THIS OUTFIT MAKES THE “GANG WHO COULDN’T SHOOT STRAIGHT ” LOOK LIKE SEAL TEAM SIX
It was a big bestseller when it was originally published in 1969.
The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight is the story of Papa Baccala, a Brooklyn Mafia boss, and Kid Sally Palumbo, a would-be capo who “couldn’t run a gas station at a profit even if he stole the customers’ cars”.
“STRATEGY ON HEALTH LAW SPURS REPUBLICAN DOUBTS”
“Republicans in both Houses are expressing growing skepticism of their party’s approach to repealing the Affordable Care Act.
“…at least 5 Senate…Republicans have signaled unease over repealing the law without having settled on its replacement.”
(WSJ, 1/7/17)
Well, gee, who’da thought that “Marshall Wyatt” McConnell and “Doc” Ryan having had 7 years to develop one, wouldn’t have a solid strategy to kill Obamacare ready to go “on Day One”,?
During those 7 years they were passing meaningless resolutions almost daily to repeal Obamacare, knowing they would go nowhere but promising that, given control of both Houses and the presidency, the disastrous health insurance plan would go the way of Ike Clanton and his boys at the OK Corral. Grrrr. (“Gosh, Wyatt, I thought you had the bullets!”; “Hell, Doc. I thought you’d bring the guns!”)
OK, so we’re mixing some metaphors but, seriously, is anyone surprised that the so-called “leadership” of the GOP -controlled Congress is already wringing its hands about ‘how hard’ it is to try to do away with this wildly unpopular scourge of the US health care system?
And, of course, the usual suspects are right there to insure that the GOP’s most solemnly promised initiative would be among the first things to go up in smoke…Susan Collins, McCain, Rand Paul, Lindsey Graham, Bob (Let’s help Obama allow Iran to have nukes) Corker, etc.
Anybody feel like they’ve been had…again?
On the other hand . . . a conservative column to balance “gang who couldn’t …”
David Harsanyi writing at The Federalist says GOP has a plan. Let’s hope so.
The GOP Does Have A Plan To Replace Obamacare. That’s What Scares Democrats Most If Republicans fail to repeal Obamacare it will be due to their incompetence, not a lack of ideas.
One thought I wish would get into mainstream debate: A major cost of O’care is that it is loaded up with “non-insurance” provisions…ie. contraception,viagra, abortion, trans surgery, etc.
Providing a basic medical insurance plan for everyone would cost a tiny fraction of O’care cost.
DLH
The “Gang Who Couldn’t Shoot Straight” is a perfect metaphor regarding how the GOP JV team is managing its ACA R&R strategy. Some modest observations:
1. Democrats seized the initiative and won the day by labeling the referenced legislation as the “Affordable Care Act” thereby memorializing “Affordable” and “Care” as words inedibly imprinted in the American lexicon.
2. Then the GOP took one step forward and two steps back by serving up a new handle “Obamacare”…thereby doubling down on the notion of “care” and giving BO, Nancy and Dems credit for “caring”.
3. The “ACA” was never actually about health care; but instead was always about increasing taxes on individuals and businesses to fund free “insurance” for a few million Medicare constituents. To wit, the original legislation should have been tagged as the “Imposed Government Insurance Act”.
Imagine the current debate if it were about repealing and replacing the “Imposed Government Insurance Act” and “Obamatax”.
The two things GOP sorely misses are leadership and effective messaging..