N.J. Gov. Chris Christie: Obamacare a ‘train wreck’ a newbie could’ve seen coming

Not only is Obamacare a “train wreck,” N.J. Gov. Chris Christie says, but it’s a train wreck that even a newbie politico could have predicted.

“This is a disaster, and it was a train wreck that anybody who’s managed anything, ever, in their lives could’ve seen coming,” Mr. Christie said to New Jersey 101.5 FM.

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But he was just getting warmed up.

Politico reported he went on: “This is just an awful law. It made no sense and that’s why I didn’t get into a state exchange. And no, I have absolutely no regrets. In fact, I’m really glad that the train wreck’s not mine. It’s [President Obama’s,]” and Mr. Obama is now “scrambling.”

Why?

He’s up the creek without a paddle on promises that Americans could keep their insurance plans if they wanted.

“This entire Obamacare program is a failure,” Mr. Christie said in the Politico report. “It’s a failure and people are seeing it starkly and clearly right now and the president is scrambling. He should’ve just told people the truth from the beginning, but you know what if he had — they wouldn’t have passed it. Not even Democrats would’ve passed this.”

Mr. Christie, the newly minted chairman of the Republican Governors Association, is a much-touted possible GOP nominee for president in 2016. He’s been a moderate conservative on many policies, such as climate change — and a vocal supporter of the president during the Superstorm Sandy devastation that hit New Jersey.

Via: Washington Times

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[CARTOON] Train Wreck

Via: California Political Review

The GOP divide: A battle of Corleones

In trying to understand the Republican Party’s internal battles, it helps to think of Michael and Sonny.

On one side we have Sonny, the hotheaded, impulsive, shoot-now-take-names-later son of Don Corleone. On Capitol Hill, he personifies the tea party followers who would rather die on principle than live to win a later day.

On the other side, we have Michael, the cooler-headed son and intellectual strategist. On the Hill, Michael represents the so-called establishment legislators who understand the way forward but thus far have been reluctant to pull the trigger.

That’s a metaphor, for all those literalists out there who may feel compelled to issue fresh gun-control imperatives. It means to take necessary, if unpleasant, action. Before action, however, there should be a plan, which has been demonstrably missing in recent weeks. Had there been a strategic, long-view plan, rather than a series of tactical blunders, Republicans might now be basking in the realization of a dream: Obamacare is a hot mess.

Remember the “train wreck” that Republicans kept promising? Well, guess what. It’s happening. The train is wrecking. And yet, rather than popping open the champagne as the Obamacare Web site crashes in a glut of glitches, Michael and Sonny are having a staring contest.

Via: Washington Post

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The Hidden Costs Of ‘Free’ Obamacare Benefits

The new health care law promises all sorts of free benefits -- but analysts argue nothing is ultimately free, and ObamaCare is no exception.

“P. J. O'Rourke famously said that if you think health care is expensive now, wait until it's free,” said Avik Roy, of the Manhattan Institute. “Once you lard on all these additional things, all these extras that insurers must provide, you have to pay for that."

For the average consumer, that means taxes, the American Enterprise Institute’s Jim Capretta told Fox News.

"There's going to be taxes on insurance. Taxes on drugs. Taxes on medical devices. All of that is getting passed through to the prices people have to pay either for direct services or their insurance premiums,” he said.

The administration points to a host of free services as one of the early benefits of the new law.
"That means free check-ups, free mammograms, immunizations and other basic services,” President Obama said last year.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius also says "people now have preventive services as part of their health plan without co-pays and coinsurance. So everything from cancer screenings to children's immunizations have to be covered."

Plus, children up to 26 can stay on their parents' plan at no cost.

Delta Airlines, though, says that change will cost the company $8 million just next year.

And they're not alone.

Via: Fox News

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