RedState: Senate GOP Trying To Scuttle “Repeal It” Amendment

RedState ^ | March 24, 2010 | Erick Erickson

[LaybackLenny]

Senate sources confirm to me this evening that Senator Mitch McConnell and his leadership team are trying to scuttle Republican efforts to force a vote on repeal of the entire health care legislation during the reconciliation process. I’m told reliably that moderate Republican senators who voted against Obamacare in December do not want to vote against it again because it would just be “symbolic”. McConnell agrees and is not inclined to push Republicans to go along with any effort to force a vote on repeal during reconciliation, despite David Vitter offering up an amendment to do just that and separate stand alone legislation being offered by Senator Jim DeMint with a host of Republican co-sponsors.

Vitter’s amendment will be up some time around 10:00 p.m. tonight.

[ExTexasRedhead]

Clean the sewer.

[JohnBovenmyer]

Better to think strategically, IMO

We've got nearly 7 1/2 months to burn before the election and then a lame duck session (anyone want to bet the Reid/Pelosi will recess for Christmas?) We need clever PR, but we also need to be playing a "four corners" strategy. Drag EVERYTHING out as long as we can to minimize the damage done by the donkey stampede. Damage avoided is damage we won't have to invest our time on fixing.

Respect the media's firepower, but stop being scared of them. Refuse to accept their templates. For example, since when is calling something, or even someone, "Baby Killer" worse than killing babies?! Kids knew better before their NEA brainwashing, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!" The media screams about our words, but never about their sticks and stones. We should respond something like this:

"How dare you call me a baby killer?"

How can the media complain about that image and caption without showing them and thus making our point? The media has clearly established they are fit for broadcast... separately.

[Commander X]

My point is, if the Repubs had any balls, they would have demanded a long form birth certificae. If they did, BO would never have become the Presidential candidate. It is obvious BO is a fraud.

[Nervous Tick]

I find it interesting that those in the forum who think, like McConnell, that opposition is a bad idea can’t quite seem to articulate exactly WHY it’s a bad idea.

I’ll add one more point:

It might be futile if the (R)s were opposing a bill that a majority of voters in this country were in favor of.

However, the exact opposite is true: a significant majority of Americans — some 55% to 60%, depending on what poll you believe — oppose this idiocy.

McConnell and the rest of the (R)s in Congress aren’t fighting for an ideology that no one in Ameria believes in — they are FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT.

To FAIL to hammer at the ‘Rats immediately, constantly, and without giving qrarter is what sends the wrong message to the majority of Americans!

But then, they don’t call them the Stupid Party for nothing.

[rockinqsranch]

Agreed.

[AzSteven]

Indeed - this is going to be a good message platform for us in November - pushing it now might negate the benefit later, and the success probability to do this in 2011 is much higher than 2010

[crosstimbers]

Just shows the Repubs are still gutless wonders, even after everything that’s happened. Da*n them all.

[SUSSA]

They just never learn.

[Nervous Tick]

>> pushing it now might negate the benefit later

Can you explain how, exactly, pushing it now would negate the benefit in ‘10?

A significant majority of the American people believe that the bill is flawed. Wouldn’t dropping opposition now send precisely the WRONG signal? If not, why not?

[BobS]

HEADS ON STICKS,

NOW!

[xzins]

The Rino Party hasn’t been effective at any point in this entire debate, so I really don’t see how this makes any difference. Even their symbolic gestures are empty and pointless.

If they actually grew a set, they’d come up with a plan that had a prayer of working.

[maxsand]

I may agree with McConnell as well at this time.

In fact we should verbally support the democrats and then vote NO. what are they going to do...call us liars?

[J Edgar]

It appears to me that Senator Mitch McConnell is a secretive supporter of socialism - pure and simple!
By their actions you shall know them!
This should be the starting point for mid-term elections with repeal as the central, unifying theme!
GOP leadership understands this and does not want to fight socialism. GOP leadership criminals are co-conspiritors to constitutional destruction. IMHO

[AFreeBird]

Ya know Laz, I can appreciate tactical timing, but when, just when do you suppose, the McConnels are gonna ever grow a pair? (I personally don't believe he ever will) When do we stop falling back?

I agree with another poster, if there are sound tactical reasons for postponing (and I can see some), then they can do it behind closed doors. Public News such as this only serves to dishearten the ground troops. US. Not good when - IF - you ever decide to start up the fight again. As it stands now, I'm not sure how much faith there is in the GOP "collective" (house and senate) picking up the fight down the road. Rather I envision them trying to "tweek" the current legislation when the opportunity arises. And then taking far too long to do so.

I have no problem with correcting errors in the HC system. But this overhaul is so over the top. It has to be beaten down like the rabid dog it is.

When do we stop falling back? When do we draw the line and hold it? Are you against the States AG's taking up the fight now?

[Frantzie]

Can’t Coburn keep adding amnedments until November 2010?

After the election we take the House and Boehner defunds the nightmare?

[GVnana]

I can’t make any sense of this.

[Some Fat Guy in L.A.]

Anyone hoping for any spine among the Republican “leadership” is fooling themselves. We are so screwed.

[cmj328]

Why are my taxes paying for anyone’s Viagra?

[HiTech RedNeck]

Because bummer said so