Still no GOP plan to 'replace'
![John Boehner leaves the House chamber Wednesday. | AP Photo John Boehner leaves the House chamber Wednesday. | AP Photo](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130118032401im_/http://images.politico.com/global/2012/07/120711_gop_healthcare_ap_328.jpg)
Even as they cheer their “Obamacare” repeal vote, here’s a reality check: House Republicans have done next to nothing they promised they would when it comes to health care.
Sure, they’ve voted to kill parts of President Barack Obama’s law more than 30 times, slashing funding, using the votes as red meat to rally the base — even squeezing some into law.
Continue ReadingBut they’ve fallen short of what they promised the American people they would do when it comes to actual health care policy.
Flash back to the campaign promises of 2010: GOP leadership told voters they would “enact medical liability reform,” allow Americans to buy health insurance across state lines, expand health savings accounts, “ensure access for patients with pre-existing conditions” and “permanently prohibit taxpayer funding of abortion.”
(Also on POLITICO: Voters shift on health care constitutionality)
Eighteen months after taking the majority, they’ve passed only two of those: an abortion bill and liability legislation.
Republican leaders have passed a resolution asking committees to draft a replacement for the Obama health care law, but don’t look for any thick, comprehensive proposals; they don’t exist.
Also, when Republicans passed their repeal of the health care law Wednesday, they did it using a restrictive floor process that limits debate and minority party amendments, which they had said they would avoid.
Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-Ill.), who snatched his seat from a Democrat in 2010 who voted for the law, says he’s ready to pass health care bills. There’s only one thing stopping him.
“I’d love to do them,” he said. “I’m not in leadership. I’d love to dig into this stuff.”
The retort from Republicans is simple: They don’t have to replace the health care law. The Democratic Senate won’t take any of their ideas anyway. And politically, they can bank on public distaste from the Supreme Court ruling, anger at stubbornly high unemployment rates and what Republicans frame as the bill’s adverse impact on small businesses.
That’s not what they were saying in 2010. Then, they wrote that Obama’s plan expanded “the size and scope of government with more debt, higher taxes and burdensome mandates.”
“Americans are calling for reforms that lower costs for families and small businesses; increase access to affordable, high-quality care; and strengthen the doctor-patient relationship,” they wrote. “We have a plan to do just that.”
They didn’t say they would repeal it, wait until they have a Republican Senate and White House and then replace it.
Some lawmakers have offered bills that, if passed, would make good on the Republican pledge. Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, for instance, introduced legislation that allows for the sale of insurance across state lines. And Rep. Paul Broun of Georgia has a comprehensive health overhaul bill.
Both are in holding patterns.
Asked if he thought Republican leaders could move the bills before the end of the year, Broun sounded a pessimistic note.
“I doubt it, because Barack Obama is going to obstruct any effort Republicans have made for political purposes,” he said.
Michael Steel, a spokesman for Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), said the House Republicans’ “focus has been on repealing this law, because it is making it harder for small businesses to create jobs. Once that is accomplished, we can begin working to enact common-sense, step-by-step reforms like the ones outlined in the Pledge to America.”
Readers' Comments (380)
The Republicans have spent all their time since 2008 defining themselves as the "party of NO" - too late to change now!
Obama falls short on everything!
The Republicans have Done Nothing they said they would do. Come to think about it same goes for the Democrats.
The Republicans have Done Nothing they said they would do. Come to think about it same goes for the Democrats.
"Sure, they’ve voted to kill parts of President Barack Obama’s law more than 30 times, slashing away at funding, using these votes as red meat to rally the base — even squeezing some into law. But they’ve fallen short of what they promised the American people they would do when it comes to actual health care policy."
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But hey, they've stepped right up to the plate and come through with exactly what they promised to their corporate puppet masters over at the insurance industry, in exchange for the customary bribes, A.K.A. campaign contributions.
To which I can only say: Thanks to a bunch of truly great American weasels!
Posturing and posing and chest-thumping and voting, voting, voting....but on what? Either silly "message" bills or bills with so many "poison pills" in them that there is no chance they would ever be considered in the Senate. Truly a "DO NOTHING CONGRESS"!!
Besides, if the Repubs went beyond "repeal" and got into the imaginary "replace" part of their slogan, they might have to talk about the most popular parts of the ACA and promise to keep them intact, which would distract from their drum-beating about imaginary "death panels".
Much easier just to oppose without offering any alternative.
Checks In The Mail: Millions Expected To Receive [HEALTH] Insurance Rebates Totaling $1.3 Billion
Millions of consumers and small businesses will receive an estimated $1.3 billion in rebates from their health plans this summer under a provision of the health care law that effectively limits what insurers can charge for administration and profits, a new study projects.
Almost one third of people who bought their own insurance last year will get rebates averaging $127, according to an analysis of state data by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. (KHN is an editorially independent program of the foundation.)
"This alone is not going to make health insurance affordable for large numbers of people, but it is getting excess administrative cost out of the system," says Larry Levitt, a study author.
Kaiser Foundation
This is the biggest "do nothing" GOP in history. Their only goal is to defeat Obama and they are willing to sacrifice the well being of the country to achieve that goal.
This is news because.......? The Republicans do nothing BUT fall short. And what happened to those numerous Democrats who supposedly were going to vote with the Republicans? A handful is not exactly a numerous number.
They have no plan to replace the ACA. Why should they? Their districts are filled with constituents who climax at the thought of people going bankrupt and dying due to the inability to afford health care. There never was a plan to replace it. But again, they're just following out the wishes of their sadistic base. Thus, I can't blame them all that much. I've said it before. If you told someone who had no familiarity with our history or politics that in America the citizens have virtually unlimited access to guns and the Constitutional right to have one, but no such guarantees with health care, they would certainly go away bewildered. For the record I support the second Amendment and appreciate its historical significance. That said, if the choice was guns or health care I'd choose health care every day of the week. Go ahead, call me a marxist. There's a five hundred trillionth time for everything.
Anther hit piece by DEMOCRATICO, once again Politico is shilling for Obummer but in the end we will take control of the House, Senate and the Presidency and we will bring this country back from all this spend spend attitude.
The ACA's approval rating is about 47% now and congress is 11% ? So cant we just vote to repeal the unpopular rather than the unpopular repealing the popular
Wow, does this mean.....could it mean.....would it mean.....they've been LYING?
Oh, the shock is almost too much.
"We?" If you're a Republican so be it, but you self label as a Democrat, farce.
Repeal
and Replace with anti Abortion legislation
Big Government Social engineering
That is all the GOP has to offer
Nothing for the average American
LOL..come on Politico. There's plenty of stories out there that can make the other party look really bad too. I have no problem with GOP bashing just as long as we offset it on occasion with profiles in negativity about the other guys. Certainly, there's no lack of material. You might enhance your credibilty profile with non-partisan types with a little effort. Haven't you found CNN's circumstances inpirational at all?
yup!
They are all delusional. It would be a good tactic to produce something that answers the criticisms of the Affordable Care Act (for you teabaggers, that's real name of the health care law -- at least I think it is).
Instead of just blowing rhetoric put something on the table.
Maybe the Republicans thought they missed a page or two of their bill the other thirty two times. Kind of like the way they missed a page or two of the Constitution.
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