...I wouldn't concede that it has to be a 60-vote break the filibuster cloture vote. They sent some of ObamaCare to us on a reconciliation package, which was a simple majority. So I'm hopeful there'll be people over there that will find the way for a simple majority vote in the senate ~ Republican Representative Steve King (Iowa's 5th congressional district), as quoted on the MSNBC program "The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell", 1/20/2011.
A guest commentary by: the lovable Radical Right Wing Terrorist Free Market Guy (an infrequent commenter and more often lurker on this blog)...
Hi, RRWTFM Guy here, back for another guest commentary. As you may recall (and I'm sure you do) my last guest commentary on this blog concerned the threat posed by the illegal alien invasion. If you didn't read it, I suggest you check it out. I'm proud, but not surprised, to report this post received many more comments than usual for this blog. And, even though the majority of the comments disagreed with what I had to say, I'd like to believe I got some of you Liberals to re-think some of your positions - at least to some small extent.
Which brings me to the reason I've decided to return and give it another shot - "it" being the futile attempt by us on the Conservative side of the aisle to convince our Liberal friends that Big Government isn't the answer. Today I shall argue in favor of repealing the Democrat health care legislation, known by some as ObamaCare, although, in reality it is known by another name which implies it's effect will be to make healthcare affordable. Please, before you automatically dismiss what I've got to say, let me explain why this bill is anything but affordable.
Republicans say the election this past November was an affirmation of their position regarding ObamaCare, and now a 1/17/2011 public opinion poll from Rasmussen Reports confirms that "support for repeal of the national health care law passed last year remains steady" and "55% of Likely Voters favor repeal".
The Poll states that those opposed are concerned that the legislation will increase the deficit. (Although I'm certain Liberals will be quick to point out that Rasmussen Reports has been accused of being conservative-leaning, I'm not buying it. It seems that Liberals are quick to agree with polls that confirm what they already believe, but equally quick to dismiss those they disagree with as being produced by "conservatively biased" surveyors).
Bob Corker, the Republican Senator from Tennessee (the state where the proprietor of this blog resides) is also concerned about the high cost of ObamaCare. In a 3/21/2010 press release Corker points out that (now ex) governor Phil Bredesen (a Democrat) opposed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, because it is "estimated to cost Tennessee $1.1 billion over five years". Agreeing with Bredesen, Corker says ObamaCare is "a huge unfunded mandate that creates a very difficult financial situation when our state is already dealing with the effects of a bad economy".
Now I've heard that the House's vote on HR2: Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act is purely symbolic and a total waste of time. An email I received yesterday from FreedomWorks set me straight. I also used to believe the vote was purely symbolic - but NOT a "waste of time" - but President and CEO of FreedomWorks, Matt Kibbe (in a post on the blog RedState) insists that "Repeal is Real". Mr. Kibbe reveals that the vote to repeal isn't "merely symbolic", but that "repeal is achievable, and in fact likely, because the American people want and expect it".
Democrat politicians say that the CBO reported that the legislation will reduce the deficit, but the truth is the CBO was duped by the bill's "disingenuous accounting mechanisms". As explained in Bob Corker's press release, "the bill applies 10 years of new taxes to finance six years of spending, resulting in huge deficits over the next decades", that "even President Obama's own Medicare officials have determined that Medicare savings are counted TWICE in the bill, hiding the legislation's true cost", and (lastly) "Americans have not been dealt with squarely on the true accounting associated with this bill" (because it didn't include the doc fix).
Instead the Democrat majority sleazily passed it later as a separate piece of legislation (the doc fix further increases the cost of ObamaCare by $200 billion over 10 years).
In other words, the Democrat bill's arithmetic was phony-baloney, and so the numbers fed to the CBO were phony-baloney, and so the CBO conclusions were (and couldn't be anything other than) inaccurate.
There is also the problem concerning the mandate being unconstitutional, and so (at least) that provision of the law will eventually be struck down by the Right-leaning Supreme Court. As anyone can see, this legislation is getting more and more expensive as time goes by, and invalidating the mandate will, I am convinced, be the final nail in the coffin of ObamaCare. Thus one can not help but conclude that repeal of ObamaCare is not only likely, but inevitable - case closed.
Also, as I recall, a lot of Liberals were (at least initially) opposed to the Democrat health care legislation because they didn't think it went far enough (they wanted to go the full-blown socialistic "public option" route). They eventually decided (along with Liberal heroes like Dennis Kucinich and Bernie Sanders) that it was better than nothing. But now, instead of believing it to be a good starting place that can be improved upon later (a foolish hope), perhaps they'll concede that we've got no choice but to repeal it.
Democrat voting supporters of ObamaCare need to face facts. This bill simply isn't something we can afford. And it isn't even what you wanted. Liberals advocated in favor of the so-called public option (even though that would have produced a inferior product, i.e. rationing - like they have in Canada). Instead we're faced with unsustainable budget busting deficits. The sensible solution is to repeal ObamaCare now. Free market competition enabled by allowing consumers to buy health insurance across state lines, tort reform, and other sensible solutions are the answer, not bigger government, more debt, and unconstitutional mandates.
In conclusion I'd like to (as suggested by Matt Kibbe) request that you call and write your Senators, and tell them you want Majority Leader Harry Reid to schedule a debate and vote on the House-passed repeal bill as soon as possible. As previously mentioned, Democrats like governor Phil Bresden agree that ObamaCare is bad for our country. Democrat Representatives Dan Boren (OK), Mike Ross (AR), and Mike McIntyre (NC) also voted in favor of repeal, proving the Republican legislation has bi-partisan support - and deserves an up or down vote in the Senate.
Following his negotiation with the Republicans to extend the bush tax cuts for all Americans President Obama's favorability rating increased. The reason for this was because Americans desire compromise. Americans knew it wasn't wise to raise anyone's taxes in a recession, and the president worked with the Republicans to ensure that didn't happen. The House has already voted to repeal ObamaCare. If the Senate does so as well President Obama will have no choice but to sign the legislation. if he vetoes it his approval rating will surely plummet and the Democrats will lose the White House and more congressional seats in 2012. Then we can all work together to replace ObamaCare with affordable alternatives, which is what the American people wanted all along.
(I said I'd "like" to request you call and write your Senators, but I'm asking you hold off on that for now. The proprietor of this blog says he wants to post a "rebuttal" first, and then let his reader decide which argument is the strongest. Which is fine by me, as I believe the strongest argument is mine).
