The Republican Party has a problem. It has spent the last three-and-a-half years vowing to undo by any means necessary the anti-free market, anti-freedom abomination known as “Obamacare.” Yet now that this goal is within its grasp, the GOP leadership is refusing to do the one thing that would actually block the new law from taking effect: Defunding it.
We wrote recently concerning this conundrum, arguing that this was the “last line in the sand” for a Republican establishment which has time and again betrayed its stated convictions, its campaign promises and most importantly, the American taxpayers.
Republicans caved on bailouts. They caved on the debt ceiling. They caved on the “fiscal cliff.” And now they are caving on Obamacare. Of course in typical GOP fashion, they are doing everything within their power to make it look like they’re not caving.
Specifically, GOP leaders in Washington, D.C. are pushing what’s called a “rider” to an upcoming budget resolution that will defund Obamacare.
Great, right? Sure … except GOP “Majority” Leader Eric Cantor will reportedly adopt a rule ensuring this “rider” remains separate from the spending resolution – enabling the Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate to reject it and send the legislation straight to Obama’s desk for signature.
This will allow “Republicans” in the U.S. House to cast a symbolic vote to defund Obamacare – without actually defunding it.
How clever of them, right? Wrong …
Pro-taxpayer groups weren’t fooled.
“This is an insult to the intelligence of the American people,” said Nathan Mehrens of Americans for Limited Government. “This is nothing more than a trick by House leadership to pretend to defund Obamacare without actually doing so.”
Indeed … if the GOP is serious about defunding this abomination, then it needs to defund it. Not pretend to defund it.
The only way to do that? Pass a clean budget resolution …
12 comments
The free market with all their lobbyist have caused health care to be unattainable for many working people as well as employers. Don’t blame Obamacare for this problem!! The shit was through the roof before the 2008 election. I had to drop my coverage in 2005.
The free market with all their lobbyist[s]…
TBG is repeating this over and over in his mind, waiting for it to make sense.
So far, to no avail.
Still…nothing.
Oh God God man !
Say it!
These poor insurance companies need a tax cut!
Damn!
Everybody (that pays!) needs a massive tax cut, Hoss.
OK, Tonto, look at tort reform caps. Has that lowered costs? No!! Buy oh my, how much these Doctor’s claim to pay in malpractice insurance!! Who’s kidding who here??
My quibble is that we are so far from the “free market” most people wouldn’t recognize it if it snuck up and bit them on the @$$.* My snark was directed at “free marketers” using lobbyists to curry favors/[non]competitive advantages from the government.
Of course, TBG expects “free market” businesspeople to do this… the problem is that our government is large enough to facilitate it. Crony capitalism etc.
Oh, and to answer your question;:
No, although it may have slowed their growth. Doctor’s do pay a ton in malpractice insurance…but since they all have to, it’s just another business expense that is passed on to you and me.
* “@$$”, TBG’s homage to BigT.
This is bullshit. Obamacare would get funded anyhow, even if the government shut down. This isn’t a “chance” to “defund” Obamacare, since the Dem Senate and President have the numerical advantage, so to call people weak/not conservative for recognizing that is disingenuous or just plain stupid. And choosing not to default on our national debt when faced with numerical (there’s that word again!) superiority over spending cuts is statesmanship—something DeMint or his nerdy acolyte Ted Cruz don’t know how to spell.
This is such a tired straw man. We haven’t had anything approaching a free market in health care for at least 50 years. Government creates a problem, everyone complains, government tries to “fix” the problem they created, things get worse, and nobody blames the one party actually responsible. Rinse. Repeat.
We’ve had massive financial regulation for over a century and everybody still blames the so-called “deregulated” “free market” for everything that happens on Wall Street too.
In response to Vanguard16…
The government never regulated insurance companies to drop coverages in pursuit of profits. It is only now regulating them to not be able to do it.
If you think complete deregulation and an adoption of an entirely free-market health care system will not have major faults at the cost of the consumer, you are sadly mistaken. There is a reason why no country has a “true free-market” system in this regard.
“if the GOP is serious about defunding this abomination, then it needs to defund it.”
Okay, great. In the spirit of, you know, actual governing, the Republicans are going to have to give up quite a bit in order to get this defunded. Which of their policies should they concede in order to legitimately defund Obamacare?