Posted on 11/10/2012 6:19:16 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
(CNSNews.com) -- Although the Republican-dominant House of Representatives controls the federal purse strings, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said that Tuesday’s election victory by President Barack Obama changed how he will approach the GOP goal of repealing the health reform law, saying that the president’s reelection made it “the law of the land.”
“Well, I think the election changes that. It’s pretty clear that the president was re-elected. Obamacare is the law of the land,” Boehner told ABC News’ Diane Sawyer in an interview Thursday when asked if the House GOP would still make repeal its mission.
However, Boehner also said that the law was still “on the table,” noting that he still considered it bad policy and that it was not off limits as he begins negotiations with Obama over key budgetary issues.
As House Speaker, Boehner can prevent any funding for Obamacare or any aspect of it through amendments to funding legislation, to a continuing resolution, or by simply not allowing a floor vote on the funding.
“I think there are parts of the health care law that are going to be very difficult to implement and very expensive and, at a time when we’re trying to find a way to create a path toward a balanced budget, everything has to be on the table,” he said in the ABC interview.
When pressed, Boehner clarified that no decision had been made yet over which parts of the law would be included in negotiations, saying that parts of the law could be on the table.
“There are certainly maybe parts of it that we believe need to be changed – we may do that, no decisions at this point,” he said.
Boehner repeated during the interview that he viewed Obama’s reelection and Republicans’ failure to achieve a Senate majority as a mandate from the American public for the two parties to work together, saying that it was simply the hand he was dealt.
“I may not like the five cards that were dealt to me but those are the cards I’ve got in my hand,” he said. “Now my job on behalf of the American people is to find a way to work with my Democrat colleagues and our Democrat President to solve America’s problems. If there was one mandate that came out of the election, it was [to] find a way to work together to address our problems.”
Boehner’s office clarified his remarks about repeal of Obamacare on Thursday, after excerpts of the interview were released to the public. His official Twitter account posted a message saying that he remained committed to “full repeal” of the law.
“ObamaCare is the law of the land, but it is raising costs and hurting #smallbiz. Our goal remains #fullrepeal,” Boehner tweeted.
Boehner spokesman Kevin Smith also clarified the Speaker’s intentions on Obamacare, saying that House Republicans were committed to repealing the law despite the reelection of its namesake president.
“While Obamacare is the law of the land, it is costing us jobs and threatening our health care,” Smith told the liberal website Talking Points Memo. “Speaker Boehner and House Republicans remain committed to repealing the law, and he said in the interview it would be on the table.”
Obama’s reelection has made repeal of the law extremely difficult for Republicans after they failed to secure a Senate majority and a President who would sign repeal legislation. Obama has repeatedly stated that he has no intention of negotiating over the law and Senate Democrats have refused to vote on multiple repeal bills sent to them by the House.
If the GOP caves on sequestration I will NEVER vote GOP again. This is the prefect storm to drive Obama out of office. Obamacare and Sequestration all hitting at once. Yes it will be painful, but we MUST cut spending, better pain now then more pain later.
I would LOVE to see Paul Ryan get the Speaker job.
If a doctor told me that, I would get it in writing and 1) contact my congressman, 2) email it to all my friends and see if they are seeing the same type of treatment and 3) contact the local media.
As would I.
The American people have given control of the US House to Republicans. That means they do not want Obama care. They do not want immigration reform. They do not want tax hikes. The people have spoken and Boner is not listening.
You're right. He needs to go.
Not me listening to them, I’m talking about the not too informed American public, “independent voters”, etc.
There will be WAY more than those, then people will learn.
Having come close just recently, I am, too. Something about almost dying changes you.
I'm telling people that when my time comes, don't pray me back, pray that God would make it quick.
Something is really, really creepy about that picture. The angle of his head makes it look like he’s hovering over her.
get out boehner.
They have successfully transformed a majority of Americans into obese, blithering idiots who walk around the mall wondering where to get their next corn dog and what’s going to happen on WWE.
Now, they can let these sickly humans rot on the vine and die off because of the new era of “health care” we are entering.
The House Republicans can’t repeal Obamacare, true. That much is settled.
But that doesn’t mean nothing can be done. Already several Republican governors have said they won’t implement the health care exchanges mandated under the Act. Under the Act, if a state doesn’t enact the exchange then the federal government can come in and set one up. But the Act doesn’t allocated money toward this end. Therefore, since the Republicans hold the purse strings in the House, all they need to do is not fund the federal exchanges (”sorry, the federal government is broke”). The effect will be to let the states opt out of that requirement, which is not a small deal, since the exchanges were one of the mechanisms designed to insure when and if employers drop coverage.
Just because O-care can’t be repealed in its entirety, doesn’t mean that we can’t find creative ways to eviscerate it piece by piece.
Well, we all know that Boehner has a mangina.
However, Elections do have consequences. The American people voted yes to Socialism and yes to ObamaCare.
ObamaCare will now be implemented and there really isn’t much we can do about it.
So then he can do something...he is just afraid the media will attack Republicans.
The media will attack nomatter what, SNL will make fun nomatter what. Fight to win, not to be invited to cocktail parties.
And you think they’ll work with the Republicans??? That’s what really is absurd.
What my ex’s doctors tell him in confidence would never be expressed in an email. They (doctors) aren’t that stupid. They might be candid with a patient in private, but that’s as far as it will go. All we can do is share the gist of these conversations among other conservatives. Local media is equally as leftist as the lame/mainstream media is...and as such.... doesn’t give a damn. They will continue to carry Obama’s water for as long as necessary.
Yeah well, maybe someone worth voting for should have shown up. “We need to strike down Obamacare, so we can replace it.”
Bleh!
NO NEW TAXES OR LET SEQUESTRATION HAPPEN!
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