New video of ObamaCare architect calling Americans stupid
Jonathan Gruber comments caught on tape
It’s the stupid, stupid.
In the annals of elitist contempt for ordinary Americans, the remarks of an ObamaCare architect stand out. Jonathan Gruber of MIT, who helped shape the complex law, admitted the opaqueness was intentional.
“Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage,” he told a 2013 conference that had remained secret until now. “Call it the stupidity of the American voter or whatever, but basically, that was really, really critical for the thing to pass.”
Gruber’s arrogance became public only because a conservative group, American Commitment, posted his remarks on YouTube. His words shock without surprising.
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Remember Nancy Pelosi’s outrageous argument in 2010 that “we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.”
Remember, too, the quid pro quos where a handful of Senate Democrats sold their votes for grants and carve-outs.
There was the Louisiana Purchase, the Cornhusker Kickback and the Gator Aid. And many big unions that wanted the bill belatedly discovered they needed to be exempt from its provisions, or their members would suffer a rollback in benefits.
And don’t forget President Obama’s dozens of rewrites, a key plank in the claim that he has stretched executive power past the breaking point.
ObamaCare was the largest piece of legislation ever passed on a strict party-line vote, and it marked the height of Democratic power. Two midterm elections later, Dems have lost both the House and the Senate, and ObamaCare was a prime reason.
Still, it is the law and remains unpopular and unworkable. It is going back to the Supreme Court for another challenge and Republicans say they will move to repeal and replace the whole thing.
They won’t succeed as long as Obama is in the White House, meaning we haven’t heard the end of this misbegotten mess.
To continue reading Michael Goodwin's column in the New York Post, click here.
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