Some free advise for Mitt Romney

   By Donna Cole

 The latest NY Times/ CBS News poll shows a full 68% of Americans want the Supreme Court to strike down Obamacare, with only 24% in favor of the Court allowing it to stand. The poll also shows 8% of Americans have no clue what planet they are on. (Don't know, no answer) These 8% of clueless folks always show up in national polls.


 While my evidence of these 8% is anecdotal, they heavily vote Democrat. That 68% number breaks down with 41% saying the Court should strike down the whole thing and 27% saying just strike the mandate. Just striking down the mandate would pretty much destroy Obamacare anyway by defunding the program.


 So, I don't think that President Obama wants to run on his signature achievement, and that is why the Republicans need to constantly remind the public of the president's greatest achievement. I think some Republicans have been reluctant to do this because they think it opens the door for Democrats to bring up Mitt Romney's part in Romneycare. Likewise, I think the Dems have been pretty much mum on Romneycare for a similar reason.


 During the early part of the Republican primaries, many conservative commentators said if Romney would just admit he was wrong when he signed Romneycare into law in Massachusetts, the problem he had with it would go away. This in regard to taking this issue off the table in the Republican debates and winning the nomination.


 I argued at the time two things, Why Romney wouldn't admit this, and why he shouldn't (at least not then). First, why he wouldn't is a simple one, politicians loath to admit they were wrong.


 Second, why he shouldn't, is a more complex argument. I believed Romney knew he was going to eventually win the nomination. I thought at the time Mitt wanted to keep the Romneycare mistake argument in his back pocket for Obama. At least I hoped this was (and still is) the case. Imagine a debate between Mitt and Barry going down something like this.


 Romney brings up what a fiasco Obamacare is. Barry comes back with you did the same thing in Massachusetts. Then Romney says, "President Obama, I made a mistake. I was wrong. Can you admit Obamacare was wrong ?"


 At that point, you can stand back and watch Barry twist in the wind on that one. He can't admit he was wrong. This man's ego is inflated like a Goodyear blimp. He can't admit he is wrong when he burns toast. By Romney admitting he was wrong will not only make him appear more human and honest, it will make Mitt look like the bigger man. This will play well with women too.


 But there is also the political reason the president cannot admit he was wrong. This is his signature achievement remember ? By contrast, nobody outside Massachusetts associates Romney with Romneycare. Romney is not going to win Massachusetts anyway, so there is no downside of admitting he was wrong. Even if Obama wanted to admit he was wrong, if only for political expediency, he can't.


 Add in that Mitt can make the state's rights argument of Obamacare verses Romneycare and that his law was very popular in Massachusetts when it passed while Obamacare was deeply unpopular before the Democrats rammed it through Congress against public opinion. Given all these factors, Obama can't make the Romneycare argument stick to Mitt in any real negative way.


 I hope the GOP and the Romney campaign realize this. I understand why some want to shy away from attacking Obamacare, the fear it will bring up Romneycare. I say do not fear this, bring it on. I also understand that many Republicans are waiting for the Supreme Court ruling, hoping it will be struck down in part or whole, and then make the no-brainer argument. Here we have a constitutional law professor president who signed an unconstitutional law.


 I thinking waiting that late in the game is a mistake. The Democrats will argue it is just a ruling by a partisan court trying to influence the election. This actually could put Romney back into a defensive position, that is why Republicans need to be out far in front of the court's ruling. Republicans must beat the drum daily to remind the public of how unpopular this law is. Then, if the Court rules the way I believe it will, this will only make the Republicans, and thus Romney, look even better.


 So, don't be shy Romney campaign, get after it. Sooner than later, much sooner. And if I am wrong about Mitt holding back admitting he made a mistake for a debate with Obama. Please, feel free to use it. Consider it a campaign donation of free advice.