Not to sound smug, but I am amazed
that none of the pundits railing about the disastrous Obamacare rollout have come to the same conclusion I did: it
never had to happen.
that none of the pundits railing about the disastrous Obamacare rollout have come to the same conclusion I did: it
never had to happen.
In my Sunday column last weekend, I
put forward the argument that, if President could have put partisanship aside
and taken the high road, he could have offered the congressional Republicans a
delay in the exchanges in a tradeoff that would have avoided the shutdown and
near-default.
put forward the argument that, if President could have put partisanship aside
and taken the high road, he could have offered the congressional Republicans a
delay in the exchanges in a tradeoff that would have avoided the shutdown and
near-default.
Instead, we now hear from political
analysts that the Republicans missed chances, and the president is embarrassed,
and the contractors should have blown the whistle.
analysts that the Republicans missed chances, and the president is embarrassed,
and the contractors should have blown the whistle.
Here’s a portion of my column:
“… Delaying the ACA exchanges was an
option – a smart, pragmatic option.
option – a smart, pragmatic option.
“Realizing that the exchanges were
headed for a meltdown – even if the online traffic on the web site was not
heavier than expected – Obama had an opening.
headed for a meltdown – even if the online traffic on the web site was not
heavier than expected – Obama had an opening.
“On Sept. 30, he could have
swallowed his political pride and made a shrewd move – a totally unexpected
decision – to announce a delay in the individual exchanges in exchange for
keeping the government running and temporarily raising the debt ceiling.
swallowed his political pride and made a shrewd move – a totally unexpected
decision – to announce a delay in the individual exchanges in exchange for
keeping the government running and temporarily raising the debt ceiling.
“Befuddled congressional
Republicans, caught off guard by the offer, would have immediately accepted it.
They never would realize that they had been snookered, because an ACA delay was
their Plan B.
Republicans, caught off guard by the offer, would have immediately accepted it.
They never would realize that they had been snookered, because an ACA delay was
their Plan B.
“The GOP would have achieved a
concession they coveted, and Obama would have disarmed them to some extent. The
mantra that the president refuses to negotiate and won’t work with Congress
would be silenced.
concession they coveted, and Obama would have disarmed them to some extent. The
mantra that the president refuses to negotiate and won’t work with Congress
would be silenced.
That would have scored big political
points for the White House with independents and moderates. More importantly,
the president would have avoided the messy ACA enrollment period and would have
quietly dodged a political bullet.
points for the White House with independents and moderates. More importantly,
the president would have avoided the messy ACA enrollment period and would have
quietly dodged a political bullet.
“Yet, he pushed forward in a fit of Inside-The-Beltway
bellicosity.”
bellicosity.”
