Marathon Pundit: Hensarling: ObamaCare, Dem stubborness killed super commitee negotiations

Yes, the blame for the failure of the super committee belongs to one man--President Obama. As a member of that panel, Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) writes today for the Wall Street Journal, the president's crown jewel, ObamaCare, was not to be touched.

Democrats on the committee made it clear that the new spending called for in the president's health law was off the table. Still, committee Republicans offered to negotiate a plan on the other two health-care entitlements—Medicare and Medicaid—based upon the reforms included in the budget the House passed earlier this year.

The Medicare reforms would make no changes for those in or near retirement. Beginning in 2022, beneficiaries would be guaranteed a choice of Medicare-approved private health coverage options and guaranteed a premium-support payment to help pay for the plan they choose.

Democrats rejected this approach but assured us on numerous occasions they would offer a "structural" or "architectural" Medicare reform plan of their own. While I do not question their good faith effort to do so, they never did.