On ObamaCare Messaging and Strategy

It's no secret that, like most Americans, we're no fans of Obamacare. So it's frustrating to see the political party that did not ram it down our throats being so weak-kneed in its opposition as it's being rolled out.

The latest tactic would delay the Exchanges for a year. How stupid is this? The administration is already accusing the Republicans of everything short of murdering people by not wanting them to have insurance. The one aspect of Obamacare that gets positive polling is people getting covered. Delaying that a year would be terrible press going into an election year, press the Media will heap on them gleefully. In the end they aren’t going to win that fight.

So what should they do? I have some suggestions:

1 - Waive the individual mandate for 1 year after the employer mandate is enforced

2 - Allow exchange subsidies but fund it with;

    a. Elimination of government contribution to Congress and staff premiums

    b. Force executive & Judicial branch and all staff to buy their coverage through the exchange with no subsidy from the tax payors

    c. Require passage of Keystone pipeline immediately with small small tax on oil passing through it earmarked for exchange subsidies

    d. Eliminate PCORI and allocate all collected money to exchange subsidies

Now instead of Republicans not wanting people to have insurance it will be on the administration to give up graft or shut down the government. None of the items are meaningful to the public; the majority of people would argue they should be sacrificed to fund the subsidies.