…it doesn’t repeal Obamacare and offer a balanced budget.
Republicans in the House are worried that repealing Obamacare without a Republican-designed health care plan will lose some seats in the mid-term elections in 2018. Let me be clear; Republicans should be terrified of what will happen if they DON’T repeal Obamacare, with or without a replacement.
House Republicans told us they need a majority in 2010 so they could repeal Obamacare. They offered repeal bills but claimed that Harry Reid wouldn’t let the repeal legislation be introduced in the Senate. Thus, Senate Republicans told us that THEY need a majority to repeal Obamacare — we gave it to them in 2014. Then, they complained that President Obama would just veto whatever repeal legislation they offered. Republicans said they need the Presidency to repeal Obamacare — we gave Republicans a majority in both chambers of Congress and the Oval Office.
What has the GOP Congress done since they started their session? Fretted about an Obamacare repeal, tried to reduce transparency, and offered a budget which adds close to $10 trillion dollars in debt. Oh, and Congressman Duncan Hunter ripped down a painting in the House office building. Yeah…the painting is pretty offensive, but we want you to cut the size and scope of government.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, this isn’t last decade. Y’all may have had fun being tax collectors for the welfare state, but you campaigned on promises to repeal Obamcare, balance the budget, and cut the size and scope of the federal government.
The tea party movement is very much alive. We aren’t holding demonstrations anymore; we are just voting silently. Do NOT test us on this or you WILL be out of power.
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with or without a replacement?
That’s not what Trump and congressional republicans ran on. If memory serves, it was–what was it? Repeal and something.
From the DJT campaign website:
“However, it is not enough to simply repeal this terrible legislation. We will work with Congress to make sure we have a series of reforms ready for implementation that follow free market principles and that will restore economic freedom and certainty to everyone in this country. By following free market principles and working together to create sound public policy that will broaden healthcare access, make healthcare more affordable and improve the quality of the care available to all Americans.
Any reform effort must begin with Congress. Since Obamacare became law, conservative Republicans have been offering reforms that can be delivered individually or as part of more comprehensive reform efforts. In the remaining sections of this policy paper, several reforms will be offered that should be considered by Congress so that on the first day of the Trump Administration, we can start the process of restoring faith in government and economic liberty to the people.”
Emphasis not added.
The Pottery Barn Rule is now in full effect.
We haven’t even hit Inauguration Day and Brian is trying to walk back campaign promises.
Not a good sign.
Brian, Happy New Year. I will also say that despite the fact that we are political polar opposites, you are respectful and not an all caps name caller.
The last time Republicans had this much control they increased the size of the federal government in a massive way. “Reagan taught us that deficits don’t matter”(Dick Cheney).
We have a government based on systematic bribery. The genius of Obamacare is that it exposed this. The primary bribers were the insurance lobby. It would not have passed if they were not appeased. The obvious better solution is the single payer option. I’m curious why the Tea Party movement has never addressed the bribery aspect that I feel is the most major issue we all face.
Author
“We haven’t even hit Inauguration Day and Brian is trying to walk back campaign promises.”
I haven’t been on a ballot since 2012 and, even then, it was for a local, non-policy-oriented position. Do you mean to suggest that what Trump and Ryan promised is what I want? I want nothing of the kind–I want Obamacare repealed.
“The Pottery Barn Rule is now in full effect.”
Obamacare was broken the day it was signed into law. It was bought and paid for by the insurance lobby. All we have left are the pieces of a broken pot. Sweep it off the floor.
“The last time Republicans had this much control they increased the size of the federal government in a massive way.”
I know. Thanks for ruining my Sunday morning, Paul. 🙂 I was trying to forget the Bush/Dole/Rockefeller wing and you reminded me of that inconvenient truth. Happy New Year to you though, Paul and thanks for the nice comments.
“I’m curious why the Tea Party movement has never addressed the bribery aspect that I feel is the most major issue we all face.”
Oh I think we have. Tea party activists are always talking about the corrupting influences of government control/regulation. Rent seekers bribe the apparatchiks to dissuade competition and drive up prices for all. This existed BEFORE Obamacare and you’re right; Obamacare shined a bright light on it.
But the answer to the corrupting influences of government control is not more government control. It’s freedom. It’s choice. It’s competition. It’s smarter consumers. It’s pricing transparency.
Brian,
So your advice, in order to KEEP control of Congress is to:
(1.) Renege on “repeal and replace” immediately, after leading on voters with the promise for seven years, and finally admitting it was all a lie.
(2.) Kick 20 million voters off health insurance.
(3.) End very popular provisions like support for pre-existing conditions, keeping kids on your plan while they transition to adulthood, and Medicaid expansion.
(4.) Hope no one notices or cares.
Interesting advice.
I’d like to hear more about how you think this would play out in the public conversation, and how it would attract or retain voters.
The good news is, Republicans have had seven long years of planning for this moment, and over 60 attempts to revise and improve the reforms with bills in Congress. Given all that planning, we should expect whatever happens next to be smooth, swift, orderly, and professional.
The only promise I want this Congress to keep is the one they made when they took the oath of office, to impeach Trump if he commits even one single, truly impeachable offense. For example, if he lies under oath either on the witness stand or in a deposition in any one of the near-seventy civil trials he still has pending, that would be an impeachable offense. It would also be an impeachable offense if he refuses to divest himself of every single business entity that presents a real conflict of interest, like remaining as Executive Producer of Celebrity Apprentice. He cannot be allowed to use the Presidency to enrich himself directly either though policy decisions or through the reprehensible, nauseating use of his Twitter account.
If the GOP Members of Congress do that, they may lose a few seats in the midterm elections, but they will save the soul of the Republican Party. Right now, it has none.
Due to the fact that Mr. Trump is bigly in debt to the Russian Mafia, I think the poor man is just trying to stay above ground. They don’t give you the option of “an offer you can’t refuse”. Please show some compassion.
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@Encinitas Dad,
“(1.) Renege on “repeal and replace” immediately, after leading on voters with the promise for seven years, and finally admitting it was all a lie.”
No. they promised to repeal. The replace was Mitt Romney’s brilliant idea in 2012. Mitt Romney lost.
“(2.) Kick 20 million voters off health insurance.”
Oh stop. That won’t happen unless people choose not to buy health insurance . This meme was and is the biggest lie about Obamacare.
“(3.) End very popular provisions like support for pre-existing conditions, keeping kids on your plan while they transition to adulthood, and Medicaid expansion.”
People with pre-existing conditions always had options, through their employers in 35 of the states which had high-risk pools
“(4.) Hope no one notices or cares.”
Admit it; your political compass is broken (remember when we were all threatened that we would “own” Trump?)
This law is VERY unpopular. It was rammed through, without being read, in the middle of the night, in the back rooms of the Capitol. Repealing Obamacare will be the single best thing the Republicans did since we repealed slavery…If Congress has the gonads to do it
@Paul Therrio
“Due to the fact that Mr. Trump is bigly in debt to the Russian Mafia,”
“We agree with the four dissenting judges of the Supreme Court: “In our view, the entire Act before us is invalid in its entirety.” It must be removed and replaced with an approach based on genuine competition, patient choice, excellent care, wellness, and timely access to treatment. ”
–Mitt Romney, 2012.
No–wait.
My mistake.
Strike that.
Sorry.
—GOP Party Platform, 2016.
Author
“Do you mean to suggest that what Trump and Ryan promised is what I want? I want nothing of the kind–I want Obamacare repealed.”
Let me be emphatic– I have always wanted Obamacare repealed.
This is the problem with collectivists; y’all want to label everyone in a neat little box rather than look at us as individuals.
I want anything which isn’t an enumerated power in Article 1, Section 8 repealed, shuttered, or sunset. And yes, I think that’s good politics.
Ah, the fear mongering narrative
“20 million kicked off insurance.”
Most of that came from the medicaid expansion. Repealing Obamacare doesn’t mean that provision will change. Or that it’s hard to retain this part while repealing the rest of Obamacare.
“Pre-existing conditions will lose insurance!” Again it doesn’t take difficult legislative writing to repeal Obamacare and keep this provision.
In fact, that is probably what will happen. They’ll repeal Obamacare in some legalistic fashion to claim victory. Then they’ll keep the popular stuff of the ACA, throw in some other ideas floating around and then Trump will call it TrumpCare if it proves popular. RyanCare if it doesn’t.
Fear is a great motivator but it doesn’t address the crisis. Neither does pointing fingers at “insert your party name here”. Nor does Single payor as it provides insurance without providing care. Single Payor is immoral, unconstitutional and unethical on its face.
If we are going to toss ethics “to the wind” on what basis do we point fingers at Republicans?
Eric,”Single payor is immoral……..unethical”? Please explain. Single payer is like private insurance without CEO’s taking immoral amounts in compensation and their lobbyists buying off your reps. I guess that every single industrialized nation except the USA is immoral and unethical.
Sure.
Our law system is built upon the idea that all men are created equal, inalienable rights and just governments to secure those rights. Our Constitution constituted (put into legal form) the just jurisdiction of our government.
These ideas are not only consistent with natural law but with Biblical law.
Single payer is simply Medicare for everyone. It is an idea inconsistent with these ideas. It not only violates these ideas but violates the “few and defined” enumerated powers “We the people” delegated to the State.
Brian is a political hack who did not support the Trumpster. Never forget.
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@Alastair
That’s not ENTIRELY true . Trump was certainly not my first choice for the GOP nominee and that is absolutely correct. I was even quoted in the U-T saying that I wouldn’t spend my free time, knocking on doors and doing GOTV work for him BUT….
… I changed my mind after Labor Day. I defended Trump on a debate watching panel, in front of about 250 San Diegans, Keep in mind that this was the second debate, just days after the Billy Bush tapes were released.
I also distributed 150 voter guides in a center-left-leaning San Diego precinct.
The simple truth is I worked harderto get Donald Trump elected than most of the Facebook warriors like you. Why? Well, that’s what political hacks do; we make a difference.
Your head can explode now.