CLINTON USES UNIQUE STRATEGY - AGREE WITH ROMNEY

 

 

 

David M. Bresnahan
April 11, 2006
NewsWithViews.com

Undeclared presidential candidate, conservative Republican Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney picked up some unusual support this past week from an unlikely source -- Sen. Hilary Clinton.

Despite the fact that Clinton is a potential 2008 presidential campaign rival to Romney, and even though her own effort to create a complicated universal health care plan failed miserably, Clinton complimented rather than criticized Romney's success last week.

Romney has done what no other politician has been able to do, create a market-driven health care program that will give everyone in Mass. so-called universal health care.

Romney made a point to the press that he could not have pulled off such a remarkable health care plan without bipartisan support from the Mass. legislature. He has shown that he can bring both sides together to do what is right. Surprisingly, a potential 2008 presidential rival agreed with him.

Clinton told the Associated Press: "To come up with a bipartisan plan in this polarized environment is commendable," in response to questions about Romney's successful passage of a universal health care plan.

Why would Clinton support Romney? She knows that there is no way she can gain support from conservatives, but she hopes to turn those conservatives against Romney by coming out in support of his health care victory. She is expecting conservatives to turn away from Romney if they believe that a staunch liberal like her supports his health care efforts and his ability to work with both Republicans and Democrats.

Clinton sees Romney as her toughest opponent in a presidential bid. Her goal is to take away his conservative grass roots support early and prevent him from rising to the top of the heap. She thinks that making it look like liberal Democrats actually like Romney is a great strategy to cause conservatives to have doubts about supporting him.

Don't be surprised if other liberals, like Sen. Ted Kennedy, compliment Romney for his health care success. What Clinton, Kennedy, and others like them fail to realize is that Romney and his conservative supporters are not so easily fooled.

Romney has done what no one has been able to do, simply because he put politics aside and used common sense and sound business practice, combined with conservative principles. Romney's success is based on sound Republican principles using a market-based system and personal responsibility.

It is also a system that requires very little government bureaucracy to implement. It incorporates the current federally mandated Medicaid system, and makes it far more financially efficient. The bottom line is that the same dollars will bring health care benefits to many more people.

Universal health care has long been a Democratic rallying point, and Romney has taken the wind out of their sails by applying conservative Republican free-market principles to achieving it. Romney can be expected to point to his health care plan as an example of the way he can solve other contentious problems and financial difficulties facing the country.

There are some conservative commentators who are jumping the gun and firing shots at Romney and his plan before learning all the facts. They do not like the fact that the plan mandates that everyone must have health insurance. There are fines to individuals and a $295 per employee fee to employers who do not participate.

The cost of health care will become highly competitive in a free-market in which everyone must have a policy, similar to requirements to have a car insurance policy. Insurance companies can be expected to compete for those premium dollars, which will actually drive premiums down.

The fees associated with non-participation are not a tax as some would claim. It is less expensive to participate and obtain health insurance than it is to pay the fees to the state. The fees simply serve as incentive, which makes the cost of insurance less expensive for everyone.

There are conservatives who see the plan for what it is and have come out in support of it, including The Heritage Foundation in Washington D.C., and syndicated radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt.

The nearly 50 million who have no health insurance actually drive up the cost of health care for everyone else. When they need medical services they often have already waited far too long because of concerns about costs.

The uninsured who need care receive treatment that is usually inadequate, inefficient, and expensive. The costs are passed on to everyone else in the form of overcrowded hospital emergency rooms, higher hospital bills, higher taxes, and ever-increasing insurance premiums. The rapidly rising costs of health insurance force employers to drop coverage, adding to the problem of a growing population of uninsured.

Those who are quick to criticize would do well to first examine the plan and the logical, common sense solution it provides. There is no doubt that the plan is not perfect and problems will show up as it is implemented. Experience will provide opportunity to fine-tune the program and solve the problems, but failure to act will only make the problem worse.

Washington has been embroiled in partisan battles for over a decade and is no closer to a solution today than when Clinton made the attempt to solve the problem in 1994. Romney has shown that it can be done.

© 2006 David M. Bresnahan - All Rights Reserved