Posted on 03/24/2010 5:08:26 PM PDT by 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.
It would be NEITHER STUPID NOR A STUNT.
It’s our party’s POSITION. We are AGAINST THIS BILL and want to REPEAL IT.
End of story.
“voting for symbols is useless”
It most emphatically is NOT useless to put our proposals out there even if they lose.
The CAMPAIGN FOR 2010 IS NOW.
There is no later.
We need to all realize the Democrats are the enemy and the Republicans are doing the best they can, BUT ... WE NEED TO FIGHT OVER EVERY LITTLE SCRAP WE CAN. AND USE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THAT CONTRAST.
That’s why the REPEAL position is so correct, it is simple.
Very well said. The GOP has indeed become unprincipled, irresponsible, anti-Constitutional, thrifty Democrats.
I think what McConnell is really saying is that right now some pubs are scared and can’t be relied on to vote yes on repeal at this moment. I think Vitter should have waited until the bloom was off the rose, so to speak, such as letting today’s work make its way into the public mind so that the unfavorability of the new law is driven even higher. The no immediate coverage for kids needs to filter down to the public, as does the abortion thing and the Viagra thing and some of the other stuff. Right now zero is riding high and so are the rats. I think the timing for a repeal bill right this minute was bad. When the rats’ failure to amend some of this stuff becomes widely known, there will be even more support for repeal. I’d say give it some time. Maybe introduce the bill just before the senate’s summer break so they can discuss it at town halls and get up a head of steam for it.
I think for once in their befuddled lives the congressional pubs did a pretty good job trying to block this and definitely did a good job in raising public awareness of the serious flaws and the unconstitutionality of the bill. Of course, I would have liked to see the House pubs completely disrupt the proceedings so that NO vote could be taken at all.
Just my $.02.
I agree the pubs are generally jellyfish and aren’t trustworthy. But they did a good job for once. I say let them play their hand a little longer. Waiting for an opportunity to get up a good head of public steam is a good idea.
Don’t throw out the good republicans with the bad. I hope people go online to the senate conservatives.com and ask to sign the petition. Better yet, you can do the same at: info@senateconservatives.com
If we can get hundreds of thousands of signatures, maybe the RINOs will fall in line. DeMint states he doesn’t expect it to pass, but putting it out there and having discussion on it keeps it before the people and fresh on their minds so they don’t buy into the ‘we have to go along with this...we’re doomed’ mentality that the dems are trying to foist upon us to demoralize us.
Don’t throw out the good republicans with the bad. I hope people go online to the senate conservatives.com and ask to sign the petition. Better yet, you can do the same at: info@senateconservatives.com
If we can get hundreds of thousands of signatures, maybe the RINOs will fall in line. DeMint states he doesn’t expect it to pass, but putting it out there and having discussion on it keeps it before the people and fresh on their minds so they don’t buy into the ‘we have to go along with this...we’re doomed’ mentality that the dems are trying to foist upon us to demoralize us.
There has to be a substitute Republican bill. Vastly simplified over this 2700-page wonder that no one understands. So repeal should wait until 2011, repeal and replace. The platform for the November elections should include the simplified bill. MHO, anyway.
Good. Then vote for a third party and let the democrats rule forever.
I’m simply concerned that some RINO’s might not stick with the plan and create headlines the dark side can use. Pick your battles.
Figures. But can we at least replace him in the leadership type positions?
>> I just hate the constant knee-jerk ragging on Republicans that goes on here day after day after day, year after year.
And I just hate the constant lip-lock buttsucking on Republicans that ALSO goes on here day after day after day, year after year.
The (R)s made a big government mess from 2000-2006; their corruption, greed, and stupidity lost them control of the government. Then, they did ineffectual battle against the (D) majority and LOST; and now, instead of fighting the evil in every way possible, McConnell is giving up, in spite of 60% of Americans that want him to keep fighting. Tell me again why I should I cheer McConnell or the (R)s? A pox on them.
I never said opposition is a bad idea. I said that proposing an amendment that is sure to fail is a bad idea.
Why? Because it's a waste of time and resources.
There are more productive ways of opposing Obamacare. Make it's repeal a central plank of the GOP platform for the November election. Campaign on it constantly. Talk about it every chance you get in the media. Those kinds of actions might actually do some good.
Yup, those 'RAT votes defending crap like that will come in handy in crafting ads against them during the upcoming campaign season...
Maybe a day, at most. More likely a few hours. What good, exactly, does that do?
2) It keeps them from considering other damaging bills
Such as?
3) It keeps the issue FRONT and CENTER in the press, thus keeping the populus stirred up; they have a short memory
Okay. They present the amendment one day, and it gets voted down a day later. How is that keeping this issue front and center?
4) Done properly, it embarrasses the opposition and forces them to confront their own folly
Sory, you've lost me. How exactly does voting against a repeal of something they just passed embarrass the Democrats?
Now, YOU tell ME: what exactly is to be gained by rolling over and playing nice
I never suggested we do that.
oppose, oppose, oppose this evil government and its socialist direction?
I agree. We should oppose by all effective means. Proposing this silly amendment only to get it voted down the next day is not one of them.
You're a no good Rino! By adding "replace," we're conceding that health care reform is necessary! A true conservative would simply campaign on repeal! Any attempt to make health insurance more accessible is socialism.
/unhinged, anti-intellectual knee-jerk Freeper mode
I don't think we can continue with the present system or lack thereof. Although I am in favor of capitalism and free enterprise in general, I wonder if a profit-making industry should be in charge of our health care. Their profit necessarily comes out of our care.
The Dems have tried to please everybody but have ended up with a confusing and I think unworkable pastiche. Besides, they are amoral and will use age or pre-born-ness to determine whether someone gets care, or life--an essentially unethical foundation. We can't leave things the way they are. Health care has gotten expensive enough to bankrupt people, and the insurance as constructed by the insurance industry is not working. They are in business to deny as much health care as possible.
I think the ideas of simplify and make totally ethical are a winning combination for Republicans.
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