House Speaker Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Virginia) would do well to embrace new legislation introduced by Rep. Tom Graves (R-Georgia) that funds the government, and defunds and delays implementation of Obamacare until 2015.
It is the only continuing resolution on the table at the moment that achieves the simultaneous goals of avoiding a government shutdown while giving the American people a reprieve from being funneled into government-run, taxpayer-funded health care.
In a statement Americans for Limited Government President Nathan Mehrens praised the legislation and asked for support: “We urge all members to cosponsor this legislation and stand firm behind Rep. Graves effort.”
The bill as drafted defunds the discretionary aspects of the health care law pursuant to the administration of the law for one year, and puts a year delay on the execution of its mandatory aspects like the Medicaid expansion and the insurance state exchange subsidies. It would keep the total current sequestration level for discretionary spending for 2014.
For Boehner and Cantor, this is likely the only plan that will keep House Republicans together on the fight over the continuing resolution. It is an eminently tenable proposition, which is that if the White House is delaying Obamacare for big business, the unions, and special interests for a year, then the American people deserve the same treatment.
(To continue reading this piece, press the “Read More …” icon below).
Robert Romano is the Senior Editor of Americans for Limited Government.
5 comments
So now we’ve gone from repeal, to defund, to delay. Republicans are desperate. Why? Because once the exchanges are open, and once Medicaid expands, you will have millions of people who were not insured before, suddenly covered now. At that point, repealing Obamacare is literally ripping away health care access from those people, and the GOP position goes up in flames.
The GOP is going through the 5 stages of loss.
Denial: “This won’t pass. The Supreme Court will rule against it. Obama won’t win his next election. We’ll take back the Senate. It’ll all be good, right? The Stop Obama Express certainly won’t be derailed!”
Anger: “OMG SCOTUS RULED CONSTITUTIONAL? OBAMA WON 2012? WE WILL REPEAL ANYWAYS!”
Bargaining: “Well, maybe not repeal, but we’re going to defund it! No? Ok, how about delay it for a year? No? How about…”
Depression: “Shit. We lost. We can’t go back. Game over, man. Game over.”
Acceptance: “Well, the reform has done good things, we were just worried about the bad stuff is all! It was based on Republican reforms! We aren’t REALLY against reform! It’s not like we tried to sabotage government to stop this stuff!”
Let Ahab chase his whale, and screw ALG.
Too bad Repugs don’t put this much energy into repealing the “Patriot Act.”
Oh yeah! The Senate will be certain to agree with this. I’m sure Obama can hardly wait to sign this piece of shi…legislation.
Put the hash pipe down FITS. You’re losing it.
No, no, no. Challenge the WH to stop the delays. Implement the law of the land…asap. Remind voters how this legislation was passed. Run the numbers and refuse all exceptions. Use the call for full repeal in the 2014 midterms, and 2016 Presidential elections. Keep the House, flip the Senate in 2014 and force Obama to veto his own bill. Pass the CR as is, no changes. Remind the voters of the lack of budgets from the WH. Increase the debt limit to 18 trillion.
As one of the +100 million who will benefit (above the table)….. I don’t understand the whole Repeal Obamacare thing. If you are uninsured now go to a hospital, see who pays.