BY RICK MANNING | AUGUST 28, 2013
Defund Obamacare gains momentum everywhere but in House leadership
Momentum against Obamacare continues to accelerate, but somehow House leadership seem to be the only ones who don't get that defunding the law is the only chance to stop it from going into effect.
In a just released "dear colleague" letter from House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy and House Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers wraps up the House Leadership argument against Obamacare this way:
"In the weeks and months ahead, Republicans will build on the successful votes in the House to delay the president's health care law. To keep pressure on the administration and build the case for future votes, as outlined by Speaker Boehner, House Republicans will continue their ongoing oversight activities and take advantage of opportunities associated with the law's pending implementation. The House will also vote on a bill to protect taxpayers by requiring verification for Obamacare subsidies; legislation to stop IPAB; legislation to get rid of the slush funds that the president is using to implement the law; and other targeted bills throughout the fall that fracture the president's coalition of support."
If you were surprised that there isn't any mention of refusing to fund the implementation of Obamacare which is the only Constitutional remedy the House has to stop implementation of the law in the face of Senate Democrat and White House opposition, you shouldn't be.
In spite of major private sector unions like the Teamsters and even the public employee union that represents Internal Revenue Service employees blasting the law, the House leadership is unmoved.
In the face of the Obama Administration failing to meet more than half of the mandated implementation deadlines, House leadership is undaunted in their determination to fund the law.
Health insurance rate payers in the Speaker's home state of Ohio will face an on-average increase of 41 percent for their premiums, yet somehow House leadership resists their only chance to halt the disaster that is Obamacare.
House legislation by Representative Tom Graves (R-GA) to defund Obamacare has taken off like a rocket with 138 co-sponsors within the first few weeks of introduction, yet House leadership remains tone deaf due to their fear of any kind of budget showdown with President Obama.
And that is why Obamacare will be fully funded and implemented.
The House Leadership has made the determination that they are unwilling to shut down the government under any circumstance, which gives Obama the ultimate power.
Not only will the House Leadership not fight to defund Obamacare, they will likely give in to Obama demands to increase spending and throw in a few hundred billion in tax increases for good measure.
With all that, House Republicans still will get blamed for bringing the government to the brink of being shut down — oh, the horror!
The sad truth is that Obama is willing to shut down the government to keep Obamacare funded as well as increasing taxes and spending, and the Republicans are not willing to do the same to fight for what they claim to be their core principles.
At some point you would hope that Obama would get bored bullying around the 98 pound weakling congressional Republican leaders. However like all bullies, after the embarrassment that is his foreign policy and the beating he has been taking on the IRS/Benghazi/NSA/EPA scandals, don’t bet against Obama lining up Speaker Boehner for a good whooping just to boost his ego.
The only question is whether the Speaker will respond with the obligatory, “May I have another, sir,” after each blow.
One hundred and fifty years ago, President Abraham Lincoln faced the challenge of having generals who were unwilling to fight, always looking for an even greater strategic advantage. Today, momentum has shifted against Obama and his signature law, it is a shame that Honest Abe isn’t around to kick these modern day McClellan’s to the curb and replace them with the legislative equivalent of Ulysses S. Grant.
At least then we would know that there was someone with the courage to fight against the rapid encroachment of big government on the liberties American’s once enjoyed rather than engaging in a debilitating retreat waiting for the moment when it was utterly safe to take a stand.
Rick Manning (@rmanning957) is the Vice President of Communications and Public Policy for Americans for Limited Government. Visit NetRightDaily.com.
