Before I start getting hate mail/comments or being told I am not a true conservative, hear me out. I didn’t support Obamacare and would like to see it repealed as much as anyone. However, it isn’t going to happen anytime soon for two BIG reasons.
First, there is the requirement to obtain a two-thirds vote in each chamber of Congress in order to override a Presidential veto in Article I Section 7 of the U.S. Constitution. I have not seen a poll that shows Republicans taking a two-thirds control of both chambers of Congress and I strongly doubt if any Democrats will cross party lines in order to help override an Obama veto. So even if the Republicans can gain enough seats in both the House and Senate come November to pass a repeal bill, there is little chance that they will be able to muster the necessary number of votes to override an Obama veto in one chamber never mind doing it in both. Thus it will become a colossal Republican failure that Obama and the Democrats, with the enthusiastic help of the lapdog mainstream media, will capitalize on and make sure is well publicized.
Second, no political party in history from my recollection has ever repealed a major piece of social legislation. It doesn’t matter if it is the Democrats, Republicans, Bull Moose Party, etc. NO ONE HAS DONE IT! Each piece of social legislation creates its own constituency group and advocates thus creating a dangerous predicament for those who wish to be re-elected at some point. Those doing such a thing would be demonized viciously and unmercifully on a regular basis in a variety of venues. One has to look no further than the media coverage on those who opposed Obamacare running up to and after its passage into law.
Should Republican candidates across this great nation keep repeating the repeal now mantra all the way to Congress, they will find that they have made a grave error. Continuing to follow this strategy to its endgame would be a godsend for Democrats in 2012. As everyone knows, American voters are tired of being promised the moon by candidates they send to Congress only to get a grain of sand in return. If Republicans are swept into power in November under this slogan, it will come back to haunt them and voters quite possibly could sweep them back out of power in 2012. If this happens, the chances of a Republican President being elected at that time will be in serious jeopardy as well. Voters are not stupid, promising something and not delivering can be a nightmare for incumbents of the party in power at the time, especially Republicans. Just ask former President George H.W. Bush about the “read my lips no new taxes” slogan and how well that worked for him at re-election time.
So how does a Republican candidate handle this hot button topic? That is a very easy answer that should have been put into play as soon as it was apparent that major gains for Republicans were being predicted for the mid-term elections in November. A more appropriate position Republican candidates should take would be presented something like this: “I support the repeal of the recently passed healthcare reform and replace it with common sense reform that does not greatly expand government control over the healthcare industry. However, due to the political climate in Washington D.C. and the Obama Administration currently in power, it is not possible at this time. Therefore, I support not funding the provisions of the healthcare reform bill until the successful passage of an appropriate repeal and replace reform bill is feasible and will be diligent in supporting and passing such legislation at that time.”
It may not be what the American voter wants to hear, but it will be the honest truth and a good way for Republicans to keep from being savaged by the Democrats about it during the 2012 election cycle.
First, there is the requirement to obtain a two-thirds vote in each chamber of Congress in order to override a Presidential veto in Article I Section 7 of the U.S. Constitution. I have not seen a poll that shows Republicans taking a two-thirds control of both chambers of Congress and I strongly doubt if any Democrats will cross party lines in order to help override an Obama veto. So even if the Republicans can gain enough seats in both the House and Senate come November to pass a repeal bill, there is little chance that they will be able to muster the necessary number of votes to override an Obama veto in one chamber never mind doing it in both. Thus it will become a colossal Republican failure that Obama and the Democrats, with the enthusiastic help of the lapdog mainstream media, will capitalize on and make sure is well publicized.
Second, no political party in history from my recollection has ever repealed a major piece of social legislation. It doesn’t matter if it is the Democrats, Republicans, Bull Moose Party, etc. NO ONE HAS DONE IT! Each piece of social legislation creates its own constituency group and advocates thus creating a dangerous predicament for those who wish to be re-elected at some point. Those doing such a thing would be demonized viciously and unmercifully on a regular basis in a variety of venues. One has to look no further than the media coverage on those who opposed Obamacare running up to and after its passage into law.
Should Republican candidates across this great nation keep repeating the repeal now mantra all the way to Congress, they will find that they have made a grave error. Continuing to follow this strategy to its endgame would be a godsend for Democrats in 2012. As everyone knows, American voters are tired of being promised the moon by candidates they send to Congress only to get a grain of sand in return. If Republicans are swept into power in November under this slogan, it will come back to haunt them and voters quite possibly could sweep them back out of power in 2012. If this happens, the chances of a Republican President being elected at that time will be in serious jeopardy as well. Voters are not stupid, promising something and not delivering can be a nightmare for incumbents of the party in power at the time, especially Republicans. Just ask former President George H.W. Bush about the “read my lips no new taxes” slogan and how well that worked for him at re-election time.
So how does a Republican candidate handle this hot button topic? That is a very easy answer that should have been put into play as soon as it was apparent that major gains for Republicans were being predicted for the mid-term elections in November. A more appropriate position Republican candidates should take would be presented something like this: “I support the repeal of the recently passed healthcare reform and replace it with common sense reform that does not greatly expand government control over the healthcare industry. However, due to the political climate in Washington D.C. and the Obama Administration currently in power, it is not possible at this time. Therefore, I support not funding the provisions of the healthcare reform bill until the successful passage of an appropriate repeal and replace reform bill is feasible and will be diligent in supporting and passing such legislation at that time.”
It may not be what the American voter wants to hear, but it will be the honest truth and a good way for Republicans to keep from being savaged by the Democrats about it during the 2012 election cycle.
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