Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
A constant refrain we hear from Democrats in congress and members of the media is, "Republicans oppose Obamacare but have no plan for how to fix health care."
Is this, in fact, the case? Do Republicans really have nothing to contribute to the debate over how to improve health care in this country?
I recently had my friend Rep. David Dreier (R-CA) on my radio program and asked him about this. Without any foreknowledge that I would question him along these lines, Congressman Dreier rattled off five things that he and his colleagues have been advocating for:
- The immediate allowance for interstate purchases of health insurance nation-wide
- Meaningful tort reform
- Association health plans for small business owners to come together and find lower rates (as large corporations do)
- "Pooling" to deal with preexisting conditions
- Expanded medical savings accounts
He continued: "These five things, if implemented, would have an immediate impact on the costs of health care...It is a myth to claim that Republicans don't recognize that we do have a problem that needs to be addressed."
Even the casual observer of congressional politics will be able to verify that these are all suggestions that have been publicly offered by Republicans, if not written into pieces of proposed legislation. One may disagree with the Right's ideas, but for Democrats or political pundits to claim that our side has "no plan" can only be explained in one of three ways:
- They are using hyperbole to characterize conservatives and libertarians in an unfavorable light
- They are so instinctively dismissive of the Right that they don't pay attention to what Republican members of congress say or do
- They are knowingly lying to advance their side's ultimate goal: a single-payer health care system (see: Cuba, Sweden, etc.)
Not one of these options speaks well of our opponents and all three are contributing factors to the cynicism most Americans feel toward politics at the national level in particular. Certainly both sides are, from time to time, guilty of the first one. The second would be further evidence of my theory that the Left in this country live inside a "bubble" of their own making and simply do not read or listen to our thinkers and scholars. The third option - and the one I believe is the most common motivation for someone to repeat the "Republicans have no plan" mantra - leads me to an interesting ethical question:
If I went to Washington D.C. to represent my home district or state, what lengths would I be willing to go to see that a piece of legislation I believed as deeply in as the Left believes in government-run health care passed?
Would I be willing to say something that I knew to be untrue over and over and over again to defeat legislation I opposed?
What say you, Ricochet?
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Dec '10
Re: Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
I know there are honest individuals on the left, but I do not see the left collectively as being encumbered by things like the truth where achievement of their policy goals is concerned. While talking with my congressional candidate yesterday he asked if there were any questions he could answer about himself or his positions before I signed on to support his campaign. No talking points, just one on one questions and answers. I don't see that kind of openness on the left.
Feb '11
Re: Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
Without answering the question, I want to add a second consideration, which seems to be at work, here:
CASE I:
I go to Washington with a firm commitment to passing such and such legislation, and it looks like repeating a lie will help me to do this.
CASE II:
I go to Washington with a certain degree of loyalty to my party at a time when the party leaders are pressing everyone to repeat a lie.
Apr '11
Re: Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
SMatthewStolte: Without answering the question, I want to add a second consideration, which seems to be at work, here:
CASE I:
I go to Washington with a firm commitment to passing such and such legislation, and it looks like repeating a lie will help me to do this.
CASE II:
I go to Washington with a certain degree of loyalty to my party at a time when the party leaders are pressing everyone to repeat a lie. · 1 minute ago
While I'm not so cynical as to suggest CASE III is common, completeness demands that "I go to Washington with a firm commitment to improving my career, and it looks like repeating a lie will help me to do this" be included.
Apr '11
Re: Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
With Denny Rehburg repudiating the Ryan Plan, it becomes slightly more likely that the only Medicare reform we could be confident would pass a 50 Republican Senate (+ GOP House + Romney) is the Ryan-Wyden plan. Since that's essentially the only reform that any serious plurality of senators have got behind, the only serious reform is offered by Republicans (and one Democrat).
Mar '12
Re: Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
Dennis, good question -- and good to see you back on Ricochet. I've always believed that, for the Left, the ends justifies the means much more than it does for the Right. Hence, lies and hyperbole are alright if used in defense of an admirable cause. I realize this phenomenon has been much written about. And, stating my belief as such can be dismissed by those across the aisle as simply ascribing negative traits to my opponents.
I don't believe you, as a conservative legislator, would or should permit yourself this same latitude in support of legislation in which you believed deeply. I'd like to think that such wouldn't be necessary, but even if a lie could help your cause, engaging in lies is demeaning and discrediting. Also, based on a purely political calculation, lying to generate near term success would in all likelihood limit your moral authority and, therefore, your effectiveness as a legislator in the long term.
May '10
Re: Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
The Left will say anything, and do anything (I believe it will come to that in places if they lose this year, we've seen enough incidences of physical intimidation and actual violence to establish that those events are not only not "one-off" but are actually organized).
This electoral season will be the metaphorical equivalent of the Battle of Okinawa, and the sooner we understand that, the better off we'll be and the fewer casualties we'll take.
If there's a reprise of Bush v Gore a la the 2000 election, look for the metaphorical civil war of values in this country to turn hot (if, please God, Obama is defeated, look for civil disturbances if the margin is large, flat out riots if the margin is small).
Doesn't make me happy to say it, but we need to make a realistic assessment of our situation.
May '10
Re: Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
Look at Obama - in the last few days he's said that he was outspent in 2008, and that the financial crisis didn't hit until after the election!
Is that a lack of honesty or actual delusion?
Is it that no one ever calls him on it, so that whether something is true or not is just not a concern?
I shake my head and wish we had a mainstream media that would challenge all politicians.
Feb '12
Re: Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
Conservatives swimming in blue waters even seem obliged to repeat that line. Ross Douthat, in an article criticizing the political ignorance and amateurishness of the Obama administration for approaching the whole Health Care reform in such a ham-fisted, brutish way still says this:
I wonder if sometimes that kind of statement from a token conservative in a very liberal organization (NYT) comes from feeling obliged to show some sort of "balance". I don't think Douthat fits into any of the 3 categories Dr. Praeger lays out.
Jun '10
Re: Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
A truly non biased, examining media might ask the next Democrat claiming the Republicans have no plan a simple question. When, sir, was the last time you actually sat down with a Republican Congressman and asked them for their plan? The healthcare "debate" held behind closed doors with the Republicans and the public locked out was a perfect example of Democrat bi-partisanship. The result was upending a system that is 15% of the nations economy with zero Republican votes and 60% dissatisfaction with the American public. That's what I call intolerant obstructionism. We will now see health care costs increase to the point where even more people struggle paying for it. Nowhere in their plan is there an effort to increase the number of physicians, hospitals, and healthcare workers. It does just the opposite, making boutique private doctor owned hospitals illegal and forcing more patients on the fewer existing providers. I am no economist. But it seems pretty obvious to this simple man that if you want to decrease the cost of a product or service, increase the supply. To increase the supply we should encourage increased competition. Unfortunately we shall all suffer... Obamacare does just the opposite.
May '10
Re: Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
I say that you, Hugh Hewitt and Michael Medved need to corner Mitt Romney in his campaign bus and "volunteer him" to listen to your collective wisdom for no less than three hours.
May '10
Re: Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
And give him a free year subscription to Pragertopia--he can't not afford it!
Jun '10
Re: Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
Polyphemus: Conservatives swimming in blue waters even seem obliged to repeat that line. Ross Douthat, in an article criticizing the political ignorance and amateurishness of the Obama administration for approaching the whole Health Care reform in such a ham-fisted, brutish way still says this:
I wonder if sometimes that kind of statement from a token conservative in a very liberal organization (NYT) comes from feeling obliged to show some sort of "balance". I don't think Douthat fits into any of the 3 categories Dr. Praeger lays out. · 4 minutes ago
"The Republicans have no plan." This is a statement growing on the top ten list of common statements regarded as truisms that are patently false. Number one: Sarah Pallin said she can see Russia from her porch.
May '10
Re: Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
Situational ethics has always been a much more comfortable place for those of a liberal mindset. It just seems so ...... intellectual.
Jun '10
Re: Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
"Dennis Prager Reconsiders Decision Against Congressional Run"
Apr '11
Re: Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
"What say you, Ricochet?" - DP
Dennis, if you want to understand better, there's a great book I think you should read: "Still the Best Hope". It's written by some chap - that, coincidentally, has the same name as you!
Joking aside, anyone who wishes to understand the Left (and the Right) better, should add it to their reading list.
Apr '11
Re: Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
I liken this to self imposed clydesdale blinders. The purpose being to move towards a goal, unexposed to distractions. The purely human aspect is to deny such distractions exist.
Dec '10
Re: Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
These are not serios questions. Mr. Prager is well aware that Alan Grayson represented the district next to mine and that Debbie Schulz is two districts over. He is well aware that there is no equivalence.
Some people lie, just after morning coffee, whereas some people never lie.
My representative is mostly a disappointment, because he is forced to vote on vast bills covering endless items, one of which may be personally important to him, or people in our district.
However, we hold his feet to the fire for his votes and he even managed to vote against some big bills, recently. Have you held your representatives feet to the fire?
Have insurance companies found a market and already responded to the most favored provisions?
Better questions, not asked:
Why can I no longer buy insurance? That's the real question, or should be. Why will not one single company offer a high-deductable, catastrophic care only, policy?
I don't have "Health Care", as politicians describe it. I pay my own bills, with a check, or credit card. Why can't I get covered for for the sorts of things somebody might actually buy insurance for?
Apr '11
Re: Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
cdor
"The Republicans have no plan." This is a statement growing on the top ten list of common statements regarded as truisms that are patently false. Number one: Sarah Pallin said she can see Russia from her porch. · 1 hour ago
For this cycle, I'm thinking number one will be the claim that Mitt was a "corporate raider". The claimed lack of a healthcare plan is right up there, though, yeah.
Jan '11
Re: Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
CJRUN: "I don't have "Health Care", as politicians describe it. I pay my own bills, with a check, or credit card. Why can't I get covered for for the sorts of things somebody might actually buy insurance for?"
If most people with "heath care insurance" could understand and embrace this, no "plan" would be needed. Just get the Feds out of it.
Aug '10
Re: Do Republicans Really Have No Plan?
When Democrats ask Republicans, "Where's your plan for health care?" they are setting a trap. Republicans aren't supposed to believe in central planning. By asking for the Republican's plan, the Democrats are forcing the assumption that health care should be planned by the government. If the Republicans respond with their own plan that's just a lightweight version of the Democrats' own plans, they'll lose the moral high ground and the debate.
The proper answer to such a question is, "My plan for health care is in the same place as my plan for making sure everyone has quality shoes: in the minds of the millions of people that make up that particular market. Americans have always believed that the market should be left alone as much as possible, because it almost always works better than government."
What the Republicans should propose is a catastrophic health insurance program that only takes effect in cases of real hardship, and return control of the health care system to the private market.
Similarly, the government makes sure everyone can have shoes by providing income support to poor people. It didn't have to nationalize or micromanage the shoe industry.