This was not one of the GOP-controlled house’s smarter moves and I will explain that in a second here.
But first, the story via the Hill:
The House voted on Wednesday to repeal the sweeping healthcare law enacted last year, as Republicans made good on a central campaign pledge and laid down the first major policy marker of their new majority.
The party-line vote was 245-189, as three Democrats joined all 242 Republicans in supporting repeal.
Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said the healthcare law on the books would increase spending, raise taxes and eliminate jobs.
“Repeal means paving the way for better solutions that will lower the costs without destroying jobs or bankrupting our government,” Boehner said in remarks on the floor before the vote.
“Let’s stop payment on this check before it can destroy more jobs or put us into a deeper hole.”
Here’s why I think it is stupid, here’s what might happen to the bill now: (H/T AP)
The House will pass H.R. 2 this week. Once that bill is passed, it will be sent to the Senate for consideration. Once the Senate receives the bill, any Senator can use Rule 14 to object to the second reading of the bill. This procedural objection will “hold at the desk” the House-passed bill and allow the Senate to act on the full repeal measure.
If the bill is referred to committee, it will never get to the Senate floor. This procedural objection by one or a number of Senators will stop the bill from being referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP). If the bill is referred to committee, there is little to no expectation that the committee will pass the bill, let alone have one hearing on the bill.
Objecting to Rule 14 would hold the bill at the desk of the Senate and would put H.R. 2 on the Senate calendar. This procedure could be done with a letter or call from one Senator to the party leader. This would allow the Senate Majority Leader to commence debate on the matter when he so chooses. It is unlikely that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D–NV) would move to proceed to the bill, yet there is a procedure that any Senator can use to force a debate.
Any Senator can use Rule 22 to commence debate on H.R. 2 if they have held the bill at the desk.
If I know my politics and my Democrats like I do; The Democratic Party controlled Senate will send this bill to committee to die. Which made that whole vote over in the House, a huge waste of time and…wait for it…. Taxpayers dollars!
Now the smart thing that the GOP controlled house could have done; would have been to introduce a bill that repeals the bad stuff in healthcare — like mandates, the silly tax stuff for small and no-so-small businesses and left the good stuff in. But, like most people in politics, these morons picked the wrong way to do this.
In this last election, I voted Republican, I do not regret that at all. However, I am disappointed to see that the Republicans seem more interested in playing politics, than they are actually getting anything done. Because, whether we like it or not; the Democrats hold the cards in the Senate and House doing idiotic stuff like this, only wastes time and taxpayers money — which is why the Tea Party was formed, and Democrats got swept out of office; because of their blatant stupidity and just for not listening to the American people. Now, it seems that the Republicans want to play the same silly game. Let’s hope that they try the better approach here in the future.
Again, The Republicans need to look out for the American people and do things wisely; not look out for their own political careers and continue the partisan jousting of old. That sort of nonsense will simply not work this time. It will only get them elected out of office and rather quickly.
Others: The Politico, The Hill, Washington Monthly, Washington Post, AmSpecBlog, The New Republic, Wake up America, Democrats.senate.gov, The Mahablog, Questions and Observations, The Other McCain, Salon, Scared Monkeys, Pirate’s Cove, The Nation, Blogcritics, NewsReal Blog, National Review, JustOneMinute, Shakesville, Sister Toldjah, Donklephant, GayPatriot, Yahoo! News and TPMDC
You’re wrong. Ask the people tired of politics if it was a waste of time. We already know the answer. The fiscal revolution is already afoot and we realize we won’t always be efficient as we want to be. The shot across the Corruptocrats’ bow was worth every damn cent.
We’re coming for you in 2012. You’re on the clock and your future is shovel ready, slugs.
Thanks for the comments. 🙂
I thought about it further. Even if it dies in the Senate, it will save us money. Let me explain.
Don’t underestimate the group psychology in play. One of the primary reason we saw historical political turnover was because of the refusal of pols to listen to the populace in regards to medical care. That’s one of our top concerns.
If the Pubs don’t make even a symbolic effort, the Dems will make a perceptual assumption that it’s ‘business as usual’. Now this wasn’t an even run of the mill effort by the Pubs. It was historic, too, in Congress in terms of messaging (job killing) and repeal (rare event).
The pols in DC are less likely to float more spending as an idea because November and this repeal effort are fresh in their minds. Going forward, they will be a tad bit more efficient in their justifications. I know that’s contradictory for DC (efficient) but they will take more time considering their spending. Which will save us some money.
If the Dems stonewall the repeal attempts, that means more Dems in 2012 ….we’ll elect more Tea Party types. Again, an efficiency gain for the Tea Party as we get free political gain.
It was a very smart thing for the incoming Pubs to undertake.
Patrick,
I’ve extend you an invitation to discuss this.
Dave
🙂
Hi Dave,
I really don’t disagree with your assessment. It might make it through the Senate and then again, it might not. It all depends on how worried the Dems are in the Senate.
So, there’s my opinion. 😀
-Pat