WHITE HOUSE OPENS DOOR TO OBAMACARE DELAY – As the federal government teetered on the brink of shutdown at the end of last month, the White House and Senate Democrats flatly refused a Republican emergency spending bill that would have kept the government open but delayed ObamaCare\u2019s requirement that individuals purchase health insurance by March 31 or face a fine. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid responded to a GOP counteroffer by saying Republicans had \u201clost their minds.\u201d But after an epic failure of a launch for the new health insurance entitlement and with the partial shutdown over, \u201cdelay\u201d suddenly isn\u2019t a dirty word anymore. With many of those subject to the fine unable to sign up due to manifold botches in the enrollment process, Democrats are warming up to the idea.<\/p>\n
[A new ABC\/WaPo poll finds 54 percent of respondents believe the problems plaguing ObamaCare\u2019s Web site reflect a larger problem with President Obama\u2019s signature entitlement program.]<\/p>\n
Delay tactics – After President Obama owned up to the fact that the main Web site for enrollment is not working as it should, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney was asked if the administration is looking for flexibility in applying the mandate. Carney indicated that a delay was not just possible, but that it may already be allowed by the law: \u201cThe law is clear that if you do not have access to affordable health insurance then you will not be asked to pay a penalty because you haven\u2019t purchased affordable health insurance.\u201d It would stand to reason that if the president claims the power to delay the fines for large employers by a year, as he already did, he could claim the power to pardon individuals.<\/p>\n
[\u201cYour website is so f***ed we have use the same strategy that we used to salvage the Iraq war?\u201d \u2013 Comedy Central\u2019s Jon Stewart discussing President Obama\u2019s announced \u201ctech surge\u201d to repair the ObamaCare Web site.]<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no wonder – The sudden nonchalance about delay from the administration is no doubt galling to Republicans who got jammed on a government shutdown, but the real question is what happens next? Will the president delay the mandate, risking further premium spikes for those already covered as insurance companies contend with a flood of sick and poor customers they are now forced to accept? Will Republicans up their ask in the next round of budget battles and seek a full delay of the unimplemented portions of the law? Whatever happens, it\u2019s clear that the Web site bungle is going to be way more than a glitch.<\/p>\n