The Des Moines Register loves giving out thistles, and it seems like conservatives receive more than their fair share. I’m sure that has to do with their *unbiased* reporting and editorial outlook. Well, I’ve been pretty hard on The Register lately, so might as well take another swing.
Yesterday they gave State Senator Brad Zaun, who is running for Congress in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District a thistle for his position on health care reform:
A thistle to Brad Zaun for a pathetic lack of originality when it comes to health care. The Republican running for Congress called the new health reform law a "disaster" and proceeded to roll out the same tired ideas – health savings accounts, tort reform, etc. – for fixing the system. Members of his party didn’t reform health care when they were in the majority. Now that Congress and the president enacted reform (it is the law, guys), the Zauns of the world just can’t stop saying "no." They should try harder to come up with fresh ideas.
While I’m not going to excuse Republicans for not doing anything about health care reform while they had the majority, I fail to see how that is Zaun’s fault. Also, just because something is the law doesn’t mean it’s good policy. Regarding the “it is the law, guys” statement, I’ll expect that the editorial board will no longer complain about laws with which they disagree. You know hold themselves to the same standard they expect Republicans to have.
Also, before we label ideas as “not fresh” shouldn’t they be tried first? It’s obvious the only ideas on health care reform that matter to the editorial staff are ones that ignore free market principles, increase government spending and run up our national debt.
So a thistle to whoever it is who writes the “thistles” for the editorial board for your pathetic and unoriginal critique of State Senator Zaun specifically and Republicans in general. Actually, make it a double thistle for ignoring ideas that would actually help lower health care costs rather than bankrupt our health care system.
