Max Baucus was right, well- he was right the first time anyway. Earlier this year, Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) (who authored the law) expressed his concerns that Obamacare would be a train wreck. More recently, he said his concerns had been addressed and he no longer feared an Obamacare train wreck.
Mike Hashimoto has this for The Dallas Morning News:
In September, Baucus had himself a little chuckle as he conceded that he no longer predicted trains flying off the tracks. He said what he said for effect, out of genuine concern that the rollout was in jeopardy. Less than a month before the Oct. 1 launch, he was satisfied.
“We’ll see Oct. 1, but I think they are doing a pretty good job,” Baucus said in an interview with Fox Business Network. “I think the train is going to keep running, maybe not totally on time, but it’s going to be pretty efficient.”
As we know in the clarity of hindsight, Baucus was right the first time. Or, at least, if this rollout isn’t a train wreck, it’s a 16-car pileup at the entrance to the train station.
@NRSC hits Dem #MTSen Candidate Walsh for support of Obamacare- releases this graphic on Obamacare costs #MTPol pic.twitter.com/jxGO2PIMcT
— Aaron Flint (@aaronflint) October 23, 2013
While releasing the graphic, the National Republican Senatorial Committee also hit Democratic Senate Candidate John Walsh (D-MT) with this: (Dirk Adams is also a Democratic candidate for the US Senate)
The disastrous ObamaCare launch has caused many to question whether Administration officials should be fired and the unpopular law be delayed. Meanwhile, John Walsh refuses to acknowledge that ObamaCare is causing health care costs to rise, that many people are not able to keep the doctors that they are comfortable with, and that workers are seeing their hours cut and suffering the consequences.
The flawed website can’t be differentiated from the product, the website is part of the product and as the glitches and broken promises continue to come online, Walsh will try to distance himself from ObamaCare. The truth is, the problems run far deeper than the need for an IT specialist. If simply signing up for the program causes this kind of problem, imagine what a disaster trying to see a doctor will be for Montanans.
John Walsh will be the only candidate running for the Senate in Montana that supports ObamaCare, despite the fact that the unpopular law is already hurting middle class Montanans and increasing their health care costs,” said NRSC Press Secretary Brook Hougesen. “The result of Democrats’ blind support for ObamaCare is that dysfunctional Washington now stands between doctors and patients in Montana, which raises costs and lowers the quality of care and John Walsh has to answer for that.”
Given the train wreck that has transpired with the Obamacare rollout, Rob Port with the Minot, ND-based SayAnythingBlog.com says Democrats should have simply supported a delay:
Republicans offered to keep the government open in exchange for a one-year delay in the implementation of Obamacare.
Democrats scoffed and called Republicans extremists and terrorists – literally suicide bombers – for wanting to delay the controversial law. It’s the law, they lectured, and it was upheld by the Supreme Court. And Congress can’t just go changing the law, can they?
Well, yeah they sort of can, and it’s becoming clear that it would have been better for Demcorats if instead of ridiculing Republicans for wanting an Obamacare delay they had taken it.
Some may wonder where Senator Shaheen was during the shutdown debate, but now she’s apparently jumping on the delay train.
From Fox News First:
DEM SEEKS DELAY, CITES LAUNCH ‘RIDDLED WITH PROBLEMS’
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., wrote President Obama seeking an extension of ObamaCare’s open enrollment period, due to Web site failings. The move would delay the penalty for uninsured Americans who refuse to comply with the law’s mandatory coverage provision. In the letter, Shaheen states, “For over three years, we have been waiting for the creation of the health insurance exchanges, which now in their fourth week of existence, are riddled with problems.” The Granite State senator also sought clarification on whether individuals would be fined while the Web site is not working properly. Shaheen is not the first Democrat to suggest a delay of the March 31 enrollment deadline. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., proposed delaying the individual mandate budget negotiations earlier this month.
Meanwhile, one of the leaders of the defund Obamacare effort is facing some heat from Republicans back home in Utah.
From Politico Playbook:
HIVE MIND: Both WSJ and WashPost have front-pagers, with Salt Lake City datelines, on shutdown fallout for defund-ringleader Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who’s up in 2016. WSJ: “Utah Senator Pays Price Back Home for Shutdown” … WP: “In Utah GOP, some seek to shut down tea party hero.” Hope Neil and Phil at least tried some fry sauce while they were there.
J. C. Kantorowicz
Wednesday, October 23, 2013 2:53 PM
What a difference there is between TRUE LEADERS and mere political hacks. A true leader will accept responsibility for the program without excuses for the failures. The person(s) actually responsible can be determined later for reprimand or punishment, but the leader steps to shoulder the responsiblity. A POLITICAL HACK will always point to some other entity as responsible for the failure and of course, as in Max Baucus’s case, refuse to acknowledge problems or abject failure.
Attempting contact with Max Baucus’ office is like entering the “Twilight Zone”. If there is a response, it will be unintelligible. However, do not expect a response if one make a sharp, factual point. His staff either cannot formulate a reply or is too embarrassed to try!