New House GOP bill delays health law by 1 year

Associated Press ^ | Sep 28, 2013 1:44 PM EDT | Alan Fram and Andrew Taylor

[Olog-hai]

House Republicans on Saturday pushed the government to the edge of a partial shutdown next week, insisting that President Barack Obama’s health care law be delayed a year in defiance of White House and the Democratic-controlled Senate.

They rejected a Senate bill passed Friday that would keep the government operating another 45 days and make no changes to the health law. Instead, House Republicans prepared to pass their own version Saturday and throw the issue back to the Senate, which is not scheduled to return until Monday afternoon, 10 hours before the shutdown deadline.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has insisted the Senate would not pass a bill that alters the law. The White House has said Obama would veto such a bill. …

[xzins]

Weekly Prayer for America

O Father of mercy and God of all comfort, You are our only help in time of need. We pray for You to look upon our nation for there is much that is sick about it. We pray for You to visit us and to relieve us of those things that cause America’s manifold sicknesses, because it is for the nation we care about that we pray. Look upon us with Your heart of mercy, and bring relief to us so that we might testify to Your goodness. We pray that You preserve us from all the temptations, schemes, and attacks of the enemy, for we recognize that our struggle is not with mere flesh and blood but with evil principalities in high places. Lord Jesus, we pray for patience to wait upon You, knowing that so often Your plan calls for times of trial to bring about patience. But, Lord God, in our day we pray for You soon to intervene, for our illness is grave and the power of the enemy seems to be on every hand. You, Father, set the times and the places of nations. We pray that the remainder of America’s days would be days that glorify You, that honor You, and that those days would be days that lead others to the light of life, to our Lord Jesus Christ. We know, Lord God, that this nation is temporary, but that Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. We pray in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

[Olog-hai]

The references to the nation being sick are very notable. Remember “the whole head is sick, and the whole heart is faint” from Isaiah 1:5? Very difficult (if not impossible) to claim that the verse does not fit.

[xzins]

What excellent scripture, Olog-hai. Thank you.

Isaiah 1: 4 Ah, sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the LORD; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him. 5 Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted. 6 From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness-- only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil. 7 Your country is desolate, your cities burned with fire; your fields are being stripped by foreigners right before you, laid waste as when overthrown by strangers

[txrangerette]

I thought it was the old-timer Dick Gephardt who said that. Not disputing but are sure it was Durbin? Who knows, maybe it was both of them. Both of them = nasty political hacks.

[tsowellfan]

I thought it was the old-timer Dick Gephardt who said that

YES! You are correct. It was Gephardt. Thanks for the correction.

[NELSON111]

There seem to be two diverging opinions in the FR threads regarding 2014 impact. I fail to see the notion that a 1-year delay puts it off till AFTER the election. If it is 1 year, I note that the election is 1 year and 1 month. Doesn't that fact make the issue even more to the forefront of the 2014 campaign?

I don't think so. Problem is: There is a budget between then and now. So...what will happen is we will be facing the same issue AGAIN next September. They won't be able to delay it AGAIN...so the GOP will be left with a choice: MAKE a stand for defunding...or fund it.

Now...if their decision for the long game is make a stand NEXT year...then it makes no sense to delay this year...because that gives the dems a whole year to gunk up the works...sell the thing...and it won't sway public opinion.

We have a much better chance of defunding during NEXT years budget battle after the pain of this bill has a year to make its impacts known.

[Artcore]

House Republicans on Saturday pushed the government to the edge of a partial shutdown next week, insisting that President Barack Obama’s health care law be delayed a year in defiance of White House and the Democratic-controlled Senate.
_______________________________________________________

The GOPe cannot be this stupid!! This will give the Dems cover until after elections. The GOPe are f*cking idiots!

[RKBA Democrat]

I favor the delay approach. My first choice is repeal. My second is defunding. My third is delay. I’ve read a lot of the arguments on FR over the past few hours and I think it’s the way of least harm at this point.

I understand the sentiments expressed to just let the act go into law and let the ‘rats own it. Understood, but it overlooks the real harm that will come to Americans if it does go into effect. I agree that in war there are times when the “best” choice amongst bad choices is to call in artillery on your own position. This is not one of those times. There are other options on the table.

What convinced me to come in favor of delay is a detail that has been talked about a bit but not so much: the situation with the computer software. It’s just not ready. And that has the potential to cause a complete meltdown. Yes, it would be gratifying to watch in a sadistic sort of way, but don’t forget that real Americans would be harmed. If our best argument for conservatism is that we’ll harm Americans less, but we’re still OK with harming them, then I think we’ve already lost.

Second, delay allows us time to make our arguments and continue the steady drip, drip, drip of negative information coming out about mcconnelcare. One thing that we have now that we didn’t have even a month ago is the costs of coverage under the exchanges. We have the real data. Not conjecture: this is what mcconnelcare is going to cost YOU. That will allow for websites like www.seehowbadACAis.com Don’t underestimate the value of sticker shock. Also, if worse does come to worst a year from now, we will have had time to educate people on the ramifications of noncompliance.

Also, there is some PR value to be had in having stood back from the initial position of defund. Our side has given some. The other side is refusing to even negotiate. While we shouldn’t expect anything but propaganda from the MSM, the truth has a way of getting out.

I don’t trust Speaker Boehner to stand firm on anything. But simply because he hasn’t the last 50 times doesn’t necessarily mean that he won’t shock us and do it this time. And I did notice the information coming to light that the gop conference is pretty happy with this. That includes some fairly good conservatives that are not in a mood to agree with much of anything. I understand it isn’t much, but you fight with the Army you have, not the one you wish you had.

Finally, I think that digging in on delay will cause some defections on the other side. Joe Manchin being the first, but I think there will be others. The other side is evil, but they aren’t completely stupid. They know this isn’t ready for prime time and I’d bet they’re not all that keen on being left holding the bag if it collapses in a heap. Dingy Hairy can talk the talk, but I doubt that he’ll be able to keep all of his members in line if the House digs in it’s heels on a one year delay.

[Red in Blue PA]

Big O and the Old Man Reid painted themselve in the corner! Instead of negotiating, they would not listen to reason at all!

Indeed. And this delay will be accepted by the American people as there is already an employer delay of 1 year. Why not an individual delay?

The only way this could lose is if RINO's come in to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

[Red in Blue PA]

I agree. Let the dammmm thing roll out and then let everyone see!

I agree in theory. However, once it rolls out, history has shown that it is nearly impossible to kill it.

[Red in Blue PA]

it removes the personal tragedies and financial heartache from the 2014 Congressional Election mix completely. In other words, at the 2014 elections

The uncertainties individuals and businesses are feeling now would be just as strong (or stronger) a year from now.

[bert]

the fact is that Obamacare will roll out regardless of what happens. The insurance policies being offered effective Tuesday for the next year have massive increases in either costs or deductibles.

Obama care already is for the most of us.

[Red in Blue PA]

It is not fair to allow the individual mandate to be put into play if the business mandate is delayed.

Not to mention unlawful. Obozo cannot simply write the law as he sees fit, after this was passed. All exemptions and the delay of the business mandate are unlawful.

[sport]

That they [the politicians] wish to delay it, not repeal it, should tell you something. If they are made to fully implement it now, it can be beat. Give them a year to work out the bugs and get the sheep addicted to the freebies, it is here to stay. The politicians understand this, it is the sheep that don't. But if the sheep understood, they would not be sheep. All a delay is, just that a delay. The event, or act, will still take place only at a more favorable time for the actor. It is a reprieve of an execution date, nothing more. The sheep are still going to get slaughtered as planned before.

Yet instead of determining "I wish to live and I wish to live free and meeting this threat head on, they gleefully leap up in the air, kick their heels, and bleat, "One more year". It is what it is.

[Red in Blue PA]

Congress needs to write themselves into the law.

NO EXEMPTIONS!

[Jim Noble]

In one of Obama’s recent episodes of oral diarrhea, he dropped a line about Republicans defying the “governing party”.

Does anyone remember where/when, or have a link?

I didn’t know we had a governing party.

[sport]

I wholly agree. When it is their ox that is being gored, you will see sensible[such as repeal] changes.

[stockpirate]

Spoken like a true supporter of the RINO elites.

[M-cubed]

What would happen if the house funded obamacare with NO EXEMPTIONS....Make the Senate and their lackeys participate along with everyone else that is exempted... Do you think they’d cut their own throats??

They want to make it the law of the land?...Make ‘em live with it!