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5 Reasons Defunding Obamacare Is Smart Politics
Townhall.com ^ | September 24, 2013 | John Hawkins

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.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: 0bamaadmin; 0bamacare; 17th; constitution; seventeenthamendment; statesrights
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To: Kaslin

Lamar Alexander?

He is one of two Senators representing ALL of Tennessee. If you live in Tennessee, you ARE in his “district” (which is the entire state). Only Representatives have districts, unless their state is so small it isn’t portioned out in districts. Then they are “at large”.


21 posted on 09/24/2013 5:54:04 AM PDT by Alas Babylon!
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To: Impy
Put out your own crack pipe.

Prosecute corrupt pols. Without a federal system, there wouldn't be a constitution, it never would have made it through the state ratification process.

We wouldn't have Obamacare if states appointed senators; we wouldn't have unfunded mandates at all.

A senate of the states wouldn't even consider seating radical, anti-tenth amendment lawyers to the federal bench.

Americans of all parties are getting screwed by the corruption introduced by the 17th amendment.

22 posted on 09/24/2013 6:00:13 AM PDT by Jacquerie (An Article V amendment convention of the states is our only hope.)
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To: Jacquerie

You plan would work if legislators were all tea partiers. They aren’t, even our best states are full of RINOs in the legislature. And the democrat legislators don’t oppose Obamacare or anything else he’s done. We’re better off with the “sheeple” as the Duke called them making the selection than a bunch of politicians. All 100 Senators would likely be establishment cronies.


23 posted on 09/24/2013 6:10:01 AM PDT by Impy (RED=COMMUNIST, NOT REPUBLICAN)
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To: Alas Babylon!
You are wrong. First of all there are 2 senators for every state. My senator is Bob Corker, who unfortunately turned out to be a RINO, just like Alexander is. Alexander is just playing nice because he faces reelection in 2014. Corker was reelected last year and yes unfortunately I voted for him. I wished there had been someone else that I could have voted for, but I refuse to vote for a democrat, or a third party candidate who has no chance ever to get reelected.

Yes you are right that only representatives have districts, but I know who my senator is. You don't.

24 posted on 09/24/2013 6:26:07 AM PDT by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
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To: Alas Babylon!
You are from Alabama and you are trying to tell me who my Senator is?

When you go to vote, do you vote for Jeff Sessions andRichard Shelby? If you do then you commit voter fraud

25 posted on 09/24/2013 6:35:21 AM PDT by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
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To: Kaslin

Fair enough.

I am in Alabama, and have two senators; Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby. Now Jeff represents me, and Shelby is a democrat turned RINO, so he doesn’t represent me. But both are my senators...


26 posted on 09/24/2013 6:36:20 AM PDT by Alas Babylon!
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To: Alas Babylon!

And Bob Corker represents me, that is the point. However he turned out to be a RINO, and doesn’t care about his constituents. I wished I had suggested to my rep to go for his seat as I am very pleased with her


27 posted on 09/24/2013 6:40:49 AM PDT by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
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To: Kaslin; Alas Babylon!; fieldmarshaldj
When you go to vote, do you vote for Jeff Sessions andRichard Shelby? If you do then you commit voter fraud

Kaslin, what in the hell are you talking about?

You are from Tennessee, Alexander is a Tennessee Senator but he's not your Senator, only Corker is? What on Earth? You skip the election when it's Alexander's seat that's up?

28 posted on 09/24/2013 6:41:46 AM PDT by Impy (RED=COMMUNIST, NOT REPUBLICAN)
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To: Impy
You plan would work . . . The framers' plan worked very well. It is the 17th amendment that upset their careful design.

And the democrat legislators don’t oppose Obamacare . . . For once, you are correct, because Obama controls huge amounts of party campaign money. Go along with whatever Obama wants, and reelection is a near certainty.

We’re better off with the “sheeple” . . . All 100 Senators would likely be establishment cronies. Your senators care what the people think on one day every six years.

Levin's amendments would give the state legislatures the power to recall the senators they appoint, a very good thing.

Why don't you call Levin and explain things to him? I'm sure he'd put you right on the air.

29 posted on 09/24/2013 7:22:18 AM PDT by Jacquerie (An Article V amendment convention of the states is our only hope.)
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To: Impy
I know history.

I'm not impressed. Your comrade Tweedledum described himself as a political historian; do you?

30 posted on 09/24/2013 7:25:38 AM PDT by Jacquerie (An Article V amendment convention of the states is our only hope.)
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To: Jacquerie; fieldmarshaldj; BillyBoy

Your comrade Tweedledum described himself as a political historian; do you?

I think he or she is talking about you, DJ.

Well Jaq, I describe myself as someone who lives in the US in the year 2013, not in Candyland like you. It's not state versus federal it's the people versus the government. Your plan in this, the real world, would not achieve the outcome you want. It would give you just the opposite because once again STATE LEGISLATORS ARE POLITICIANS just like Congressman and Senators. What you think the "interests of the state" are and what your average state legislator thinks the "interests of the state are" are 2 VERY different things. The people of the states are the states BTW, we don't need a middleman to choose Senators. Each state having 2 Senators regardless of population is the important feature of that body, not the method of election.

The framers' plan worked very well.

I especially like Article V. You know the one that allows us to change stuff when needed (and it was needed, you can deny that all you like, 17 was passed for good reason). Would you like to revert to the original version, ditch the bill of rights?

Levin's amendments would give the state legislatures the power to recall the senators they appoint, a very good thing.

Oh yeah that would be GREAT, so when some Senator stands up to the corrupt political establishment a bunch of career politicians get to replace him with a yes man. Rand Paul can kiss his butt goodbye, KY leg would jettison him in 5 seconds. Cruz better watch his back too, Dewhurst and the RINO House Speaker control the TX leg. Why don't you put the tea party in charge of all the legislatures first and then pimp this nonsense.

BTW Mark Levin isn't my personal Jesus, I don't give a damn what his opinion is and I don't answer to him.

31 posted on 09/24/2013 7:56:47 AM PDT by Impy (RED=COMMUNIST, NOT REPUBLICAN)
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To: Redleg Duke
"It is time to clean house and it is time to get rid of the 17th Ammendment."

The GOP Establishment thanks you heartily.

32 posted on 09/24/2013 8:23:59 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Resist We Much)
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To: Jacquerie

This coming from someone who thinks Lindseed Graham would vote like Ted Cruz if the 17th were repealed.


33 posted on 09/24/2013 8:26:01 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Resist We Much)
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To: Redleg Duke

Wilson didn’t “push it through.” The corruption and statism of the Senate was responsible for the 17th. It had become a joke and a caricature of itself. And BTW, these state legislatures ratified it because the people demanded (rightfully so) accountability in its Senators.


34 posted on 09/24/2013 8:30:06 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Resist We Much)
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To: Jacquerie

There you go again.


35 posted on 09/24/2013 8:32:29 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Resist We Much)
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