Lessons from Obama's failure

So yes, it’s imperative that Republicans move to implement a replace plan this year, while they still retain maximum political capital. But they should build in time for hearings, debates, modifications. A coalition must be built. The public needs to know that, this time, the job is being done right.

In 2009 Democrats were so convinced of their health-care righteousness, and in such a hurry, that they never bothered to sell their plan to the public. Many of them probably didn’t even know what they were meant to sell, since they hadn’t read the 2,700-page bill and, per Nancy Pelosi, were waiting to pass it to find out what was in it.

Republicans can continue repeating the message that ObamaCare is harmful and has to go. But their only real hope of getting a successful replacement is to mark out their own clearly defined policies and paint an optimistic—even exciting—picture. They need to sell part-time workers and stay-at-home moms on the upside of affordable insurance outside of a corporate workplace. They need to sell job-hopping young Americans on the ease of portable care.

This effort needs thought, consistency and overwhelming force. That’s the way to deflect the left’s growing scare campaign that Republicans intend to “Make America Sick Again.”