“I want to be absolutely crystal clear — any bill that defunds Obamacare is dead. Dead.”
That was Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) telling reporters last week that there would not be the votes to pass a House Republican plan to defund the health care law via the continuing resolution.
Something he and his colleagues might consider, however, is that that really cuts both ways.
Republicans have 46 members in the U.S. Senate, more than enough to defeat cloture on any continuing resolution that will ultimately result in Obamacare being funded.
To do so, they will first have to block a parliamentary maneuver by Reid to proceed to the continuing resolution in a manner that will allow the defund Obamacare language to be stripped out with a simple majority vote.
“They could refuse to grant cloture in the first place until a unanimous consent agreement is reached in the Senate that any amendment added to the bill post-cloture would also be subject to a 60-vote threshold,” reports Matthew Boyle of Breitbart. “They could also require Reid to fill what is known as the ‘amendment tree,’ a list of amendments that is the maximum of what could be considered on a bill, with amendments other than that one, before agreeing to grant cloture.”
But, reports Boyle, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) refuses to commit to using all the tools in his parliamentary toolbox to do just that. He would be well advised, however, that consciously voting to proceed to any bill that invariably winds up funding Obamacare — even if the amendment to strip the defund language is to be agreed to post-cloture — is just the same as proceeding to a bill where the defund language had already been removed.
(To continue reading this piece, press the “Read More …” icon below).
Robert Romano is the senior editor of Americans for Limited Government.
22 comments
Has the votes? No. They don’t have the votes to pass a bill defunding Obamacare through the Senate, let alone the votes to override Obama’s veto. This is nothing more than Republicans filibustering their own useless, impossible bill because they aren’t going to get their way.
Cruz might find support for a short time, but when the chips are down at the last second, they’ll chicken out.
Too bad harry Reid prevented the Senate from ever considering any Republican healthcare plans…all 5 of them…talk about playing dirty…but that’s what dems do…just ask Ms. Lerner…
Republican plan, now that’s an oxymoron.
Dear God, man! Are you and the anti-Obama crowd so intent on obstructionism? The bill passed and it’s still supported by the majority of Americans. Move on.
Seems we have somehow forgotten statesmanship in this country. The only thing that seems to matter anymore in politics is winning….even if it means losing your dignity.
You sir are high as a kite – Obamacare or the ACA or whatever name you want to call the ruination of the American healthcare system does not have the support of “…the majority of Americans”. Most Americans think ACA will actually diminish the quality of the health care they receive by a wide margin (52% believe it will diminis the quality, 13% think it will improve it) http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/gallup-poll-obamacare-costing-americans-jobs_737014.html
In fact, Americans resoundingly reject the ACA 54% to 43% according to that
liberal bastion Huffpo in a May poll.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/27/obamacare-poll_n_3342457.html
In a newer poll in June, that number has grown to 58% according to Real Clear Politics/Fox
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2013/07/07/obamacare_on_hold_119108.html
Obamacare never had the support of a majority of Americans and as more information comes out about just how dumb, dangerous and intrusive the law is, as well as the sweetheart deals given to Congress and FOBs (Friends of Barrack) opposition is growing. A recent Fox poll indicates that a majority of Americans now want the law repealed not “fixed”. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/07/25/fox-news-poll-voters-say-repeal-obamacare-expect-new-law-will-cost-them/
The law is barely in implementation and it is already costing jobs or causing cut backs in hours.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/gallup-poll-obamacare-costing-americans-jobs_737014.html
You can beat that “Americans want this” drum all you want but you’re wrong about American’s wanting it and wrong in thinking that Obamacare will actually fix the problem of the “uninsured”.
Are you really citing a Faux News poll for anything. Give me a break.
The US health care system sucks. We pay more and get less in return than every other first world nation. Our citizens are less happy with their health care than the citizens of ever other first world nation. The ACA will not make the health care system worse. The reason people are so confused is the lies Republicans have been telling them since the Act was passed. That is why Republicans are so desperate to stop its implementation.
Once implemented the Faux News groupies will sit around and wait and wait and wait for all the horrible things to happen the Republicans and Faux News told them would happen; and when they don’t happen, they will all sit around and scratch their heads, the same way they did when Faux told them Romney could not lose. Seemingly, incapable of figuring out they were played.
This article could serve as an example of “bat-shit crazy” talking points.
if obamacare is so good, why did the president and the Democrat Congress exempt themselves? Obviously, obamacare isn’t good enough for them…
so much for EQUALITY…
If Obama care is so bad, why don’t the Republicans just sit back and allow it to fail. It would be the best thing politically to happen to them in years.. They could run on a “I told you so” platform for a generation.
On the other hand, if it’s a success….Hmmm
Obamacare will mean nothing to about 75% of Americans. It will not change anything. The Republicans must fight it because once it goes into effect, the American public will figure out that Republicans have been lying to them all along.
Why is the GOP trying to exempt staffers from receiving benefits if they are so concerned with Congress being exempt?
dan you are typical of the dumb ass-stupid rednecks that don’t know or understand the truth. “OBAMACARE” is good for the country and good for the people who need health insurance. You folks only believe what Fox News- Koch brothers and the narrow and simple minded neocons that South Carolina hillbillies/rednecks send to Washington. You just suck in all the lies about the ACA.
Because they already get free government health insurance, and you can’t get any better than that. Even though Republicans tell the rest of us that’s not what we want.
An alternative to Obamacare would be give every American the same insurance as Congress and the President for the same price they pay.
Try to get that past the Republicans.
The point was to make it intentionally misleading. Government shutdown isn’t imminent thanks to attempts to FUND Obamacare, the ones undeniably risking that are Republicans. The ACA does not require reauthorization or special funding, it does require special action to stop it though.
This is wrong, and displays ignorance of Senate procedure. As reported in the Washington Examiner:
“Our demand is for Reid to do one of two things,” the aide continues. “Either agree that all amendments post-cloture have a 60-vote threshold, or bring the amendment up pre-cloture. McConnell can demand those things.” Translated into less insidery language, that basically means forcing Reid to adopt a procedure that would allow Republicans, if they stay united, to stop Reid from taking out the Obamacare provision.
The only problem is that Republicans, in the minority, cannot force Reid to do that. “It would require UNANIMOUS consent to change the vote threshold,” says one aide opposed to the defunding maneuver. “You really think Reid, Schumer, Bernie Sanders are all going to agree to make it EASY to strip Obamacare? Give me a break. And what leverage will they [the defunders] have to ‘force’ that? They will have just filibustered their own bill and shut down the government. They will be solely responsible for shutting down the government. Why would a single Democrat lift a finger to help them — much less give away Obamacare?”
Affordable Care Act, now that’s an Oxymoron.
Hmmmm….this is a sort of whacky type of written article….essentially is says that the Republicans have enough votes to STOP the Republican House bill from getting to the floor of the Senate through a procedural method – in order to – wait for it, keep the Dems from stripping out the Obamacare defunding language.
Having enough votes (by the GOP) to keep their own party’s House bill version from being debated on the Senate floor is a very peculiar way of signalling you “have the votes” to do anything.
It reminds me of when Audrey’s boyfriend in National Lampoons’ Eurpoean vacation asks before she leaves on her trip, “Don’t you think our relationship is strong enough to where we can start seeing other people.” Sounds good for about almost half a second, maybe .25 seconds.
Obamacare MUST get defunded. It is bad for America and recent polls show the majority of Americans do not want it. It has ALREADY caused many problems for people and businesses alike and the worst parts are not even enacted yet.
McConnell has been threatened with denying him national GOP cash, if he doesn’t cave to the cocktail Republicans. I think he will cave. I hate it, but I think it’s true.
I come here to amuse myself…….you don’t disappoint
Give it up already. Work on revising the Act, not repeal. Obama will veto any attempt to defund and no one in their right mind would think Congress could get a 2/3 vote to overturn the veto.
“A source in Congress tells Breitbart News that Senate Minority
Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Whip John Cornyn are using
their leadership positions to pressure other Republicans to oppose Sen.
Ted Cruz (R-TX) in his campaign to defund Obamacare. ”
“There is something McConnell can do using his power that could
accomplish this: Filibuster the House CR until there is a unanimous
consent agreement that any amendments added to it after cloture is
invoked would also each require a 60-vote threshold. The power rests now
with McConnell. Delivering the 41 votes is essential to help Ted Cruz.”
“…McConnell and Cornyn are working against him… in the end, they will try to make it appear as though they do not
support funding Obamacare by voting against Reid’s amendment after
allowing Reid to implement it.”
““To be clear, nobody is fighting harder to make sure Obamacare is funded
than Mitch McConnell and John Cornyn,” the senior staffer added.”