Posted on 06/28/2012 6:27:51 PM PDT by roses of sharon
The Republican Plan B is to repeal Obamacare on Day 1 of a Romney presidency.
Good luck with that.
First, today's Supreme Court decision will make it a lot harder to elect Mitt Romney. President Obama has just been handed a fearsome election weapon. 2012 is no longer exclusively a referendum on the president's economic management. 2012 is now also a referendum on Mitt Romney's healthcare plans. The president can now plausibly say that a vote for the Republicans is a vote to raise prescription drug costs on senior citizens and to empower insurance companies to deny coverage to children for pre-existing conditions. Those charges will hurt—and maybe hurt enough to sway the election.
Second, even if Republicans do win the White House and Senate in 2012, how much appetite will they then have for that 1-page repeal bill? Suddenly it will be their town halls filled with outraged senior citizens whose benefits are threatened; their incumbencies that will be threatened. Already we are hearing that some Republicans wish to retain the more popular elements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Which means the proposed 1-page bill will begin to grow.
Third, Mitt Romney has promised to grant states waivers from the obligations of the ACA. Not all states will ask for such waivers. Many will eagerly institute the ACA, which (let us not forget) includes large immediate grants of federal aid.
Fourth, Republicans will find the task of writing their "replace" law even more agonizing than the Democrats found original passage. The party has no internal consensus on what a replacement would look like. Worse, any replacement of the law's popular elements will require financing. But where is that money to come from? New taxes are unacceptable. The proceeds of "closing loopholes" are already spoken for—that's how President Romney has promised to finance his promise to cut the top rate of tax 28%. And he's also promised to increase defense spending.
Fifth, the clock is ticking. President Obama passed the ACA in the second year of his administration. A President Romney will have to pass repeal in the first year of his, because the law goes into effect in 2014. By then, states will have to have their exchanges up and working. And states that have put themselves through that work will not be very eager to see Washington undo it. If replacement does not happen in the first 100 days, it won't happen at all—that is, it won't happen as a single measure, but rather will take the form of dozens of small incremental changes adopted episodically over the next 20 years.
The outlook then: Even if Republicans win big in 2012, they will have to fight inch by bloody inch for changes they could have had for the asking in 2010. Truly, this is Waterloo—a Waterloo brought about by a dangerous combination of ideological frenzy, poor risk calculation, and a self-annihilating indifference to the real work of government.
If (repeal) this does not happen, the GOP must be destroyed and a new party built to replace it. We've tried the carrot approach (votes, money, volunteers) to change your behavior. Now it's time to show you the stick.
No more, "oh the other guys are worse" scare tactics. That might be true but it doesn't mean you are any good.
This is your one job, do it or join the Whig Party in the dustbin of history.
Frum can shove it up his RINO ass. The electorate HATES Obamacare. Frum might like it. I get the feeling the welfare queens like it. And the queens. But most normal people hate it with a passion. And they want it gone.
Screw you Frum. We’re not giving up.
Can any one name an entitlement that’s been stopped?
Huh? What is Frum on? "Bath salts"? Maybe this monster is popular inside the beltway, but out in the 57 states, pretty much everyone hates some part of it. It doesn't need to be the same part for Romney to benefit.
How can Obama be re-elected when 70% of Americans hate this bill. When they watch whats left of the economy tank. When they realize they just got F’ed with higher taxes.
Can the bill be repealed? It isn’t likely, but if we can get rid of enough of the Democrats traitors on the Hill we may be able to soothe the hurt.,
Som Americans are now fighting mad.
People say the hate it now, just wait until The Kenyan and his MSM begin their campaign to tell all those people all the great free stuff they will get, and that Republicans are going to take away their healthcare.
Bankruptcy will save America????
Frum is Megan McCain without the pneumatic attributes.
Fearsome election weapon???????? He’s going to be killed.....................Landslide!
The only question now is does Romney have any balls?????????? Probably not!
Make no mistake about it ... Frum is a Canadian who loves a nanny-state government.
The leftists have been saying this for three years.
Sometimes the dog just doesn't like the dog food.
We all know what Frum is, and he reflects most Republicans in the Senate, and in DC.
this guy does know the american people knew all this stuff and still wanted it repealed and the mandate thrown out....has he seen a poll?....did he see 2010?.....but he thinks now its gonna be “oh repubs how dare you”?
I believe those polls can change with the SCOTUS saying Obamacare is Constitutional.
Americans tend to respect court decisions.
The ones who will be swayed by the ‘legality’ of this SCOTUS decision are the same ones who like it now.
Anyone who has done a scant bit of research in understanding this pathetic bill, is NOT going to be swayed by an activist re-writing law.
I say to anyone who is flipping out today, it should give you the resolve to get out there and educate people, primarily the elderly who are so easily misled.
they said westboro could march..still unpopular....and westboro doesnt cost them 700 bucks a year
They are fickle, weak and undependable in the face of negative ads against Republicans.
The question should be, will Republican pols be resolute?
Most definitely not.
“Frum can shove it up his RINO ass. “
I was wonder how to react to his defeatist BS.
Frum was the guy who whined that the Tea Party and GOP obstructionism in 2009 to Obamacare somehow was a terrible thing that ruined the GOP ‘taking credit’ for a bipartisan sellout healthcare bill.
Frum doesnt WANT Obamacare repealed ... if it is it will crush his RINO ego that beleives we really need socialized medicine.
screw that.
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