Sunday, March 21, 2010

David Frum: Obamacare is Your Fault!

David Frum is already rewriting the history of the last 1 1/2 years to be the fault of conservatives who didn't want to give cover to the leftwing of the Democratic party.

At the beginning of this process we made a strategic decision: unlike, say, Democrats in 2001 when President Bush proposed his first tax cut, we would make no deal with the administration. No negotiations, no compromise, nothing. We were going for all the marbles. This would be Obama’s Waterloo – just as healthcare was Clinton’s in 1994.

Only, the hardliners overlooked a few key facts: Obama was elected with 53% of the vote, not Clinton’s 42%. The liberal block within the Democratic congressional caucus is bigger and stronger than it was in 1993-94. And of course the Democrats also remember their history, and also remember the consequences of their 1994 failure.

This time, when we went for all the marbles, we ended with none.

Frum then goes on to admit that there is no way of knowing whether Republican input would have changed the monstrosity set to change the lives of every man, woman and child in America. And, honestly, that's a stupid point.

The facts are, this administration hasn't wanted to work with Republicans except when it thought doing so would advance some point or other of the moonbat agenda. Obama met with Republicans in April of last year and then didn't talk to them for months. This from the President of All of Us--Mr. "I Won."

If you think the bill would have been more to Republicans' liking if House and Senate leadership had brought the K-Y and bent over for Teh One, you are delusional. Like William Jacobson, I know that the abomination known as Obamacare wouldn't have been better with Republican cooperation, largely because Democrats think they know more than you do.

There are issues I agree with Frum on, when he argues that Republicans need new ideas and approaches to issues and need to show flexibility for those with whom they disagree. But to loftily argue that Obamacare is the fault of Republicans is nonsense.