So Sayeth the “Obama Republican”.

(noon. – promoted by ek hornbeck)

I went to a Halloween party at the home of one of the few Venice, California Republicans I know.

I’d assumed up until today that he was a casual, take-em-or-leave-em fiscal conservative types, but that assumption was proven wrong when he turned and said:

“So, I got a one-on-one sit down with John McCain back in June…”

This guy is in the health care industry and, he told me, used his face to face time with McCain to tell the Arizona Senator how much he DISLIKED the Republican approach to health care. In my neighbor’s mind, employer funded health care is one of the few parts of the health care industry worth reforming and saving.

“You’re going to DESTROY the one healthy part of the system!”

In this sit-down, McCain defended his plan, telling my neighbor that once employer funded health care disappeared… the “free market” would step in and provide the long-elusive affordable universal care.

My neighbor, BEING THE “FREE-MARKET” HIMSELF, insisted Senator McCain was wrong.

McCain stuck to his guns… employer funded health care has to go.

Over the next couple of months my neighbor called his business associates, a “reliably Republican” group, and the discontent got loud enough that a few days prior to the first Presidential debate, the McCain/Palin campaign scheduled a conference call with my neighbor, others in the health care industry, and John Goodman, who is McCain’s guru on all things health care.

Where did John Goodman start?

He started with, “I promise John McCain supports and wants to maintain employer funded health care!”

My friend buzzed in… that’s not the candidate said.

“One of you is either not telling the truth or is mistaken.”

Goodman countered, “Trust me. I helped craft the plan. Senator McCain does not believe in dismantling the current employer funded health care system.”

The call ended… my neighbor was confused… that is, until the first debate went off and John McCain went out on national television and confirmed EXACTLY what he’d told my neighbor in the one-on-one.

“The campaign thinks I’m stupid. They think we’re all stupid.”

***

“I’m glad I voted for your guy this time. His health care policy is smart as can be and for once the rest of the world might not hate us. That’s not to say I’m not terrified he’ll go full-bore Ted Kennedy on me… but I’m willing to take my chances. The election is done and my side deserves the ass kicking its about to get.”