Blunt Assessment: "I don't think there is a Republican [health care] alternative at this point"

Rob Portman is running for the US Senate in Ohio.  He's a former GOP Congressman and former Bush Administration appointee -- so not exactly an anti-establishment kind of guy.  Yet Portman is not bashful about pointing out the lack of progress in recent months and years on key issues by Congressional Republicans -- especially on health care.  Portman has been talking a lot about the issue with prospective supporters in Ohio, and is decidedly unimpressed with what he's seen from House and Senate leaders, including Roy Blunt. Here's his take on the situation, from a recent article in the National Journal's CongressDaily (subscription required):

Republicans have also taken some heat nationally for not focusing on health care in their campaigns in recent years, but Portman already has been speaking on the issue frequently.

"We have to have an alternative. ... I will tell you, I don't think there is a Republican alternative at this point," he said. He said he reached that conclusion after talking to Senate leaders and lawmakers about the GOP's position. "There isn't one," he said. "There's a task force, and I applaud them for that."   (emphasis added)

It's hard to argue with Portman's assessment.  There are a couple of minor proposals from different legislators, but nothing of substance from the GOP leadership, and nothing for his colleagues to rally around.  Creating "the" health care reform plan for House Republicans was supposed to be Roy Blunt's job.  But so far it's been a major disappointment.  

Come to think of it, how many articles have you seen this week talking about Roy Blunt's "plan" for health care that he released late last week?  I can't think of one.

(h/t Greg Sargent)