Posted on 10/17/2009 2:28:31 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Whether or not anyone prefers to acknowledge it, Mitt Romney is already the default, de facto Republican presidential nominee in 2012 – and, too, he is already the clear loser.
Health care, singularly, will guarantee Barack Obama a second term – even if he never actually achieves meaningful “reform,” or even if he manages reform but it ends up becoming a festering, hemorrhaging mess … like anything the government runs.
Sure, the health care issue appears to be a political landmine for Obama right now, but he just can’t lose for winning, and there’s no area in which that rings more true than health care reform.
Pitted against Romney (as ultimately will happen, because who else is there, really?), Obama will come out looking every bit the better man for the job.
You see, Romney and health care … he’s been there, he’s done that.
As governor of Massachusetts, Romney socialized the state’s health care system, insuring nearly every resident by forcing people to choose between purchasing coverage or paying a penalty for non-compliance. (Yes, Romney’s a Republican; yes, he’s a business wizard; no, those traits don’t at all jive with his stateside socialization of a major private sector).
The success of Romney’s health care reform has, on balance, been lukewarm.
It’s been bad for business start-ups and expansions, but pretty good for people (well, not entrepreneurial people, but still …)
There is, naturally, a funding problem for Massachusett’s program, the solution for which would surely be increased corporate taxation, except that, um, that well has too run dry at the hands of Romney’s grand plan.
So when you think about it, Romneycare really isn’t a success at all.
Anyway, the relative merits of Romney’s reform are not really the point. Even an entirely successful – fully-funded, business-friendly, quality-controlled, patient-primary – result would still leave Romney in the lurches come 2012.
Romney’s problem is, more to the point, that he’ll be running as a Democrat in disguise against a Democrat demagogue.
If there is to be one issue to set apart Republican from Democrat, it has to be health care. It’s one thing for a Republican politician to triangulate on the issue of health care reform – to mildly oppose it, then to begrudgingly admit its merits – but it’s a whole ‘nother thing for a Republican to endorse, initiate, and institute a socialized system of health coverage.
In 2012, two Democrats will be vying for the presidency, and one of those Democrats is Barack Obama. He just can’t lose.
If we pretend she doesn't exist, maybe people will forget about her and choose Slick Willard instead! Yeah, that's the ticket...
I am surprised that Romney continues to defend MAs failed healthcare plan.
“Mande, what a good wife you would be, but my life, my love and my lady is the sea.”
Bob Dole - a Good Man, John McCain - a Good Man, Mitt Romney - a Good Man.
Anyone who pretends to know what will happen politically in 2012 is a fool.
Too soon to predict; way too many variables.
McCain, Romney, RINO’s all.
“Whether or not anyone prefers to acknowledge it, Mitt Romney is already the default, de facto Republican presidential nominee”
That’s a good one...this guy got anymore? Mitt...hahahahahahahaha...good one...
About the Author
Name: Mande Wilkes
Web Site: Link
Bio: Former runway model and law school grad who lives in Myrtle Beach, Mande has earned our undying admiration not only for her wicked verbage, but because she spells her name minus the obligatory redneck. Mande graduated from the College of Charleston with a B.S. in Psychology, and is a recent graduate of the Charleston School of Law. Also recently, she failed the Bar Exam, sparking widespread rumors that she lost an offer to clerk for some prestigious judge. Mande’s punditry covers law and politics.
So we should listen to her why? Cuz she says it?
If we’re going to lose anyway, let’s just throw the “Hail Sarah” pass and see what happens!
Oh that’s right. If we run Romney and lose, we’ll be respected by the Left for bravely facing History and surrendering gracefully (like the French!!). But if we run Palin, we’ll lose the respect of the Left and their media lapdogs for dragging some hick out of a tree-stand and throwing some shoes on her to run against The One.
That’s the kind of underdog story that real Americans just love!
I’m not.
Who cares any more?
Seriously however, who cares any more?
Obviously, in a free society we get what we deserve.
Guess what, we got what we deserved.
Life's a b!tch, ya' marry one, and then ya' die.
Romney is RomneyCare. Not on anything would I even pretend to support him. I’d definitely have to go 3rd party should a RINO get the nomination. It would mean the GOP still hadn’t learned anything.
anyone remember that?
What? So we’re just skipping over the primaries now? LOL!
The falacy in your argument is that there won’t be two dems running in the 2012 election. If it’s Romney it will be a democrat and a communist. If it’s Palin it will be a conservative Republican. Remember the name Palin!!! The manner in which she’s being attacked is indicative of the fear they have of her ability to knock them off.
loser RINO’s all
Mitch Daniels , Governor of Indiana, looked pretty good on TV last week up against Granholm last Sunday. Anybody know where he is on right-left spectrum? Hopefully not another Lugar.
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