IRA STOLL: I Tried, And Failed, To Sign Up For ObamaCare.

I live in Massachusetts, a state that had, under Governor Mitt Romney, pioneered the “individual mandate” and “universal coverage” that are at the center of Obamacare. You’d think they’d have a functioning Web site for health insurance. And they did, a year or so ago when I window-shopped for health insurance. Since then, however, to become compliant with Obamacare, the state scrapped the old RomneyCare web site and replaced it with a non-functioning Obamacare site.

By “non-functioning,” I mean, “non-functioning.” As in, it really doesn’t work.

Initially, I waited, figuring the site would be fixed by the time I needed to buy insurance. Indeed, there were plenty of signs that the site was being repaired.

“Attention: scheduled maintenance: This site will be unavailable from Wednesday December 11th at 2 p.m. until Thursday December 12th at 5 a.m.,” the home page declared at one point. When I returned another time, there was no time span given, just a sign that said “Maintenance in Progress: Welcome The Massachusetts Health Connector is currently undergoing maintenance. Your health coverage needs are extremely important to us. Please check back soon.”

Obamacare’s defenders like to blame Republican obstructionism for the program’s problems. But Massachusetts has a Democratic governor, Deval Patrick, who is such a pal of the president’s that they regularly have dinner during Obama’s Martha’s Vineyard vacations. Both houses of the state legislature are solidly under Democratic control. One can’t blame the Republicans for this one.

Of course one can. And many will!