GOP "very concerned" about the "void" left by Blunt's health care task force

"Discouragement in this community remains palpable."

So reads a new analysis of health care reform strategies from Congressional Republicans in CQ, one of two articles this morning on the disjointed and disorganized GOP effort on health care policy. The CQ and Politco articles highlight the dismay from Republicans and their "free-market advocates" on K Street, and the lack of a clear strategy from House leaders (i.e., Roy Blunt).

• Blunt's study group is still "looking at writing" a health care plan. This is in stark contrast to earlier promise most notably Blunt's own promise (in March) to "lead the effort to make health care work for Americans," and his promise last month to have a plan together by Memorial Day.
• The people who should be rallying around Blunt's plan are not impressed. A GOP aide says members are "very concerned" about the lack of an alternative to the President's and Senate's plan, and a Heartland Institute health expert says, “They are virtually useless."
• Republicans are openly discussing whether or not they need to presenting a plan at all. Politico asks: "Do they need to offer viable solutions? If so, can they do it without attracting unnecessary criticism for those alternatives? Or can they simply wait for Democrats to release their own bill and then criticize it?"
• A group of House moderates has left Blunt's team, and has been working on its own strategy.

At this point, it's abundantly clear that Blunt  have completely failed in his commitments to "develop real solutions" and "shape innovative House Republican health care solutions at a time when the American people need them most."

Politico writes, "as the Blunt group continues its work, his peers are stepping into the void and complicating the already treacherous task of bridging deep-seated divides among his fellow Republicans by offering competing plans that have drawn battle lines between moderates and conservatives."

“Essentially, they are very concerned,” said a congressional GOP aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk candidly about internal party debate. “There is concern that if there isn’t a clear alternative that empowers individuals, the Republican version will be a cheaper version of whatever [Democratic Sen. Max] Baucus and Obama have put forward.”

[Minority Leader John] Boehner put his former No. 2, Missouri Rep. Roy Blunt, in charge of herding Republicans on the critical issue. Since February, Blunt has organized weekly meetings with outside experts to help educate members on the intimate details of the country’s health care system. In April, his team started crafting the Republicans’ official alternative, with the goal of completing their work before Democrats bring their own comprehensive bill to the floor.

But as the Blunt group continues its work, his peers are stepping into the void and complicating the already treacherous task of bridging deep-seated divides among his fellow Republicans by offering competing plans that have drawn battle lines between moderates and conservatives.

The CQ article focuses more on the perspective of lobbyists and special interests, but comes to the same general conclusion.

When free-market advocates gathered recently for a conference call to discuss the coming health care debate in Congress, the outlook was so grim it drove one participant straight to his computer to lament the situation.

“I have never seen the free-market proponents in a debate as discouraged as they are over health care,” Greg Scandlen, a health expert at the Heartland Institute, wrote on the group’s Web site. The bleak mood, he said, was compounded by the fact that “there was no unity. Everyone has his or her own pet peeve in health care and is uninterested in unifying around a theme.”

Interviewed later, Scandlen had few kind words for Republicans in Congress, who would seem to be natural allies. While they are often criticized for being too ideological, he said, they have displayed no ideology on health care, and not even much real interest. “They are virtually useless,” Scandlen said. “There are a few bright lights, but not many.”

This lack of leadership and interest in actually working on health care issues is consistent with everything we've been seeing for the past few months out of Blunt's work group. 

On the bright side, the public doesn't actually care about affordable health care or expanded access either.