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EDITOR OF REDSTATE

How The Stupid Party Gets Its Name

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  February 3rd, 2011 at 05:00 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Today was another fine example of how the Republican Party gets labeled as the stupid party.

Senator Dick Durbin hinted two days ago that the Senate Democrats would be unified in their opposition to repeal Obamacare except for one or two. In other words, the GOP had the opportunity to get Democrats to jump ship.

But Democrats have signaled that they want to “fix” Obamacare, not repeal it. So the GOP gladly obliged. Without any obstruction, the GOP went along with the Democrats’ changes to the onerous 1099 provision.

You may say that is a good thing, and you would be right. Except that doing this, instead of keeping the pain in place until Obamacare is repealed, makes the pain less and less. And as the pain becomes less and less because Republicans work with Democrats to “fix” Obamacare, it becomes less and less likely that Obamacare will actually get repealed.

No Democrat had to vote for repeal because they knew they’d get a chance to say they were “fixing” Obamacare. And the headline will now be that the GOP and Democrats in the Senate are cooperating on a “fix” instead of repeal.

On top of that, however, is the stupidity — sheer stupidity — of certain Republicans now trying to undermine the litigation against Obamacare. I’m looking at you Senators Lindsey Graham and John Barasso.

Barasso and Graham have proposed to let states opt-out of having the citizens of the several states be placed in the individual mandate.

If states can opt out of the individual mandate, they no longer have grounds to keep up their lawsuit in federal court. Why? Because if they can choose to opt out of the individual mandate, it is no longer a constitutional obstruction to them.

Further, proposing this and other changes to Obamacare gives Justice Anthony Kennedy plausible grounds to say, “Look! Obamacare is severable and it can survive without the individual mandate.”

Tinkering with Obamacare undermines both the lawsuit against Obamacare and the effort for full repeal. It doesn’t take a genius to know that, but it does take the stupid party to ignore it.

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  • http://www.yankeeairpirate.com Pterodactyl33

    Your mandate of “no profanity” is going to be a pretty tall order for a livid combat veteran and enraged curmudgeon. But here goes…

    WTF does Graham and Barasso think that November @&&-whuppin’ was all about? Cooperation? Reaching across the aisle? Bi*%@#partisainship, for cryin’ out loud? We The People want a TOTAL ABOUT FACE from the status quo, and that goes for the past two administrations. Any RINO who compromises on Obamacare even a little bit would be well advised to wear their asbestos boxer shorts the first time they face their outraged constituency and true Republicans in public. We have had ENOUGH and it could get a little warm up there.

  • davesinsanantonio

    any others with a history of RINOship, or any who may be wavering, and have them clearly state that there will be no more money or other support for anyone who even hints that they are not 100% for repeal!

    It is not just the so-called fixable portions of the bill that we object to. There are still parts of the bill that we don’t yet know how they will affect us. Queen Nancy’s comment that we would have to pass the bill to understand what was in it was an understatement. And, a warning. This bill was decades in the crafting just so they could hide things in it. That is why they didn’t want anyone to read it. We picked up on some of the worst parts fairly quickly, but there are still hidden parts of it that need to be REPEALED. BEFORE we find out what is in them!!! We have to be clear to any spineless wuss up there how strongly we want this thing GONE, not FIXED!!!

    We can worry about tort reform and transferability, etc. after REPEAL, This thing is evil in its conception and will be evil in its application–that is how they designed it. We need to DESTROY it, not pet it into gentleness!!!

  • bus2dc

    …..how many thought of this out here?

    “If states can opt out of the individual mandate, they no longer have grounds to keep up their lawsuit in federal court. Why? Because if they can choose to opt out of the individual mandate, it is no longer a constitutional obstruction to them…”

    AAAAARRGH! These few simple lines should be reprinted and faxed TODAY into Graham & Barasso’s offices, by the thousands. A worse thought is — they’re NOT stupid, and maybe they are doing this intentionally, while keeping up the appearance of “repeal” attempts?? The GOP has a possibly fatal “get-along” sickness, you know.

    Btw – if everyone has the ability to “opt out”, everyone will, and then the core of the whole bill falls apart, right? Someone get in-house counsel on the phone, please…..

  • sccrenny

    there is no recall provision in SC. We are stuck with “Goober” Graham until 2014. I did my part with letters to the editor and voting against him in 2008. If only the Tea Party had risen up earlier….

  • sccrenny

    there is no recall provision in SC. We are stuck with “Goober” Graham until 2014. I did my part with letters to the editor and voting against him in 2008. If only the Tea Party had risen up earlier….

  • fpete13527

    After an ENORMOUS win in the fight to repeal ALL of Obamacare….repeat ALL of Obamacare, these two____ take it on themselves to inject a piece-meal action that begins to undermine the FULL repeal.

    What is wrong with you Graham and Barasso? Where did you get the brilliant idea to do this?

    Everyone everywhere has been clear that right now the initiative needed in the Senate is a FULL repeal vote and THEN go from there LATER. CONCURRENTLY, the states are working initiatives ON THERE OWN to further support sovereign rights regarding HC……NOT DOING LEGISLATION INSTEAD OF.

    It interesting that the Democrats BAND FULLY together in supporting a law THAT THEY NOW KNOW IS ILLEGAL BY A FEDERAL COURT DECISION.

    Graham and Barasso take it on themselves to support the DEMOCRATS ILLEGAL position and be MAVERICKS and go against the request of the American people for FULL repeal which ALL Republicans support…..except for Laurel and Hardy from space.

    Republicans overall…..NO PARTIAL REPEAL OF ANYTHING. Force the Dems to do FULL Repeal OR NOTHING and put INVISIBLE TAPE over ALL MAVERICKS MOUTHS that have better ideas from space…….LIKE GRAHAM.

  • fpete13527
  • http://www.riversedgealliance.org Robin Smith

    Rather than push the current rulings, the legislators are seeking headlines. This law should now be treated as if it doesn’t exist. Appropriators should stop funding, halt the expansion of agencies and states should freeze any action on state exchanges. All of this is consuming precious resources when the law is clearly without merit.

    Grow a spine.

  • AceInTX

    Who knows what a screwing we’re in for with that tidbit.

    I’ve always been opposed to tinkering with Obamacare and have always cringed when I hear Republicrats talking about repealing it piecemeal.

    Anyone who’s ever tried to delete a program from Windows manually knows how impossible it is to find all the little nuggets hidden in sub folders and files all over the computer…the only way to properly to delete a program is to do it with an uninstall program that takes out every piece of the program lock, stock an barrel all at once…try to take it out one piece at a time…or just de-fund it…and you leave gobs of the program behind…and defiunding it leaves little time bombs lying around that can be re funded the next time the Dems are back in power

  • AceInTX
  • goodforall

    Along with any other RINOS who think Obamacare can be fixed. Now is the time to make the dems accountable and get their vote on record. This is a perfect opportunity to do what the voters said to do back in November. I agree totally with Eric-these people who are pushing for compromise are just plain stupid and need to be voted out!

  • gt80

    You hit the nail on the head. We don’t want it “fixed”. Lindsay Graham can’t help himself in working with the Democrats to undermine full repeal.

  • jeffex11

    Not replace the bill! The Democratic socialist party knows that if any piece of Obamacare remains they can resurrect it later . With the entire framework repealed they would have to have the same perfect conditions again as they did in 2010 to ram another bill down our throats.

    This is our chance to KILL THE BILL and let the private sector do its job. Obama care is like crabgrass in your yard…unless you kill it all including the seeds that lay in the soil it will just keep coming back!

  • concap

    To be a naughty and nice or at least a naughty list here on RS to help remind us who we need to vote out on both sides.

    Put it on a static page in the hot topic section or up next to help.

    If you have the resources, could you put an e-mail and phone number next to each name?

  • giveawayjimmie

    Not first time Graham and Barr-asso; have rejected the mood/desires/directions of the people—-no—Ladys and Gentelmen—-these two —know better than the people what is right ——- for US——need to be un-elected——also, Snow, Collins, et al—–
    I am really tired—of the “love fest” between elected officials——-”it’s as if—-we ” faked you out” —you are all to dumb to know what is really going on–in DC—–

  • giveawayjimmie

    Not first time Graham and Barr-asso; have rejected the mood/desires/directions of the people—-no—Ladys and Gentelmen—-these two —know better than the people what is right ——- for US——need to be un-elected——also, Snow, Collins, et al—–
    I am really tired—of the “love fest” between elected officials——-”it’s as if—-we ” faked you out” —you are all to dumb to know what is really going on–in DC—–

  • takemccain2

    I’m just about done with this party. I gave as much as I could to the Tea Party movement so we could get some Senators elected who would represent the Will of the People instead of the D.C. Clubhouse. When Cornyn and the leadership worked overtime to defeat and then undermine candidates like Buck and Miller, I knew my days of ever trusting the Republican Party were over.

    Lindsey Graham has got to go and so does anyone who keeps supporting ‘compromise’ over principle. Do you a-clowns in the Senate GOP even listen to your voters???

    At this point, I’m so flabbergasted and frustrated with the Senate GOP and the moves of the House GOP placing sell-outs like Upton in charge of Energy, that I’m considering not voting ever again.

    I know, I know – you have to take part or you don’t have a voice and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah…

    Why does it matter? Rubio won’t even join the Senate Tea Party Caucus and the House Leadership seems intent on driving the debt ceiling higher. And here comes King Idiot, Lindsey Graham to the rescue to f everything up regarding the repeal of Obamacare.

    I want fighters, I don’t want sell-outs and bi-partisanship. Might as well cast a vote for Cobra Commander or General Zod in the next election. At least I know what I’m getting with them.

  • cam1

    who are to blame for the presence of Lindsey Graham in the US Senate not the Tea Party. Couldn’t South Carolinians see who he was before there was a Tea Party?

  • ciscoguy

    Those rats lied that abortion wasn’t included with Obamacare, so they should have no problem codifying the Stupak/Obama EO into law. Make them take a vote on that. If they want to argue abortions are already excluded, then they should have no problem voting yes on a bill with tighter language.

  • izoneguy

    And they looked so pleased with themselves.
    Greta kinda said OK…..what’s the endgame here.
    Barasso and Graham had the dumb & dumber look.
    That is who they remind me of…..

  • tropicgirl

    I appreciate this article and thanks for watching what is really going on… This is exactly what needs to be stopped immediately. Without delay. And you are absolutely right.

    And may I add, at the risk of being redundant… I hope everyone sees that the TurdBlossom and Frankenstein, also working along with the progressives, effectively prevented the Senate to regain a conservative majority, by their obvious sabotage of certain political campaigns.

    If they had not been ALLOWED to do this, the repeal would already be a done deal.

    Its not so much that they are working with progressives… they are working with the power-centralizers.

  • plwinteregg

    Ok, so I understand from a political purity standpoint, and even from a political maneuvering aspect, this may have not appear to have been smart for the R’s to go along with the 1099 repeal.

    However….as a small business man, this had to be done. Period. Compliance with this was literally impossible for us without crushing any possibility of making a profit. We even had accountants refusing to help us with our books unless we found a way to comply. Believe me, from a small business standpoint, this is a huge victory. For the R’s to avoid this vote just to score some cheap political battle and leave us hanging would not have endeared us to them.

    You can talk about keeping the ‘pain’ level high all you want, Erick, but I have a business to run and payroll to keep. Trust me, I’m in this for the count BECAUSE THIS IS A CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUE, not because of how much ‘pain’ I’m feeling.

    Also….I believe repealing one or two of the more onerous aspects, such as the 1099 requirement, actually helps to reinforce the effort to get rid of the bill. How? Because now folks are hearing that not only have 2 judges deemed part or all of the bill unconstitutional, but a big chunk of Congress has now voted to repeal all or part of it. This hardly bolsters the Lib arguments to keep the thing around.

    We may hear the MSM try to spin this to say we can just do a bit of trimming here and there and the bill will be ok. But primarily only the inside-the-beltway pundits and Kool-aid drinkers will buy this line. Give the American folks a bit more credit. They know when the horse is down and needs to be put out of its misery.

  • PatHMV

    Have you gone completely “inside the beltway”? I remember some really terrible, stupid days not so long ago when both parties tried to “preserve the issue,” keeping the pain on the American people as high as possible, rather than finding common sense ways to make things better, because each party though that the pain of the status quo would help them electorally. It was stupid then, and it’s stupid now.

    The 1099 issue is NOT why masses of Americans oppose Obamacare. The 1099 issue was NOT a significant factor in the 2010 elections. Repealing it on its own is NOT going to save the Democrats or suddenly turn Obamacare popular.

    Consider the practical aspects. The 1099 provisions were so unpopular that even the Democrats were coming around to repealing them. Would it have been better for the GOP electoral prospects if the Senate Democrats introduced the repeal bill for the universally-reviled 1099 provisions, and let THEM take credit for repealing them, while the GOP’s failure to do that, insisting on “no fixes” until Obamacare was fully repealed? The Democrats would profitably trot out their “party of no” attacks, and we would, in fact, look obstructionist.

    You’ve been hitting the talk shows too much, Eric. Get back out in the real world before you’re ruined for good.

    I’m completely with plwinteregg on this one. The GOP should ALWAYS take steps which are good for Americans, and should NEVER let some piece of legislation which is causing pain to Americans stay in place just to help the GOP’s electoral prospects. Really, how selfish of an attitude is that?

  • http://www.mauricebonamigo.com bonamigo

    Once again Eric, I totally agree with your commentary. It is time for Elected officials like Graham and Barasso to GO !

    I am sick and tired of all these Sissy so called Republicans lying down and letting the Liberals walk all over them while bringing the United States down the toilet. It is amazing how they forgot what the American people wanted in this election.

    As a political consultant who represents only conservatives who are interested in running for office, I have been trying to tell the states GOP leadership, when you start running more conservatives for office, you will then and only then, start to make real changes. So hear we are now, more of the same with no changes for the better.

    The main problem is once again, career politicians who think they know what’s best for Americans and not doing what they were sent to Washington, to represent “we the people”

    Until we have strong leadership starting with the RNC, State GOP, and local leaders, the Republican party will still be labeled as the “Stupid Party”.

    Maurice Bonamigo
    President

    Maurice Bonamigo & Associates

  • carolina

    In addition, the 1099 issue had zero to do with healthcare. It should never have been put into the Bill in the first place. Lottsa egg on the face of that dumb dem staffer – and a real embarrassment to the dems.

  • renny

    getting rid of the 1099 fiasco is good for business, esp. smaller businesses RIGHT NOW, who have already been trying to set up ways to monitor their spending during the year to find out when the magic $600 trigger was hit.

    It also removes a few billions the o crew concocted to prop up the lie that this Rube Goldstein contraption would actually save money.

    It also removes part of the “necessity” of hiring 1000s more IRS people to harass more US citizens over the 1099 debacle, before they are needed to penalize filers who haven’t purchased health care ins..

    Another part that should be removed is the student loans dealie, which interferes with the banking system, plans to deny private colleges access (I will guess esp. small, private Christian ones), and captures students in a tighter fed.-gov’t snare, even as we wait for a Rep. pres. and Cong, with a filibuster-proof Sen. and that nirvana in order to dump the entire law, which will definitely be needed if the Supreme Court. decides not to take up the issue, to kick the problem back to the lower courts, or sides with little o and his henchmen.

    People have to live and work while all the geniuses with big ideas work through their ephemeral webs exquisite perfection.

  • izoneguy

    Halt Government Overreach Now, Or Else

    http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=41567

    The federal government is completely out of control?not only when it comes to the unconstitutional Obamacare mandate, but also with respect to bank bailouts, industry-stifling EPA overregulation, burgeoning bureaucracy in departments stuffed with clutter and inefficiency, and the act of continuously spending money we don’t have in the name of “stimulus.”

    The truth is that we’re not on a slippery slope toward massive federal overreach. We’re right smack in the middle of a big-government avalanche that has no regard for constitutional integrity and has already begun to bury our 10th amendment.

    The Obamacare mandate is part of a much bigger calamity: the belief on the part of this administration that it is entitled to tell us what to do. That’s why Nancy Pelosi replied with, “Are you serious?” when asked by CNSNews.com in October of 2009, “Where specifically does the Constitution grant Congress the authority to enact an individual health insurance mandate?”

    To Pelosi, the notion of a bloated federal government with powers far beyond those outlined in our Constitution is perfectly reasonable. It’s nothing she can’t justify with a little warping of the Commerce Clause.

    What will life look like in America for future generations if government overreach isn’t brought to a halt?

    In her speech at the 2010 Southern Republican Leadership Conference, Sarah Palin said, “Government overreach did not begin with the Obama administration, but it will end with the Obama administration.” It absolutely must. Or one day, the federal government is going to be mandating us to do a lot more than purchase health insurance.

    And your liberty?well, that will be a thing of the past.

  • http://www.theprecinctproject.wordpress.com ColdWarrior

    in my humble opinion, they contain one of the two following, truthful, statements:

    I am a conservative Republican Party precinct committeeman and I am recruiting every conservative I can to come into the Party with me as a precinct committeeman for the sole purpose of making sure you and all like you who do not uphold your oath of office and fight for our liberties will not be returned to office in the next election

    or

    I am a conservative Republican and I am taking steps to become a precinct committeeman and I am recruiting every conservative I can to come into the Party with me as a precinct committeeman for the sole purpose of making sure you and all like you who do not uphold your oath of office and fight for our liberties will not be returned to office in the next election.

    The premise seems to be that Graham and Barasso are two stupid too know what they are doing. They know exactly what they are doing. They are acting like politicians who don’t want to do the hard thing. They want to take the easy way out. And they will every time if they think they can still get reelected. And the gauge they look at to see whether things are changing back home in their respective states is the percentage level of participation within the Party as precinct committeemen. If that percentage has not increased much, then they know that their 95 per cent or better chance of getting reelected also has not changed.

    It’s all about who can better get out the vote in the primary election. And who can get the endorsements of the local, county and state Party committees before the primary election. If conservatives create majorities inside the party in its voting ranks, then they can not only vote to endorse candidates in the all-important, traditionally-very-low-turnout primary elections, but also elect the leadership who run the meetings where the endorsement elections take place. And, they are in the best position to get out the vote for those endorsed candidates.

    For those of you in South Carolina, Karen Martin has given you a road map and guide:

    http://www.redstate.com/karenmartin/2011/02/02/sc-gop-chair-race-and-the-case-for-precinct-involvement/

    I don’t blame Graham and Barasso — they are just acting in their self-interests. I blame the conservatives in their respective states who have not gotten into the Republican Parties there and filled up all the precinct committeemen seats. If you are not in possession of a clip board getting signatures for something that’s going to appear on an election ballot, please don’t say you’re a political activist. (For example, in some states, to run for precinct committeeman, you have submit a small number of signatures on a nominating petition — here in Arizona, for example, no more than ten (ten!) signatures are required. It’s based on the number of registered Republicans in a precinct; in some precincts, only three signatures are required, and one of them can be your own, so it’s really only two that you would need to gather — and the Party gives you a walking sheet for your precinct that tells you, in street address order, where the Republicans and Independents (Independents can sign to get you on the ballot) live.)

    Back in September of 2009 I wrote about the success some of us were having in my county in Arizona in changing the Republican Party by recruiting conservatives to come into the real ball game of politics from its sidelines:

    http://www.redstate.com/coldwarrior/2009/09/02/434-new-conservative-precinct-committeemen-and-counting/

    More recruiting resulted in our having just overwhelmingly reelecting our conservative county chairman and conservatives to the leadership positions of the state Party, which I wrote about here:

    http://www.redstate.com/coldwarrior/2011/01/24/mission-accomplished-new-conservative-precinct-committeemen-elect-conservative-republican-leaders-including-the-state-chairman/

    It’s not enough to just talk about politics. Or to just write about it. More of us have to DO politics. We have to get into the ball game. The real ball game of politics is played inside the Party. As the grass roots conservatives in Utah proved by denying RINO Sen. Bob Bennett even a place on the primary ballot. They learned the rules of the Republican Party and showed up for the caucus meetings and elected sufficient numbers of constitutional conservative delegates to attend the nominating convention and it was “bye, bye Sen. Bennett.” I wrote about it here:

    http://www.redstate.com/coldwarrior/2010/05/08/2101-of-3500-of-75000-denied-bob-bennett/

    The incumbent Republicans will act in their own self-interests. “WE the [conservative] People” have to unite politically inside the Republican Party as precinct committeemen now to show them that it’s in their self-interest to fight for our liberties, or they’ll be gone come the next primary election. The best way to send that signal is for thousands and thousands and thousands of “keyboard warrior” conservatives across the country to get away from their keyboards for a couple of hours a month and attend their respective local Republican Party committee to find out how to become a voting member of the Party.

    Why do you think virtually no Republican incumbent will tell conservatives to become precinct committeemen? Or tell them that over half of the precinct committeemen slots in the Party, nationwide, on average, in every local and state committee, are vacant? Answer: they are terrified that if you knew this, and figured what an opportunity it was to change the Party and to change the outcome of the primary elections, that you’d do it and, possibly, take them out. Why should they sow the seeds of their own potential demise? It’s not their job. And it’s not in their self-interest. And it’s not rocket science.

    We have a two-party system. We conservatives aren’t using our Party to its fullest extent — not even close. Our Party is their for the taking. But, we have to act.

    For those of you attending the upcoming Conservative Political “Action” Conference, please pay attention to whether the idea of taking over the Party from the precinct level on up is discussed on any of the panels. Please pay attention to whether any of the incumbent Republican Party elected public servants implore you to come into the Party and make it stronger by filling up all those empty precinct committeeman seats.

    Thank you.

    For Liberty,

    ColdWarrior

  • red_oakster

    You keep trying for repeal AND you keep looking for ways to get the government out of people’s pursuit of happiness. 80-odd Senators voted for this one. Every single Republican voted for it. Now while they can be wrong, there’s also a possibility that Erick’s argument is weak in this case.

  • http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law--Politics-Examiner Mike gamecock DeVine
  • qurys

    It has always been about universal healthcare and many legislators are on record saying they support just that. Barack Obama supports it. And literally millions of folks with up to date voter registration cards support it as well. If you punch a hole in Obamacare here, and tear a gash in it there, it is still a huge bureacracy bent upon taking over healthcare. And if you give the states the ability to opt out…while that may sound all warm and fuzzy, you will still have a huge unfunded bureaucracy which we know from experience NEVER goes unfunded. You can do that for a year or two…but then money goes from here to pay for this and money goes from there to pay for that and pretty soon, the bureaucracy is bloated and we are saying WHAT HAPPENED? We know what happened here…the Congress passed a phenomanally expensive and bad piece of legislation that the American people by and large don’t want. If you tinker with this bomb it will go off. It needs to be totally destroyed. Those supporters of the public option (do we all remember that?) are probably gleefully just waiting for the individual mandate to get severed. Or states to opt out. Because then we will have a huge LAW that has to be funded somehow. Presto! In comes the public option. And healthcare in the United States is gone forever. While I sympathize with those affected by the 1099 provision the conservative stand needs to be repeal. Opting out is kicking the can down the road.

  • qurys

    It has always been about universal healthcare and many legislators are on record saying they support just that. Barack Obama supports it. And literally millions of folks with up to date voter registration cards support it as well. If you punch a hole in Obamacare here, and tear a gash in it there, it is still a huge bureacracy bent upon taking over healthcare. And if you give the states the ability to opt out…while that may sound all warm and fuzzy, you will still have a huge unfunded bureaucracy which we know from experience NEVER goes unfunded. You can do that for a year or two…but then money goes from here to pay for this and money goes from there to pay for that and pretty soon, the bureaucracy is bloated and we are saying WHAT HAPPENED? We know what happened here…the Congress passed a phenomanally expensive and bad piece of legislation that the American people by and large don’t want. If you tinker with this bomb it will go off. It needs to be totally destroyed. Those supporters of the public option (do we all remember that?) are probably gleefully just waiting for the individual mandate to get severed. Or states to opt out. Because then we will have a huge LAW that has to be funded somehow. Presto! In comes the public option. And healthcare in the United States is gone forever. While I sympathize with those affected by the 1099 provision the conservative stand needs to be repeal. Opting out is kicking the can down the road.

  • rightwingmom52
  • mspector

    The GOP in Congress has decided on a tack of collaborating with the Dems instead of planting a flag and holding the line. This began with the “tax deal” at the end of 2010; we reaped the fruits of GOP capitulation with the rampage of the “lame duck” session. It is one thing to be able to reach across the aisle when necessary or expedient. It is quite another to abandon strength and principle at the first challenge. The Dems now know that the GOP in Congress does not really intend to implement the policies expected of them in the 2010 election and will take advantage of this weakness at every turn.

  • caboose

    The problem is the 6 year term of the Senators. People like Rubio, MCCain , Graham, Boxer, ect. simply could not care less what you think once they are elected for 6 years. In fact all of these tyrants in the Senate are all the same. They simply are accountable to anyone once they have the big 6 in the bag. Many of the Senators joined the lame duck destuction in Dec, while destroying the Military with the open homosexual law. Of course the over whelming majority who voted for this perversion has never paid any dues to this Country.

  • lineholder

    the bill includes provision to involuntarily draft newly graduated health care providers into the Public Health Service Corp. In theory, it isn’t a bad idea to have a Reserve Corp of providers who can depended on in times of national emergency, but the bill also allows the government to transition health care providers to areas of greater need at the government’s will and whim.

    While these draftees are serving their country, they will get paid whatever the government “deems” is acceptable for them to be paid. Given that this is part of the plan to “reduce health care costs”, how realistic will those payments be? Will it be enough to allow providers to put down roots in communities, establish a business, build trust with a patient base, contribute to the continuity of care? Or will they be tossed to and fro simply for the purpose of generating chaos?

  • jdtruth

    We need to completely Repeal this bill. We do not need nanny-state goverment’s thinking we are children, either Republican or Democrats who are pushing it even under the guise of Repeal/Replace any of it!

    Please remember what Pres. Ronald Reagan said about Socialism and Healthcare…it always sounds good and we sound mean to say no.

    It is a very slippery slope for govt to get involved in healthcare.

    Before Obamacare/Govt takeover of healthcare came on the scene, I was shocked to hear Neil Boortz say that a woman who did not want to give her child Chemo should be arrested, and I think the Utah family had to run for their very lives to escape the govt forcing them to give care that the govt had deemed as best for the child!

  • Finrod

    Imagine if *all* the red states opted out of Obamacare, leaving just the northeast, the west coast, Illinois, and a handful of purple states that don’t know any better stuck with this atrocity of a law.

    That would be justice.

  • Spiral

    I agree completely. And it would be a, dare I say, teachable moment.

    “Hey, why is it that health care in those blue states is so messed up but health care in those red states runs so smoothly and is not outrageously expensive?”

  • After Seven

    These last few weeks we’ve been treated to the bluster of Mitch McConnell vowing that he Will get an up or down vote on Obamacare. Reid parried that there’d be no vote and then relented when it became apparent that he’d brokered the 1099 deal. Of course these votes and the way they unfolded were all orchestrated long before the actual votes took place. Who wins in this?

    1. Obama: Doesn’t have to exercise a veto against the will of the majority.

    2. Reid, Pelosi, the DNC: (A)No renewed outrage from the Right.They got willing Republicans to give them a get out of jail free card on one of the most outrageous and unpopular aspects of Obamacare, the 1099 provision, Right on the eve of its implementation, so they got ZERO public outrage.
    (B) Conversely – It plays to their base as Defenders of Obamacare

    3. Mitch McConnell: Gets free press as valiant minority leader “forcing” an up or down vote against all odds. Our hero. To the uninformed, it will look as if McConnell fought the good fight!

    4. Debbie Stabenow – As Sponsor of the 1099 Repeal, she gets additional ammo to burnish her Obvious pro-business credentials just in time for her 2012 Re-election bid. Johanns amendment was voted down in favor of Stabenow’s even though they were carbon copies….Congrats to the GOP.

    5. Moderate Dem Senators: Moderate Dems up for reelection get to follow Stabenow’s lead. They get to act as “Defender’s of Obamacare” and simultaneously woo uniformed small business owners in their new guise as destroyers of unnecessary government red tape…1099′s! (which they created to begin with!)

    6. RINO’s – Collins Snowe and Brown get to show off their meaningless Anti-Obamacare vote to the Right.

    The only losers…. Conservatives.
    Every worthless Incumbent Senator now has a few new PR tools to prolong their tenure in the US Senate. The broad argument for Repeal has now been undercut….and for what? What did we get? We simply made everything Much Much easier for Harry Reid, Obama and the DNC.

    SO we get to keep all the moderate Senators on both sides of the aisle and we lose an important tool for overturning Obamacare.

    I disagree with Erick on 1 issue:
    This particular episode does not illustrate that the GOP is the party of stupid. This episode was Willful, Intentional and Strategic. Its only becomes stupid if the GOP ends up losing power as a result of their decision. Forget about Obamacare, that’s not the issue to McConnell. He’s got a long term view to consolidate power, dupe the Tea Party, ignore Conservatives, manipulate touchstone issues without making substantive changes, and ultimately keep as much money flowing through DC as is politically possible until he gets his 51st seat. That’s all he cares about…whether Obamacare passes or fails makes no difference to McConnell (less so for Senators like Snowe & Collins)…its just a temporary tool.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    No more than having only half the country legalizing slavery was just.

  • myron_j_poltroonian

    The same part they “Don’t Get” in “Illegal”.

  • myron_j_poltroonian

    “Super!”

  • myron_j_poltroonian

    Back when these two, and those just like ‘em, would be the “Guest’s of honor” at a local “Tar an’ Featherin’ “, or “Rope Stretchin’ “.

  • PatHMV

    How would picking up a token one or two Democrat votes to repeal Obamacare actually help anything? It might actually hurt. Rather than underscore the “bipartisan” nature of the opposition (which would be using the word “bipartisan” the same way the MSM does, a party-line vote with a couple of usual suspects defecting from the other side), it might suggest to people that Obamacare could still be repealed if only they voted for the right Democrats. The message we need to send is that a vote for ANY Democrat is a vote for Obamacare.

  • AceInTX
  • Flagstaff

    have been saying for weeks.

    Flimsy Gramnesty makes me crazy. It’s one thing for the Democrats to divide and conquer us, it’s another when we do it to ourselves.

  • Flagstaff

    it would be its own, so they’ll do THAT right.

  • Flagstaff

    She had no clue, either. Not one question about making the court challenges moot.

    She just continued to screech, “This should get to the Supreme Court within 30 days.”

    Will Eric get a chance to mention this on CNN tonight? Or is that gig done now that he has a regular radio show?

  • Flagstaff
  • Flagstaff

    It was hard to vote against the 1099 bill, I admit.

    Does it not have to go to the House, now?

  • Flagstaff

    If it does, it should have ‘complete repeal’ attached as an amendment as it is sent back to the Senate.

  • runner12

    when they are five yards away from the goal line. My only consolation is that it will go to the House where it is hopefully shot down.

  • earlgrey

    can bring it up ASAP. I believe it is HR 4 so they are preparing to pass this as well. At least that was my understanding a couple weeks ago.

  • uselogic

    whenever I think of Graham. Now I’ll add Barasso to those same thoughts.

  • uselogic

    whenever I think of Graham. Now I’ll add Barasso to those same thoughts.

  • http://www.gmsplace.com/ civil_truth

    We now (if we haven’t before) seen the real agenda of establishment Republicans.

    Whatever their rhetoric may be about reforming, in the end they like Big Government as much as the Democrats, the difference is that they want to run it. But they’re perfectly happy to take turns the way it’s always been done (while the Democrats are playing for all the marbles).

    In the end, it’s the corruption of power, increasing their own.

    We see therein the 5th column of socialism/crony capitalism – bringing us to the event horizon of unrestrained Federal tyranny. SCOTUS is a thin reed to lean on. Especially since the Senate confirms appointments and judges.

    And they really don’t believe that they will be voted out of office for their betrayal – or are confident that the money and power they control will keep them in office. Especially the Senate, where they see that conservatives made limited head way.

    They believe that a fickle public will swing the other way in 2012.

  • AceInTX

    and force Harry, Mitch, and the rest of the asshats in the Senate to vote on it all over again…

    hah!!!

  • izoneguy

    And then tell them that they have to pass it to know what is in it!!!

  • Flagstaff

    I sent it to my own Congressman. Send it to yours.

  • Flagstaff

    I sent it to my Congressman. Send it to yours.

  • Flagstaff

    We should learn from their successful examples.

    I have no doubt they have been chuckling that they have us in a box. Flip the box over on them.

  • edwlstr

    When the public says “REPEAL” Graham hears “fix”? Graham you are a MORON.

  • boxedquad

    you did well

  • boxedquad

    you did well

  • boxedquad

    GOP MUST HOLD THE LINE, list the RINO’s for the NEXT DUMP.. POST IT and keep it current,

  • boxedquad

    GOP MUST HOLD THE LINE, list the RINO’s for the NEXT DUMP.. POST IT and keep it current,

  • boxedquad

    now what would you do with all IRS already hired? surly you don’t believe in the tooth fairy… I jest of course.

  • myron_j_poltroonian
  • myron_j_poltroonian
  • AceInTX
  • AceInTX

    i’ll send the suggestion anyway…

    This is an awesome idea Flag…

    you da man

  • AceInTX
  • pompey

    …I predicted this the week after Obamacare was passed. The socialist agenda is virtually impossible to achieve with out the RINO. The RINO sails under false colors and enables leftist and socialist in everything that they propose.

    If the TEA party does nothing else in American history they must rid the nation of this virus.

  • Flagstaff

    I wouldn’t send it to a Democrat, though.

    Bury it in committee first. Say, “It’s not necessary, because the law has been declared unconstitutional. Judge Vinson’s closing sentence said it all: ‘In accordance with Rule 57 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Title 28, United States Code, Section 2201(a), a Declaratory Judgment shall be entered
    separately, declaring ?The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act?
    unconstitutional.’”

    If the Supreme Court revitalizes the law, then bring the 1099 repeal back out and add the amendment previously suggested.”

  • sccrenny

    of my great state, we are also responsible for Jim Demint, Nikki Haley, and replacing Jim Spratt with Mick Mulvaney. Not to mention electing Tim Scott in District 1. That leaves us with Clyburn, in a gerrymandered district and “Goober” to go. Cut us some slack!

  • AceInTX
  • Flagstaff

    The 1099 repeal was attached as an amendment to an FAA re-authorization bill. Perhaps this makes it more urgent to pass. Still, the amendment can be amended to include full Obamacare, or deleted with the reason given above–unnecessary to repeal an unconstitutional law.

  • bus2dc

    Today’s Update: A Pennsylvania ‘opt out of ObamaCare’ bill, HB 42, sailed through the PA House Health Committee 14-9, less than an hour after a rally was held supporting the measure in the East Wing Rotunda ohe Harrisburg Capitol Building.

    “What a difference an election makes,” said TerI Adams, president of the Independence Hall Tea Party Association. “We supported this bill when it was introduced in January, 2010. We will now push for its passage on the floor of the PA House and in the PA Senate. Once it’s passed, we are confident Governor Corbett will sign it into law.