I assume everyone knows what Obamacare is right? if somehow you dont it the new American healthcare system that President Obama passed 3 years ago that the Supreme Court upheld last year. Now despite that, Obamacare hasnt actually gone into effect yet. In fact the states were only supposed to submit the "blueprints" for setting up the new healthcare exchanges last week. I say supposed to because due to the intransigence of all but 4 Republican governors, not all states are even working on a plan.
And lets be honest, if your opposed to Obamacare, that's a pretty good plan...if you never do anything to allow the plan to happen it never will.....or at least that would be the assumption. And hell it could even let you score massive states rights points with comments like this:
“This is a federally-mandated exchange with rules dictated by Washington. It would not be fiscally responsible to put hard-working Texans on the financial hook for an unknown amount of money to operate a system under rules that have not even been written.” (Texas Governor Rick Perry)
or this: "[Obamacare] does not benefit Oklahoma taxpayers to actively support and fund a new government program that will ultimately be under the control of the federal government.” (Oklahoma governor Mary Fallin)
See the Republicans are objecting because the last thing they want to do is force their states to pay for a another federal government program while disadvantaging the states. I suppose if your a huge believer in states rights they make a pretty good argument.
Except for one small problem, Obamacare includes a provision that says if the states wont set up the exchanges the federal government will come in and do it for them, likely at state expense, as opposed to if the states do it on their own they will get federal funding to help them out.
Think of it like this: Two different people ask you out on a date, one says they will take you anywhere you want to go and he'll pay for it all. The other says they've already picked the restaurant, wont tell you what it is and expects you to pick up the bill.
Assuming you have to say yes to one of them, I'm pretty sure everyone would pick the first person right? Unless your a Republican Governor, in essence they are picking the second. And more ironically they are doing so because of what would be the equivalent of standing on a principal that they should never have to pay for a date.
Now I admit, so far the Republican governors have gotten lucky, Obama's a nice enough (or weak enough/not confrontational enough depending on your point of view)guy that rather then call their bluff he gave them extra time to realize what a shitty deal the picked by going with "bachelor number 2" instead of that first choice. And again to be fair, I'm sure a lot of Obama's willingness comes from the fact, he and the federal government really dont want to be bothered to go into all these states and go though all the hassle of setting up these programs.
But his patience will run out eventually. And when it does the federal government will likely create a "one size fits all" plan as quickly, and as a result as inefficiently run, as they can and then force to states to pay for it from now until forever. AKA the very thing all these Republican governors actually claim they are against, they claim they can do it better themselves.
And they could, or at least they could make the attempt, right now. They could create the plan themselves, formed directly to the needs of their state, and according to the usually rhetoric, much cheaper and efficiently then the federal government, and then get some money from the fed's to help offset the cost. I mean correct me if I'm wrong, but isnt creating a small affordable plan that fits the needs of the state, the definition of states rights?
But see for the current crop of Republican's that would be too easy, and to be honest, they dont give a flying fuck about governance of any kind, or any traditionally conservative fiscal values. What they do care about is "scoring" political points against Obama, no matter what the issue or what the cost is for anyone.
See when your entire political platform is basically the opposition platform followed by the word "NOT!" this is what happens. You cry "states rights" as loud as you can....while ceding as much power as you can to the federal government.
Because otherwise you might actually have to admit the other guy occasionally does something right....and not having to do that is more important then any "principal" "fiscal belief" or "concern about the people"....
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