Spartans football teams of a few years ago. The defense would make a great stop, after which there would be lots of dancing, chest-butting, and high-fiving instead of getting mentally prepared for the next play. Next thing you knew, the opposing team would run over them for huge gains.
On health care, the Republicans are now crediting themselves with a great sack and fumble-recovery, never mind that the other quarterback messed up and didn’t run the same play he had called. Yes, it was a great play, but now is not the time for high-fiving and dancing. Now is the time for the Republicans to push their own health-care plans, the ones that will actually do some good, the ones the Democrats have been blocking tenaciously for years.
True, the Republicans have only half-heartedly pushed for these plans in the past. Too many of them have had their heads planted firmly in the sand about the need for health care reform, and too many others have preferred the plans that provide opportunities for massive corruption, i.e. the same ones the Democrats prefer.
Here are some of the plays they need to be running now, while they have a better chance than ever to enact them. They can pretend that some of the Democrats actually mean it when they claim to be concerned about those who lack health care. Take them at their word and pressure them to act on it.
- What to Do About Pre-existing Conditions
- The Whole Foods Alternative to ObamaCare : Eight things we can do to improve health care without adding to the deficit.
I don’t agree with everything in that 2nd article, and some things are missing from both of them. But the general principles should be less government control and more individual empowerment.