Health Care BS

In today’s WSJ, the Prince of Darkness has an editorial that will no doubt produce spittle-flecked monitors throughout the wackosphere. He correctly avers that health care reform is a winning issue for Republicans, if they are willing to be bold:

This is a debate Republicans cannot avoid. But it is one we can win–if we offer a bold plan. Conservatives must put forward reforms aimed at putting the patient in charge. Increasing competition will ensure greater access, lower costs and more innovation.

Naturally, Rove contrasts this market-based strategy with the statist approach offered by Hillary Clinton and her accomplices in the Democratic Party:

[They] want the U.S. to move toward a government-run, single-payer model. This is a recipe for making problems worse. Socialized medicine inevitably leads to poor quality, inefficiency, rising taxes and rationing.

And, generally speaking, the elements of the Rovian health care strategy are pretty sensible:

Level the tax playing field.

Tax-free savings for health costs.

Portability.

Arming consumers through more competition.

Pool risk, lower costs.

Greater Transparency.

Stop junk lawsuits.

Rove is right to urge Republicans to stop crawfishing on health care. Their reticence on this issue is one of the reasons the single-payer model has gained so much philosophical ground among the electorate. 

It’s time to start fighting the good fight in earnest.