Today, our President and Republican leaders met to discuss healthcare. (Remember, the President was going to focus on jobs—not healthcare—but that was two weeks ago.) I watched a little of it after work today. Here are few observations. The Republicans are well served by any event that contrasts their view of this with the Democrats. The Right does well when contrasts are clear and it is becoming crystal clear on this issue. This issue, however, is just the tip of the ice berg. The real issue will the government be our care taker or will we care for ourselves. Americans, even when we have given into this in so many areas of life, don’t like to affirm it. Many have come the to the conclusion (and rightfully so) that the government is irresponsible—promising entitlements that it cannot provide sustainably. President Obama has been branded the Republicans as “The Party of No.” If I were them, I would embrace this title. There are some things worth saying “No!” too. If I were a Republican member of Congress, I would try to corner the nickname “Dr. No.”

This thought kept running through my mind: Why would President Obama ever have an event like this? It was not going to change anyone mind. It is not a winning issue for him. Clarity on this issue is a loser (although it has been sort of comical to see Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow claiming that the Democrats are taking lumps because they have not had the guts to pass the bill—if you believe this just wait for the lumps they will get when they pass the bill). Here are the conclusions that I have reached:

1. Obama is content being a one term President. He is going to cash in his chips on this. He is going to push all his chips on to the table and push this through using reconciliation. This is basically political suicide. It is both terrible and wonderful to behold.
2. It would not surprised if President Obama was NOT the Democratic nominee in 2012.
3. I am not sure he can push it through even if he pushes all of his chips onto the table. Too many Democrats will want to save their jobs as Congressmen and Senators. This would be a double disaster for Obama. He would be a wrong politically and (the thing that is worse in America) a loser.
4. President Obama is a true believer and he thinks that American will accept and love the healthcare plan if and when they ever pay attention to it. I am struck by how different Obama is from Clinton. Clinton was a politician. He was a survivor. Obama is an ideologue (I do not think he thinks he is, by the way).
5. This will galvanize the political Right. The energized Right will make huge gains in 2010 elections. Hopefully, they can undo the healthcare fiasco if has passed.
6. Maybe, just maybe, the Republicans will have the guts to take on the massive problems facing our country now. We have to pare back the entitlements and take a massive knife to government spending.

The Republicans really lack a leader right now. This might spoil all the good that could happen. Note well, it does not have to be this way. The Republicans do have a cogent, philosopher to lead the way. Newt Gingrich could be that leader. He has the mind for it. Unfortunately, he has dropped the ball morally. He will not be the leader of his party. I do not see the right person on the national stage. It is critical that we have someone willing to cut spending and with the guts to cut entitlements. I was reading National Review recently, and came upon this article recommending Mitch Daniels—Indiana’s Governor. Here it is:

http://nrd.nationalreview.com/article/?q=OWMyMzc0MjRiZjEwYTRmODc2ZDkxYjhhMGNmNDNkZGY=

 I do not agree with him on everything, but his ability to run budget surpluses at a time when states are facing budgetary apocalypses is impressive. George Will, a fairly bright guy, has already given Daniels a not-so-subtle endorsement:

http://townhall.com/columnists/GeorgeWill/2010/02/07/charting_our_way_to_solvency

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