While Chris Christie is taking a hit about “Bridge-gate,” in terms of effectively working for his state concerning Obamacare, it’s clear he’s no dummy. Both Hurricane Sandy and Obamacare actually point to strengths in his leadership that for Americans should be appealing. Specifically, he has enough smarts to research an issue and take a stand based on facts.
In fact, though I am not currently pro or anti-Christie, I think he’s less vulnerable to the “hypocrite” label than the President or Harry Reid whose dreck and demagoguery were used to mislead and cajole us to supporting policies and laws that have injured our citizen well-being, while carving out exceptions for government workers.
In fact, this President's Administration could be described as, "Government working for government workers." This attitude is still fresh in our minds on the heels of government cuts to SNAP and unemployment benefits and the failure to raise the minimum wage which by the way hasn't gone up since 2009 yet SOMEHOW finding a way to give raises to government workers (who received their last raise three years ago).
We are not unfamiliar with some of the goings on in politics, and scapegoating Chris Christie is absurd. I actually don’t care how his deal with Zimmer arose or any other deal. They are politicians playing their political game and labeling something as a threat or as a compromise is and has always been a murky enterprise when it comes to politics.
What is clear is when we, citizens are exploited, where because of our weaker position eg non politicians we become unfairly used, essentially pushed around because we don’t have equal footing in the political dance. Though Zimmer may argue she was exploited, used unfairly, it’s not persuasive since she is in the same arena with the same resources, and though perhaps somewhat less powerful equally capable of making political “deals.”
For citizens, it’s different. When the President told us there would be no increase in income taxes and then raised payroll taxes, that was exploitive. When the President promised we’d be able to keep our own plans, but not so much, that was exploitive.
In fact, there is one area where I think Chris Christie has done his citizens a great service and that is regarding Obamacare. While he opted out of a state health exchange, later on, “…Christie agreed to expand Medicaid under the federal law…” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/26/chris-christie-obamacare_n_4346752.html, “Huffington Post,” by Mollie Reilly, November 26, 2013, “Chris Christie on Obamacare, ‘I’m Really Glad the Train Wreck’s not Mine, It’s His”)
Unlike other Republicans Chris Christie was not so trapped by ideology he made decisions bound to injure his states' citizens, as opposed to, for instance, NC Governor McCrory, (read post, “NC Defers to national Control, Opts Out,” February 14, 2013), where I discussed NC's opting out of Medicaid expansion.
The decision from a citizen point of view to opt out of Medicaid expansion is not only stupid because the Federal government picks up the bill for years, but also because hospitals, assumed to treat more patients with insurance if Medicaid is expanded will receive LESS federal money under the PPACA for Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments from the Federal government, which is the law regardless of whether a state chooses to expand Medicaid or not.
Unlike other Republicans, Chris Christie recognized that, “Accepting these federal resources will provide health insurance to tens of thousands of low-income New Jerseyans, help keep our hospitals financially healthy and actually save money for New Jersey taxpayers.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/26/chris-christie-obamacare_n_4346752.html, “Huffington Post,” by Mollie Reilly, November 26, 2013, “Chris Christie on Obamacare, ‘I’m Really Glad the Train Wreck’s not Mine, It’s His”)
That decision for me IS a big deal. Not only does it show a leader capable of reconsidering a decision based on facts (something the President is really bad at), but it shows the ability to make a decision contrary to political rhetoric in order to benefit the PEOPLE he represents.
Chris Christie has shown some brains and some loyalty to the people he represents, and that will likely carry him through the airing of dirty political laundry which leaves no NJ politician smelling too sweet in the bridge-gate episode.
