Pawlenty: ObamaCare makes federal gov’t “like a drug dealer”
posted at 2:55 pm on September 3, 2010 by Ed Morrissey
Tim Pawlenty explained his attack on ObamaCare to Neil Cavuto yesterday on Fox — and took a decidedly un-Minnesota Nice tack in doing so. Pawlenty explained to Cavuto that federal funding has become a drug and the states have to start ending their addiction to it — and likened Washington to a drug dealer offering free tastes to clients in order to get them hooked. The only way to stop, Pawlenty insists, is to actually stop, cold turkey if necessary. After all, that money comes from the states themselves, which could spend it more wisely, and with more accountability, if they keep it rather than launder it through Washington:
For some reason, after watching this clip, I thought about this song from Steppenwolf. It’s not entirely safe for work, but it’s a classic.
Blowback
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Well done, Tim!!
Khun Joe on September 3, 2010 at 2:58 PM
Anyone else have a mental image of a strung-out California turning tricks in the alleyway for more ObamaCare?
teke184 on September 3, 2010 at 3:00 PM
The song “White Lines” by Grandmaster Flash is also appropriate.
The Chewbacca Defense on September 3, 2010 at 3:01 PM
Sure would eliminate the earmark industry. How, then, would incumbents stay in office forever?
a capella on September 3, 2010 at 3:01 PM
Pawlenty needs to get to macro messages when he has a communioations vehicle like this. He’s like a cross between Mitt Romney and Mitch Daniels.
DaydreamBeliever on September 3, 2010 at 3:01 PM
Good job, Tim. Tell it like it is.
fossten on September 3, 2010 at 3:01 PM
Big words Pawlenty, but you line up for your states federal money every year.
PrezHussein on September 3, 2010 at 3:01 PM
Of course! That was the plan.
That’s always the plan with Socialist programs.
mankai on September 3, 2010 at 3:02 PM
Every federal program has five strings attached, and each of those strings has some local price tag on the end of it.
RBMN on September 3, 2010 at 3:03 PM
what are the odds ThinkProgress/MMFA/kos/LGF will spin this as a racial thing…black men are all drug dealers right?
cameo on September 3, 2010 at 3:03 PM
Who’s ready for the Media Matters or Politico article that says “Pawlenty calls Obama a drug dealer in racist attack”?
KingGold on September 3, 2010 at 3:04 PM
Yeah, tell that to the Mexican government.
Doughboy on September 3, 2010 at 3:04 PM
Drug Panels
portlandon on September 3, 2010 at 3:06 PM
Okay.. T-Paw says the obvious. This isn’t brain surgury now!
upinak on September 3, 2010 at 3:06 PM
Except when he isn’t. He issued an executive order recently that prevents any Minnesota agency from accepting OCare money. That’s why he’s saying what he’s saying now.
NotCoach on September 3, 2010 at 3:06 PM
Hey! Maybe the State governments should have a say in what the federal government does… like in the Senate or someplace…
Oh, wait…
The Progressives got rid of that to go around the States to enact their agendas.
So sorry, America. Now you are getting the pain you asked for.
ajacksonian on September 3, 2010 at 3:08 PM
I want a dime bag of appendix surgery.
portlandon on September 3, 2010 at 3:09 PM
There is also the positioning for the presidential run in 2012. That may have something to do with it as well. Same as Romney and his ‘Truck Tour’.
sharrukin on September 3, 2010 at 3:12 PM
Awww. It’s time for some friday afternoon GNR….
cue it up baby.
Mr. Brownstone
ted c on September 3, 2010 at 3:13 PM
That might fester! You sure you don’t want a “Pill”?
upinak on September 3, 2010 at 3:13 PM
Sorry, it is now illegal for doctors to possess appendixes or tonsils. You can get a dime bag of blues though. The reds are reserved for members of congress.
NotCoach on September 3, 2010 at 3:14 PM
and the head of that drug cartel is headed off to another vacation – Camp David this time. Which makes perfect sense…his last vacation was awhile ago. If you put it in hours, he hasn’t had a vacation in about 144 hours. Being President is hard.
ramrants on September 3, 2010 at 3:14 PM
No doubt.
NotCoach on September 3, 2010 at 3:14 PM
How about a pain pill instead?
forest on September 3, 2010 at 3:15 PM
They’re actually much worse than a drug dealer.
At least if you’re a drug addict, you can walk away from your regular dealer at any time and go buy from another one.
When the government completes their takeover of our healthcare system, there will be nowhere else to go. Except to another country with socialized medicine.
UltimateBob on September 3, 2010 at 3:16 PM
Nothing wrong with taking your due as long as it’s not hidden pork or this kind of crap with string attached that mean more state matching spending. Federal money comes from the people of Minnesota, among others.
slickwillie2001 on September 3, 2010 at 3:23 PM
Good analogy teke.
The American public is being played for all 3 roles: the john, the hoor and the addict. The government plays pimp and pusher.
This nation is closer to the early 1770s than ever before. I hope this travesty can be stopped with votes alone.
eyesky on September 3, 2010 at 3:24 PM
Take the govt money.Do the govt’s bidding.How crazy can iy get. The MD for my aunt & uncle needs to see them. Neither can get out of the house for physical reasons. I told the doc I’d pay her out of pocket and provide transport so she can examine them and make a referral to Visiting Nurse. She told me Medicare forbids her from taking cash payment from Medicare patients and Medicare won’t pay her because she is not listed as a home provider.
xkaydet65 on September 3, 2010 at 3:26 PM
That’s is a good one.
I like this one too:
Master of Puppets
Brian1972 on September 3, 2010 at 3:32 PM
Taste me you will see
More is all you need
Dedicated to
How I’m killing you
Brian1972 on September 3, 2010 at 3:34 PM
ObamaCare makes a drug dealer of the feds.
There are those who’ve already made that argument since the Vietnam Era.
maverick muse on September 3, 2010 at 3:35 PM
Tim keeps stealing my ideas.
I said this the other day, let the States keep all the Tax Revenues. THAT will start a C1v!lWar.
Heres another Idea(tm) Tim. Let employees opt OUT of payroll deductions and pay quarterly(or never).
You WOULD THINK that someone could slip that into a 2500 page Bill somewhere. Hey, for all we know it IS in there already.
orbitalair on September 3, 2010 at 3:36 PM
Obamacare is more like the Chicago mafia’s offer you can’t refuse or the IRS will break your legs.
viking01 on September 3, 2010 at 3:37 PM
Well then no one should ever make that argument ever again.
Brian1972 on September 3, 2010 at 3:37 PM
Love the Master of Puppets references! That would make a fantastic Web ad! Everyone under age 30 would get it immediately (and many moms and dads of teenage boys).
rockmom on September 3, 2010 at 3:39 PM
Brian1972 on September 3, 2010 at 3:32 PM
So that’s the musical quote opening the Michael Savage Program. Metallica puppet master
What’s the rest of the Savage opening music?
maverick muse on September 3, 2010 at 3:42 PM
FIFY…
Khun Joe on September 3, 2010 at 3:42 PM
“Master! Master! Pleasant dreams that I’ve been after… Master! Master! Promised only lies…
Laughter! Laughter! All I hear and see is laughter…
Laughter! Laughter! Laughing at my cries…”
teke184 on September 3, 2010 at 3:43 PM
Well then no one should ever make that argument ever again.
Brian1972 on September 3, 2010 at 3:37 PM
As if that’s my point? Really.
maverick muse on September 3, 2010 at 3:43 PM
I don’t know I don’t listen to Savage.
Brian1972 on September 3, 2010 at 3:44 PM
Hillary sings concession to defeat.
maverick muse on September 3, 2010 at 3:49 PM
He needs to talk like this more often. I always knew he had a good handle on the issues, but he’s always seemed to me the quiet nerd who could tell you the right answer but not convince you to listen to him. If he shows more “Cristie” moments, definite second look at Pawlenty here (though Sarah is still at the top for me).
miConsevative on September 3, 2010 at 4:23 PM
Totally unfair – drug dealers actually provide people something they want.
If drug dealers were in charge of the federal government, we would probably have a surplus.
Enrique on September 3, 2010 at 4:37 PM
Come on Ed the obvious song for Pawlently’s theory is Pusherman by Curtis Mayfield.
n
Big E on September 3, 2010 at 6:39 PM
Theoretically but in fact the states would not keep the money. The states are too close to the voter, and the voters wouldn’t stand for it.
It seems to me the big problem we have is 1) a federal government with unlimited power to tax us, and 2) not responsible enough to us for us to do anything about it.
If the states had to raise taxes to get the same level of spending the federal government does, the people of the state would revolt. Because the taxes get raised all the way in Washington filtered through 49 other states, people feel like there’s nothing they can do about taxes, because they don’t have a voice.
I thin a very big thing to fix the problem would be to extend our representation in the House. By capping the House at 435 members, they’ve ensured that each Representative is elected by a larger and larger group of people through the years, which dilutes the vote of everyone in the country.
If we tripled the membership of the House, we would make being a Representative seem much less desirable because each Representative would have a much smaller share of power. We would undercut a lot of the gerrymandering that goes on, and would probably wind up with a much more conservative House because it would be harder to make “safe seats” for the incumbents.
And if people in a district were really not happy with their Rep, it would be a lot harder for him to survive politically.
I think the end result would be a far more responsive and conservative government.
didymus on September 3, 2010 at 6:40 PM
It would be much simpler to just have term limits. The last thing we need is more congresscritters.
gary4205 on September 3, 2010 at 7:42 PM