Posted on 10/12/2011 7:51:19 AM PDT by Praxeologue
Yesterday, we wrote about our CEO Michael Needhams question for the candidates in last nights debate. When asked by the Washington Post what Mr. Needham would ask the candidates, he responded:
A third of small business owners say Obamacare is one of the biggest hurdles they face to hiring new workers and budget analysts estimate it is a trillion-dollar budget buster. Given its negative impact on the economy and federal budget, do you think it is appropriate to repeal Obamacare using reconciliation given that is the tactic which was employed to pass it?
Well the candidates must have been listening because last night. Former Senator Rick Santorum brought up reconciliation when asked about Obamacare:
We need to repeal [Obamacare] by doing it through a reconciliation process. And since I have experience and know how to do that, well take care of it
Former Governor Mitt Romney agreed:
Rick, youre absolutely right. On day one, granting a waiver for all 50 states doesnt stop in its tracks entirely Obamacare. Thats why I also say we have to repeal Obamacare, and I will do that on day two, with the reconciliation bill, because as you know, it was passed by reconciliation, 51 votes.
A candidate simply saying theyll repeal Obamacare means nothing. Democrats in the Senate who voted for the law wont allow it, even if Republicans regained control of the Senate. Why? Because in the Senate you need to have 60 votes to invoke cloture, or end debate. Unless some Senate Democrats recognize the ills created by Obamacare, using the reconciliation process (which was used to get Obamacare to President Obamas desk) may be the only way to repeal the law.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/romney-cares-about-repeal_595761.html
During tonights GOP presidential debate, Mitt Romney vowed for the first time to advance legislation to repeal Obamacare on day-2, pledging to use the reconciliation process (the same process by which Obamacare was ultimately passed) to do so. This is a welcome step forward for Romney, who had previously pledged only to issue an essentially meaningless 50-state Obamacare waiver on day-1 (which he vowed again tonight to do) and to push for repeal subsequently. The willingness to use the reconciliation process, which would require only 50 votes in the Senate, represents an apparent change in position on the part of the Romney campaign from just last week.
It appears that the Romney campaign has gone from a prudent position to an all-in "reconciliation, no problem, it'll work" position in a matter of a week.
Doesn't this sound like pandering to the Republican primary voter? The danger is that if someone is nominated and elected on this 'platform', we will all end up betrayed. I would rather be told the truth from the outset, just not by Huntsman.
That is what I was thinking this past week with Reid’s latest maneuver. He will regret the day, I hope.
but GW was a Kennebunkport Repub. He was part RINO like his pals Olympia & Susan.
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