Obamacare Showdown Over a Ham Breakfast in Kentucky

National Journal ^ | August 22, 2013 | Jill Lawrence

[don-o]

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The excitement at the Kentucky Farm Bureau Country Ham Breakfast is usually over how high the bids will go when a ham is auctioned. But this year, it came when Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear made an emotional case for the Affordable Care Act as a chance to change his state's long history of poor health.

It was not what anyone expected—least of all Republican Sens. Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul, who sat stone-faced onstage with Beshear as he unloaded on them without using names.

Thus did the 50th annual ham breakfast at the state fair become a showcase for national divisions and passions, with some 1,600 diners as witnesses.

The mayor of Louisville, Democrat Greg Fischer, set a light mood with a brag-fest about his city's food and restaurant scene and the nearby farmers who have helped make Louisville "the national leader" in the local food movement, "on all the right lists" from Zagat to Southern Living.

But within moments the breakfast crowd found themselves watching a heated Obamacare debate—the kind that normally goes on in Washington, not at Kentucky agricultural events.

Beshear was the homespun populist, appealing to people's instincts to want the best for their friends, relatives, and neighbors. The senators, surprised by the full-bore politics, struck back at the expense of the health law and its impact on business. Those were familiar arguments made by the many vocal opponents of the law, strengthened this week here by UPS's announcement that it was eliminating coverage for spouses who could be expected to get or buy coverage Jan. 1

Beshear's advocacy, by contrast, was striking in its intensity and in how personally he approached the issue, picking up on the idea that many people who don't have health insurance are embarrassed by that and don't talk about it.

[SatinDoll]

I had health insurance - catastrophic health insurance - until BHO2 made that impossible.

[ontap]

Republicans should always be prepared when they are asked to appear with democrat traitors. Cheap shot is their middle name. IT appears McConnell and Paul were up to the task and handily rebuked the idiot!!!

[Slyfox]

But, but, you were supposed to be able to keep your healthcare if you liked it.

You don't think Obama is sticking it to us, do ya?

[Travis McGee]

[VideoDoctor]

Surprised they didn't pick McConnell's pocket.

He and McCain are clueless when it comes to combating the "left."

[lakecumberlandvet]

Beshear overstepped his authority by creating obamacare exchanges by executive fiat, bypassing the Legislature altogether.

[steveyp]

I’ve lost my Doc. He’s quit. I’d like to think he’s gonna open a non-insurance practice. I’d go ala carte.

[sarge83]

Beshear has the little man complex. He is one of the worst govs. Kentucky has ever had, although that idiot liberal republican Fletcher could give him a race.