Several liberal thinkers, bloggers and columnists – see for instance Time’s Tumulty and the Atlantic’s Ambinder – have argued in recent weeks that President Barack Obama should ask Republican former Governor Mitt Romney for Health and Human Services.
Both liberals point out that Romney was a successful governor of Massachusetts who, unlike many other Republicans, came up with a plan to insure all citizens of the state. His plan was accepted by the state’s legislature, implemented and quite successfully so. Massachusetts’ health care system now functions as an example for other states.
As Media Matters points out, however, Romney believes that his plan for Massachusetts shouldn’t be used for every single American state. As the governor said last year, one size fits all is bound to fail in a country with a population of +300 million. If Romney would be asked by Obama to implement a ‘one size fits all plan,’ it’s unlikely he’ll accept the offer.
Furthermore, Romney has a PAC of his own, and he’s considered to be one of the frontrunners for the Republican nomination of 2012. Many believe – probably rightfully so – that Romney still dreams about becoming America’s president. Working in an Obama administration will not help Romney reach this goal. Rather, it will hurt his chances considerably; if Obama is a failure, and the health plan especially, Romney’s career will be over; if Obama and the plan are a grand success, Romney will be considered a traitor by many Republican voters.
Shorter; I don’t see this happening. It won’t make much sense for Romney to work with Obama, and it doesn’t make too much sense for Obama either considering that the presidents does want a ‘one size fits all’ plan for the country.
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It’d be lovely if he could figure out a way to get Romney’s plan working in individual states though.