Guess who fought individual mandates in health care?
posted at 12:15 pm on April 1, 2010 by Ed Morrissey
With Mitt Romney taking heat over his acquiescence to or enthusiastic endorsement of individual mandates in health care reform (depending on the explanation), the GOP presidential primary in 2012 may hinge on track records fighting ObamaCare. The energy of the Tea Parties has created a rallying cry of “Repeal and replace!”, thanks in large part to the intrusive federal mandate that fourteen states now plan to challenge in court. Republicans will feel pressure to nominate someone who has some sort of track record in opposing mandates, especially with the latest Democratic argument that Republicans came up with the idea of the mandate in the first place.
National Journal’s Hotline has found at least one potential candidate with that kind of track record:
MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) defied recommendations made to him by advisers twice in the last 6 years about working to install individual mandates for health insurance coverage — and in doing so may have stockpiled some points he can use to score with the GOP base. …
Pawlenty appointed ex-Sen. David Durenberger (R) to chair the Citizens Forum on Health Care Costs in ’03 largely to advise him on cost containment. Later, Pawlenty empaneled a Health Cabinet. In the report Durenberger and his team issued to Pawlenty on Feb. 23, ’04, he noted that the state’s uninsured rate of 5.4% was among the nation’s lowest, and that state residents understood the need for buy-in.
With that framework, the fifth general recommendation reads: “Assure Universal Participation In The Health Care System.” A few of the points within the recommendation were: “Set a goal of ‘universal participation’ in the health care system, which is broader than just universal access or coverage,” and “Require participation in the health care system by uninsured Minnesotans who can afford to buy health coverage but choose not to.”
Again in a report dated Feb. 1, ’08, another health care group advising Pawlenty — the Health Care Transformation Task Force — suggested that individual mandates be part of the solution.
Anyone think this won’t be in a campaign commercial by mid-2011?
If ObamaCare remains as unpopular in 2011-12 as it is now, especially among independents, this will be a big draw, and a big negative for Romney. However, many things could change between now and the primaries. First, a Republican takeover in Congress and the defunding of key parts of the ObamaCare bill might make it less of an issue in the presidential election. If courts act quickly to toss the mandate out, it will make Pawlenty look prescient but also take the issue off the table. National security emergencies could arise, or the economy could take another nose-dive, which will make this secondary at best.
Still, some Republicans believe that Pawlenty doesn’t have the necessary toughness to succeed as an executive candidate on the national level. If nothing else, this shows in practical terms what Minnesotans have seen for years — that Pawlenty knows how to tell people “no,” even Republicans who put pragmatism over principle.
Blowback
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I definitely prefer T-Paw to Mittens. Romney is toast, but Pawlenty is milquetoast. We need a happy warrior like Reagan.
Terrie on April 1, 2010 at 12:22 PM
I want a loud mouthed leader who will get things done ruthlessly, but do it all wearing a dazzling smile.
The time for being nice & quiet is past.
Which is why I have misgivings about our Gov Hoeven winning (I’m sure) the empty seat left by Dorgan.
I’m not sure he’s loud enough for ND.
Badger40 on April 1, 2010 at 12:24 PM
Hmmm … where would we find a warrior who has a record of fighting corruption, and shrinking budget and government?
Hmmm …
darwin on April 1, 2010 at 12:26 PM
No offense Ed, but you’ve been really soft lately so if you like TPaw then that means he’s not the right guy.
MobileVideoEngineer on April 1, 2010 at 12:27 PM
I think I miss that man more everyday.
And I was only 4 when he left office.
lonesome_pine on April 1, 2010 at 12:28 PM
There is a website up where political candidates can pledge to repeal OCare; there are quite a few signers so far.
http://www.repealit.org/pledge/candidate
GnuBreed on April 1, 2010 at 12:29 PM
Conservatives wonder how N.J. Attorney General Paula Dow sided against the Christians
http://blog.nj.com/njv_paul_mulshine/2010/04/paula_dow.html
I’ve been watching Christian Legal Society v. Martinez closely and for Christie to pick someone for AG that is filing a brief on the wrong side is very disheartening…
ninjapirate on April 1, 2010 at 12:29 PM
Pawlenty is a Republican. Republicans always seem to be able to find spine when they’re out of power.
I haven’t forgotten the zeitgeist of 1994. I don’t think anyone should. 2010 won’t be the end — it will be just as important to keep Republican feet to the fire, or else we could end up with another Barack Obama in 2024.
gryphon202 on April 1, 2010 at 12:33 PM
TPaw’s about as inspiring & charismatic as a cucumber & mayo sandwich. A great deal of Ronald Reagan’s success stemmed from his charisma. Pawlenty might have every ideological checkbox nicely fillled in, but without a corresponding ability to inspire, he’s handicapped (and we’re screwed).
OhioCoastie on April 1, 2010 at 12:34 PM
or the other 56 States.
upinak on April 1, 2010 at 12:34 PM
Today that is spelled, “Palin”
Onager on April 1, 2010 at 12:35 PM
Tim Pawlenty over Willard Romney or Mike Huckabee 24/7.
portlandon on April 1, 2010 at 12:37 PM
We need a Hero.
We’re holding out for a Hero in this waning Nations Light.
They have to be strong and they have to be Fair and they have wanna get up and fight!
upinak on April 1, 2010 at 12:37 PM
Everytime I think I could get excited about a Pawlenty presidency I manage to nod off.
Amadeus on April 1, 2010 at 12:39 PM
If Pawlenty decides to run, coffee futures will go thru the roof!
Amadeus on April 1, 2010 at 12:40 PM
Yeah, no kidding.
Mirimichi on April 1, 2010 at 12:42 PM
Don’t turn Hot Air into the Pawlenty version of Hugh Hewitt-loves-Romney circa 2008.
Clark1 on April 1, 2010 at 12:42 PM
Thanks for ruining my day, you young whippersnapper!
Kafir on April 1, 2010 at 12:44 PM
Ed and Allah. Time to turn your attention else where and talk about NEW people around the nation.
Hint, Hint.
upinak on April 1, 2010 at 12:44 PM
So support for cap ‘n tax is not support for mandates?
DaydreamBeliever on April 1, 2010 at 12:48 PM
GOP 2012 nominee will be either Palin or Thune (currently #2 and #3 on Intrade, respectively). Thune will probably go up to #2 once he announces.
T-Paw disqualified himself in my book, when he endorsed McCain back in 2007, while McCain was pushing amnesty.
Jon0815 on April 1, 2010 at 12:49 PM
Pawlenty got almost a half dozen new Face Book fans in the last 24 hrs. WOW!
Amadeus on April 1, 2010 at 12:51 PM
Didn’t know that. Off my list now.
Seeing Sarah back McCain has made me disgusted, too.
I am so disappointed in her back-scratching.
I am really going to hate holding my nose & voting in another election.
I’ll do it.
But I am really going to hate it.
Badger40 on April 1, 2010 at 12:53 PM
He supports that?
Anyone who supports such tripe is a RINO-pure & simple.
Badger40 on April 1, 2010 at 12:54 PM
Thune huh?
You may want to check into him.. very closely.
upinak on April 1, 2010 at 12:54 PM
You whiners are looking for someone who ISN’T THERE. So you’ll take another term of evil clown Obama because Pawlenty isn’t “loud enough.” Now I really feel hopeless.
leftnomore on April 1, 2010 at 12:54 PM
Pawlenty/Ryan 2012?
playblu on April 1, 2010 at 12:54 PM
I’m beginning to think that we have so many good qualified people, that I hope the 2012 primaries don’t get too brutal and end up blooding our eventual candidate. They have to remember Reagan’s 11 commandment.
Mirimichi on April 1, 2010 at 12:55 PM
How about we don’t want some wishy washy republican who is going to “reach out”.
Do you?
upinak on April 1, 2010 at 12:56 PM
Guess who didn’t fight (but instead *proposed*) the individual mandate for health care in 1993? Well, Republicans.
tneloms on April 1, 2010 at 12:56 PM
Narcolepsy’s Anonymous has thrown their support behind Pawlenty in an attempt at equality.
Amadeus on April 1, 2010 at 12:57 PM
Don’t know, but would that be Newt?
Mirimichi on April 1, 2010 at 12:58 PM
Give. It. Up.
Branch Rickey on April 1, 2010 at 12:59 PM
folks are really getting burned out on this issue and are starting to zone-out.
The things that excite Pawlenty put the rest of us to sleep. The GOP is not getting anyone excited. There’s certainly a lot of opposition to the dem’s but people turn from them only to face – Tim Pawlenty and other dull Republicans asking, “is this our only alternative?” Snore, snore. DD
Darvin Dowdy on April 1, 2010 at 1:00 PM
Powerline got on the Mitt bandwagon in 2008, and they made no mistake of their dislike of Palin. They are elitists who yammer on and on about Dartmouth, and it’s obvious that they set themselves above the groveling masses.
Minn. doesn’t have a great track record for supporting conservatives. In fact, Minn. is a mess. No core values, just a mish-mash of crazies. Can anyone say FRANKEN-STEIN?! Sheesh….
Don’t preach to me about anything if you live in MN.
T-Paw may be a good guy, but he’s Mitt-Lite. Just because he barked at the Dems in your state doesn’t mean he’s up to the task in DC.
Please, guys. Give it a rest.
Cody1991 on April 1, 2010 at 1:01 PM
I was actually hoping more people with ba!!$ would be stepping up to the plate to LEAD.
I did say that I would hold my nose again for a vote.
But it has got to stop.
These fence sitters & RINOs are getting real old.
There are no more leaders left in this country who want to put themselves out there so selflessly any more.
The politicans we have are either there for the paycheck & power that the office brings, or they give up trying to get anything done bcs it all seems so hopeless.
Badger40 on April 1, 2010 at 1:06 PM
The citified MN folks are what I see that come out here to SW ND to hunt.
And the majority of them are elitist-rich guy a-holes who treat us like hicks & stupid rednecks.
There are many people who depend upon them for income during the hunting season but I for one, am tired of these idiots coming to ND to hunt, as well as buying up land to hunt on, bcs we have to deal with these pr!ck$ all the time & they are certainly pr!ck$.
Badger40 on April 1, 2010 at 1:08 PM
You know what? I want someone really competent, smart with the economy, tough and…………….. boring.
When the future of the country is at stake, I don’t want to be entertained by some slick, community organizer who sounds good to the ‘hood’ and would look better in a break dancing contest than debating national economic issues.
I’m all for boring. What I want is competence and someone who isn’t a political whore.
In this culture that is probably expecting far too much.
Honestly, if this country had any sense they would be looking at guys like Ryan and McCotter. Not suggesting them, but they make sense – a commodity that is in short supply.
Cody1991 on April 1, 2010 at 1:09 PM
It’s about time for the Conservatives to stop settling. If you never demand excellence, you never receive it. If you never set expectations, they are never met.
I demand a candidate that has a backbone and will fight for the principles I feel are important. We, as an electorate, are not helpless.
search4truth on April 1, 2010 at 1:10 PM
T-Paw???
This place has turned into Hot Squish.
LtE126 on April 1, 2010 at 1:11 PM
I feel your pain. Imagine getting smacked in the face with a lure due to some reject from (name State here) who has never fished on a real river or understand the culture around it.
upinak on April 1, 2010 at 1:11 PM
I tweeted this yesterday:
“I like Tim Pawlenty. A lot. But he isn’t the Reagan we’re looking for.”
I would be happy to be proven wrong, let me tell you. I would like to see T-Paw play some role in 2012, just not at the front.
Red Cloud on April 1, 2010 at 1:13 PM
We have the same types in my state. They move here because the weather is great. They buy big homes on the coast and totally PH$ck up the conservative nature of the state. They are cockroaches.
But we aren’t as far gone as MN. For those of us who live in the South, MN has become a freak show. This is what T-Paw will face. It isn’t his fault, but you can be assured that Ventura, Franken, et. al. will come up in any discussion about the political culture that surrounds a MN politician.
What goes there? Is it the weather? Do long, boring winters make everyone crazy? I just don’t get it.
Cody1991 on April 1, 2010 at 1:16 PM
That bites.
I’ve seen that at brandings when the rodeo types come & want to play.
They run in there like their a$$ is on fire to get all the calves roped before every other guy, dragging the he!! out of them.
Last spring when a calf got loose from the pen, my husband calmly went out to rope him & some John Wayne wannabe tore after him & tried to rope it 1st & missed.
Freaking hilarious.
I’m not sure. But I think it may have something to do with a geographical divide: The Missouri River.
Seems as though East River people (to which I include some MN folks) are just naturally ‘wierd’.
For instance, the Dakotas really should have been divided up W & E Dakota instead of N & S.
It’s just a whole different world over there.
Badger40 on April 1, 2010 at 1:22 PM
Cody1991 on April 1, 2010 at 1:16 PM
If you look at American history, much of our political alignment today can be traced back to what group settled where.
Anti-government, independent Scotch-Irish settled the south.
Liberal, pacifist tolerant quakers settled New England and the Upper Northwest.
Swedes and other nordic liberals settled the upper midwest.
Interesting how all of this still is relevant.
NoDonkey on April 1, 2010 at 1:25 PM
Explain California then. I kid.
upinak on April 1, 2010 at 1:27 PM
upinak on April 1, 2010 at 1:27 PM
White kids on dope.
NoDonkey on April 1, 2010 at 1:28 PM
Oh you have such a point there.
As an amateur genalogist I find this correlation quite fascinating.
And after living all over the US during my youth, I can see this.
I have always said my Ulster-Scot roots are the reason for my stubborness.
I will cling to my principles, even if it kills me.
Badger40 on April 1, 2010 at 1:28 PM
heh…
Okay, I wanna hear about Alaska then. heh
upinak on April 1, 2010 at 1:30 PM
My dad’s 1/2 brother-ex-CA hippy now in his 50s with a benign brain tumor.
He still drinks like a fish & smokes his dope, but the dope is now medicinal.
And he loooooves Obama.
Luckily, my Uncle & I never have discussed politics.
I let my dad do that with him.
It’s funny to hear about.
Badger40 on April 1, 2010 at 1:30 PM
Has HA (the Stop Sarah Express) concluded that Mittens isn’t going to make it so now’s time to jump on the T-Paw Bandwagon in search of the next RINO to push for the nomination?
I’ve only known of one true conservative Republican to come from Minnesota. That person’s name isn’t Tim and it isn’t Ed. It certainly isn’t the people from Powerliner. It’s Michele.
bw222 on April 1, 2010 at 1:34 PM
Yeah, that’s why I live in the South, or rather its remains, with all the other “crazies” who want to be left alone.
My family were Quakers from the Midwest who also felt the same way. The big difference was that they weren’t as feisty as the folks here. Moving here was the best decision I ever made. Seems like many others feel the same way because I don’t see a mass exodus to places like MN or MI. In fact, the numbers who are moving here are alarming. This was a charming, delightful place when I moved here many years ago. Not so much these days.
Cody1991 on April 1, 2010 at 1:36 PM
Pawlenty seems to be a good guy…but, I don’t think this is the “one”.
d1carter on April 1, 2010 at 1:36 PM
+1 But here in a few weeks, when Maobama returns to cap and tax, the tables will be turned. Mittens will beat up T-Paw, and for good reason. Meanwhile, as the semi-Dems beat on each other, your happy warrior will keep on doing what she does–ripping the socialists a new one with a big grin on her face.
james23 on April 1, 2010 at 1:40 PM
Is this post an April Fool’s joke? Please tell me it is.
Cylor on April 1, 2010 at 1:52 PM
Pawlenty’s best chance is as the “I wasn’t on the national ballot” candidate in 2012 — i.e., he’s not Mitt, not Huck and not Sarah, and therefore doesn’t have the negatives for whatever reasons those three have going into the ’12 election. But he really isn’t the type to inspire and excite the crowds on his own, so if he were to win the nomination, his main attribute in the general election among independent swing voters would be in not being Barack Obama, if his numbers are the same or lower 30 months from now.
jon1979 on April 1, 2010 at 1:55 PM
I like Pawlenty.
therightwinger on April 1, 2010 at 2:06 PM
Pawlenty/Ryan in 2012! Let’s get us some midwestern fiscal sense. Bring it, boys.
Pope Linus on April 1, 2010 at 2:13 PM
Newt actually proposed the mandate as recently as 2008. Bill Frist endorsed it last year. 21 Republican Senators, including Orrin Hatch and a few others who are still in the Senate, sponsored a bill in 1993 that would have required it.
The ObamaCare bill is extremely similar to the 1993 Republican bill, but unfortunately partisan politics makes it unlikely for people to vote with the other side regardless of whether they are holding a consistent position.
tneloms on April 1, 2010 at 2:19 PM
If any part of Obamacare gets overturned, un-funded, repealed, etc… Obama will find something to punish the American people for going against him and the 2012 hopefuls can run in that.
multiuseless on April 1, 2010 at 5:44 PM
Umm, that’s a feature, not a bug…
JusDreamin on April 1, 2010 at 8:16 PM
I couldn’t agree more.
The Republican party will fall for the same mistake that the Democrats did with Obama if they elect someone merely because of their personality or charm.
Some, not all, the founding fathers, were boring men but they accomplished great things. They were smart, intelligent, sometimes socially awkward but they knew their stuff.
I want someone like Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, Michelle Bachman to lead this country. They might be boring people but they’re exciting because they actually know what they’re doing.
Conservative Samizdat on April 1, 2010 at 8:24 PM