In a long report on the White House political advisers responsible for the fiasco of www.healthcare.gov, New York Times reporters scarcely mentioned Valerie Jarrett. See Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Michael D. Shear, "Inside the Race to Rescue a Health Site, and Obama" p. 1, col. 5 (New York Times Nat'l ed., Sunday, December 1, 2013).
That perhaps unfairly slights Ms. Jarrett's key role. She was present at all the meetings at which every major decision about Obamacare was made. In fact, until the website disaster, according to some reports Ms. Jarrett was the key decision maker on everything related to Obamacare. See the previous reporting summarized here.
Now, fingers are pointing to the recently surfaced Denis McDonough, White House chief adviser, as the person chiefly responsible for the website disaster. See Stolberg and Shear, New York Times, supra.
This is perhaps unfair to Valerie Jarrett's key role, as noted. It is definitely unfair to the many people in this country who relied on the promise of healthcare. In the final analysis, they are the ones who would be hurt by all of the Obamacare issues including the website which, after all, is only one "portal" to compare and apply for healthcare under the Affordable Care Act.
There are potential solutions to comparing and applying for healthcare other than building a working website. Healthcare is the goal, not demonstrated technical competence or, in this case, the lack of it.
Make it easy on yourselves and on the country, so-called political advisers like Ms. Jarrett and Mr. McDonough: Get out of the kitchen, as they say. You can't stand the heat.
© 2013 by Dennis J. Wall. All rights reserved. No claim to original U.S. Government works.
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