Extremely popular New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who is actually more well-liked among Democrats lately, just can’t stop pissing off the conservative Establishment, whether it’s cozying up to President Obama after Hurricane Sandy (right before the election) or calling out the NRA after Sandy Hook. The latter offense may have even gotten him left off the invite list from this year’s Conservative Political Action Committee conference, the National Review reports. According to a CPAC “insider,” Christie has a “limited future” in the national GOP because of his opinions on gun control, which may veer too far toward common sense. In news that won’t help him fit in with Sarah Palin and Wayne LaPierre, Christie announced today that New Jersey will accept Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion.
Christie joins other turncoat GOP governors, most notably Florida’s Rick Scott, in abandoning any hope that the Afforable Care Act will be repealed.
“Let me be clear, I am no fan of the Affordable Care Act. I think it is wrong for New Jersey and for America,” Christie insisted in a speech today. “I fought against it and believe, in the long run, it will not achieve what it promises. However, it is now the law of the land.”
“But in this instance, expanding Medicaid by 104,000 citizens in a program that already serves 1.4 million, is the smart thing to do for our fiscal and public health,” he added, throwing the GOP faithful a bone: “If that ever changes because of adverse actions by the Obama Administration, I will end it as quickly as it started.” But at this point, he was probably crossing his fingers behind his back.
