Matt Gaetz likes to borrow from Billy Shakespeare. Channeling Mark Antony from “Julius Caesar” during one of his first-floor speeches recently, the Florida Republican declared that he came to Congress “to bury Obamacare, not to praise it.”
But just a few minutes ago, Gaetz supported a healthcare bill that preserves the bulwark of Obamacare’s regulatory architecture and creates an altogether new entitlement. If the Florida man felt like living up to his flowery oratory, he would have been the deciding vote against the bill.
His office did not return multiple calls or emails for comment. But while he hasn’t praised Obamacare, he certainly hasn’t buried it either. The Republican overhaul keeps the two parts of the law conservatives find the most egregious: the costly Medicaid expansion and the crippling insurance regulations. Thursday morning, Gaetz just sort of bashed Obamacare over the head, helped it to its feet, then sent it limping onward. And that’s not at all surprising.
In the capital yesterday, he enjoyed a private audience with Vice President Mike Pence. He was a critical vote, and therefore to be wooed; he is an impressionable freshman, therefore easily won.
Of course, it’s got to be hard saying no to the vice president. Despite his fiery rhetoric, Gaetz is no political operator or populist brawler for that matter. He’s only cast a couple dozen votes since arriving in Washington. Still, this was likely the most important one of his career and he flubbed it.
There’s nothing nefarious here though. A quick scroll through his Twitter shows that Gaetz wants to do what’s best for his constituents. He means no harm. Perhaps he really did vote his conscience. But if he’s going to take controversial votes that require explanation of policy, perhaps it’d be best to ease up on all the Elizabethan pledges.
Because if Gaetz doesn’t back up his Shakespearean language with action, he runs the risk of appearing slow-witted, easily-flattered, and of general offense.
Philip Wegmann is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
