Posted on 09/24/2013 4:20:18 AM PDT by Kaslin
Defunding Obamacare is a great idea and I'm not just saying that because I was the first one to promote the concept in March of 2010. Back then, the GOP Leadership agreed with me with no arm twisting required. John Boehner, Eric Cantor and Cathy McMorris Rodgers all vowed to defund Obamacare if the GOP took back the House. Today, it's finally going to happen, but only because Ted Cruz and Mike Lee have forced the GOP to stand up and fight.
That being said, it is admittedly unlikely that Barack Obama will agree to defund Obamacare. To make that happen, we'd need a unified GOP caucus and leaders with skill at messaging who could keep the public on our side for months after Obama shuts down the government. We don't have that, which means we probably can't achieve our ultimate goal. However, that doesn't mean that there is nothing to be gained or that the GOP is doomed to take a beating on the issue.
1) We're nearly on even ground with Obama at the moment: According to the latest Gallup poll, if there was a government shutdown, 39% of the public would blame the GOP, 36% would blame Obama and 17% would blame both sides. Those are not bad numbers and when Obama is shouting from the rooftops that he won't compromise under any circumstances, there's no reason the polls have to dramatically tilt against the Republican Party if Democrats insist on shutting the government down. If people assume your side is holding up a deal when the other side is telling everyone that it won't compromise, then maybe it's time to start questioning whether your leaders are effective enough at messaging to continue to lead.
2) The GOP has to prove it's willing to stand up and fight: Jonah Goldberg once said, “(J)ust to clarify: If you go into every situation saying there’s absolutely nothing worth fighting over, you will inevitably end up on a cot sleeping next to a guy named Tiny, bringing him breakfast in his cell every morning, and spending your afternoons ironing his boxers. Or, in the case of the French, you might spend your afternoon rounding up Jews to send to Germany, but you get the point.”
The problem with the D.C. Republicans is that they've become that guy sleeping on the cot. They're ultimately not willing to go to the mat over anything and so the Democrats never see a need to compromise because they assume they'll win every even fight in a walk. As a general rule, they're right about that and if it wasn't for the conservative base applying pressure to the GOP, we'd NEVER win an even fight with the Democrats. That needs to change.
3) We elevate the issue: If we could pick one issue that should decide the 2014 and 2016 elections, Obamacare would be it. The roll-out has been a disaster. People are losing their jobs, being cut back to part time, and losing their health insurance. Premiums are set to skyrocket across the nation. Obamacare is killing the middle class in this country and we should want every last American to know that the GOP is fighting like hell to stop this law while the Democrats are responsible for every last problem Americans have with their health care from now on. If this fight helps cement that message in and becomes a crucial defining difference between the two parties, that's a good thing for the Republican Party.
4) We make it known we're going to kill the bill by any legal means necessary: Since the GOP has voted against Obamacare many times and most GOP governors have declined to sign up for the exchanges, this is the next logical step in attempting to kill the bill. If the GOP manages to take back the Senate and the perception is that the Democrats lost because of Obamacare, it could dramatically curtail support for the law on the Left. Beyond that, we should expect any GOP nominee in 2016 to pledge to unilaterally dismantle Obamacare using the precedent set by Barack Obama. If we have an opportunity to do something, but fail to act, the politicians like John McCain, Mitch McConnell, and Lindsey Graham will declare the fight over and encourage everyone to just learn to live with Obamacare.
5) Think of the proposals we can send the Democrats: Too many people think of this as an all or nothing exercise. Either we defund Obamacare or we've failed. But, what if the House Republicans compromise by agreeing to fund the government, while implementing the whole law "as is" with no delays? What if they agree to fund the government, but demand that the IRS, Congress, and their aides are covered by Obamacare? What if they vote to fund the government, but with a two year Obamacare delay? Let's turn this into THE ISSUE OF 2014 and then let the whole country see that Democrats would rather shut the government down than give up their special carve-outs for the IRS, themselves, and their cronies. If the GOP leadership can't wring concessions worth having out of the Democrats under those circumstances, then the problem isn't the fight; it's the people we have in charge of the Republican Party.
It is time to clean house and it is time to get rid of the 17th Ammendment.
Good essay! “then the problem isn’t the fight; it’s the people we have in charge of the Republican Party.”
That’s the biggest problem right there.
Too bad this article isn’t about why defunding 0bamacare is smart for the country.
Screw the politics, we’re not fighting for the GOP, we’re fighting for the good of the overall health of the country. From physical health to economic health, 0bamacare needs to be defunded.
Letting politicians appoint Senators would make the Senate a LOT worse. To think otherwise is fantasy.
That’s another theme. Maybe the author will touch it the next time.
You certainly wasted your time. I am from Tennessee and wrote an email once to Senator Alexander who is not my Senator as I am not in his district. It was not accepted because of it. I doubt very much if I wrote a email to your senator that it would be accepted.
If the government gets shut down, all the better. Then, people will know that the Republicans stand (STAND) for something. Right now they sit down for dinner.
Three years from now there will be few ins. co. left it needs to be stopped now.
What Cruz and those coalescing around him are doing is patriotic, the stuff the US was made of.
Can Ayotte turn around? Or is she too dumb to realize how despised the mini-mcains will be, forever?
Traitor Cornyn’s Contact Info:
Washington DC
Washington, DC 20510
Main: 202-224-2934
Fax: 202-228-2856
Southeast Texas
Houston, TX 77007
Main: 713-572-3337
Fax: 713-572-3777
South Central Texas
San Antonio, TX 78205
Main: 210-224-7485
Fax: 210-224-8569
Central Texas
Austin, TX 78701
Main: 512-469-6034
Fax: 512-469-6020
East Texas
Dallas, TX 75244
Main: 972-239-1310
Fax: 972-239-2110
CALL HIS DISTRICT OFFICES—HE DOESN’T SEEM TO BE TAKING CALLS/FAXES AT HIS DC OFFICE!!
Point No. 5 is the best one. Make them die the death of a thousand cuts.
As part of bringing the country into socialism, that bastard Wilson pushed through the 17th Ammendment that made the Senate elected by the individual sheeple, rather than state legislatures. That cut even more power away from the states, furthering Lincoln's agenda.
Right now, states have seriously lost their influence in DC.
I seriously don’t know. She doesn’t seem to understand that McCain and his girlfriend Linda are really RATS.
It was wrought with problems and corruption and that’s why it was changed.
Put the crap pipe down, state politicians don’t oppose federal power. Politicians are scum. The Kentucky House is controlled by rats, if you think McConnell is bad say hello to Senator Ben Chandler. Even if Republicans had control you think they ditch McConnell? He owns the state GOP, they support him!
Say goodbye to Ted Cruz in Texas and say hello to RINO Senator David Dewhurst who most the Republicans in the legislature endorsed (he was the boss of the State Senate, do you dig it?).
All you people who think you are so smart for bring up this ridiculous idea (that has ZERO chance of ever happening BTW and there would be a huge backlash if there was ever a serious effort) in every thread the mentions the Senate need to get in touch with reality.
No Duke, I’ve discussed this issue 10000 times, I know history. You need to get in touch with the present.
Most state legislators are RINOs and rats just like most in Congress are, they aren’t mystical tea party small government lovers.
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