What Republicans shoud do about Obamacare

[Sarah G]

Face it Republicans, you are not going to repeal Obamacare. Here is what you should do:

How Republicans should have dealt with ObamaCare - The Week

1. Nothing
If conservatives are so convinced that ObamaCare will be a disaster, then let it be a disaster. If premiums go through the roof, if consumer choice is greatly diminished, and if businesses lay off workers en masse, Republicans will easily take control of Congress and the White House by 2016. Then they can tear apart ObamaCare from the roots and start from scratch.

2. Take charge of the exchanges
Republicans may regularly slam ObamaCare as a one-size-fits-all big government monstrosity. But those who have actually read the law know that the states are the ones who take the lead in implementing the program. States run their own "exchange," or marketplace, and have great latitude to decide the criteria by which health insurers will be allowed to sell coverage in that marketplace.
However, most Republican governors opted against setting up the exchanges as a snub to Obama. But refusing to create the exchange does not stop ObamaCare. Under the law, the federal government simply comes into your state and sets one up for you.

So instead of taking the opportunity to show that Republicans can do a better job managing health reform, these governors have ceded that opportunity to Obama.



3. Get ObamaCare waivers
Okay, maybe getting Republicans to actually run more ObamaCare exchanges is too much to expect.

But inside the law is an even bigger gift to conservatives: a state waiver program to bypass ObamaCare completely, so long as the state has an alternative plan that will expand health care coverage and cuts the federal budget deficit at least as much as ObamaCare would.

In other words, if Republican governors think they have a better idea than ObamaCare, they can get a waiver and prove it.

Oh my gosh, that would be way too much work for them. They'd rather just keep bringing their stupid objections to the floor and saying no. Seriously, it's much easier for them to do that.

Nice post though and excellent advice.

 

[Greenbeard]

Sorry but unlike you I was a adult during this period.

Embarrassing for you, if true.

THE 1992 CAMPAIGN: Issues -- Welfare; Talk of Cutting Welfare Rolls Sounds Good, but Progress Is Far From Sure - New York Times
By JASON DePARLE
Published: October 17, 1992

The President's Democratic challenger, Mr. Clinton, has been active in welfare policy for a decade, and he is promising radical change. He calls for increased spending on education and training for welfare mothers, while promising to reduce the grants after two years, unless the recipients work or perform community service.

"I don't think the President [Bush] has a plan," said Isabel V. Sawhill, an economist at the Urban Institute who is among the nation's leading welfare experts. "He has a few worthwhile notions, but they're certainly not going to solve the problem."

Speaking about Mr. Clinton, she echoes a sentiment common to many welfare experts. "Clinton has adopted some of the most creative ideas in welfare policy," Ms. Sawhill said. "The question is whether he will put them into effect."

Unlike Mr. Bush, Mr. Clinton accompanies his promise to "end welfare as we know it," with a seemingly detailed plan. As Governor, he ran one of the nation's first experimental job-search programs for welfare mothers. And he led the nation's governors in lobbying for the 1988 Family Support Act, which requires every state to run a training or work program for welfare mothers.

Even Mr. Clinton's critics admire his knowledge. His proposal may be the most sweeping ever backed by a Presidential candidate. But there is reason to doubt that the actual changes will be as bold as he implies, and if they are, no one can be sure of their effects.

Yeah, welfare reform really came out of nowhere! That crafty future-Congress must've somehow traveled back through time, turned Bill Clinton into one of the nation's leading welfare reform advocates in the '80s, then ran him for President as a Democrat. A master plan.

 

[Spoonman]

How about it Republicans?

Why don't you do more than conduct symbolic votes and punative gestures?

If Obamacare is as bad as you say, let the Democrats take the blame. Then come in and offer a BETTER plan than Obamacare

Republicans would be looked at as heros rather than petty, whiny bitches who did not get their way

let the turkey go. just wait till the people on it who think they are getting a great deal because they believed the democrats go to use it and find out they have to spend $5000 of their own money before the modest benefits even start to kick in. they will freak out.

 

[Chris]

Republicans - brave freedom fighters standing up for your constitutional right to be denied health coverage.

Also for keeping government out of health care (except for mandatory transvaginal probes).

 

[Spoonman]

Republicans - brave freedom fighters standing up for your constitutional right to be denied health coverage.

Also for keeping government out of health care (except for mandatory transvaginal probes).

democrats - tax and spend money wasters forcing people to buy healthcare they can't afford and can't afford to use.

 

[Chris]

Republicans - brave freedom fighters standing up for your constitutional right to be denied health coverage.

Also for keeping government out of health care (except for mandatory transvaginal probes).

democrats - tax and spend money wasters forcing people to buy healthcare they can't afford and can't afford to use.

90% of the National Debt was created by Reagan and the two Bushes.

Go to ReaganBushDebt.org to see the numbers.

 

[kwc57]

What I find humorous is:

1. Once it is successful, they will no longer call it Obamacare
2. They will remind everyone that they invented it in the 90s

What I find it really funny:

1. What will you say if its not successfull?
2. The Dems sure as shit won't remind anyone that they passed it all on their own.

If its not successful, we make it better. Put in a government option, more transportability, more competition.

The Dems will remind people of the state of healthcare before it passed. What Republicans call Wedontcare

Liberals.....the only people dumb enough to put to sea with a hole in the boat and say we'll fix it when we are under way. But then, they DID pass a law without reading it, soooo.......

 

[Claudette]

Yup. I mean really. Who the hell needs to read something before they pass it??

After all. They had to pass it before they found out what was in it.

Talk about fucking idiots.

 

[rightwinger]

Yup. I mean really. Who the hell needs to read something before they pass it??

After all. They had to pass it before they found out what was in it.

Talk about fucking idiots.

Obamacare was fully read many times before it became law

What are you talking about?

 

[Claudette]

Oh and are you going to tell me that all those Congresscritters and Senators read all 2700 pages of the ACA??

Somehow I doubt it. In fact I doubt any of those Clowns read it at all.

They just passed it and are now finding all the problems with it. Hell. They fucked themselves and staffers because they didn't read the damned thing.

 

[Spoonman]

Republicans - brave freedom fighters standing up for your constitutional right to be denied health coverage.

Also for keeping government out of health care (except for mandatory transvaginal probes).

democrats - tax and spend money wasters forcing people to buy healthcare they can't afford and can't afford to use.

90% of the National Debt was created by Reagan and the two Bushes.

Go to ReaganBushDebt.org to see the numbers.

Chris, what is hte national debt today? like $17 trillion? what was it when bush left office? a little over $10 trillion? what kind of fuzzy math do you liberal idiots use any way? seriously, if you want ot be a spin doctor don't post shit that is so easily discredited all the time.

 

[candycorn]

Face it Republicans, you are not going to repeal Obamacare. Here is what you should do:

How Republicans should have dealt with ObamaCare - The Week

1. Nothing
If conservatives are so convinced that ObamaCare will be a disaster, then let it be a disaster. If premiums go through the roof, if consumer choice is greatly diminished, and if businesses lay off workers en masse, Republicans will easily take control of Congress and the White House by 2016. Then they can tear apart ObamaCare from the roots and start from scratch.

2. Take charge of the exchanges
Republicans may regularly slam ObamaCare as a one-size-fits-all big government monstrosity. But those who have actually read the law know that the states are the ones who take the lead in implementing the program. States run their own "exchange," or marketplace, and have great latitude to decide the criteria by which health insurers will be allowed to sell coverage in that marketplace.
However, most Republican governors opted against setting up the exchanges as a snub to Obama. But refusing to create the exchange does not stop ObamaCare. Under the law, the federal government simply comes into your state and sets one up for you.

So instead of taking the opportunity to show that Republicans can do a better job managing health reform, these governors have ceded that opportunity to Obama.



3. Get ObamaCare waivers
Okay, maybe getting Republicans to actually run more ObamaCare exchanges is too much to expect.

But inside the law is an even bigger gift to conservatives: a state waiver program to bypass ObamaCare completely, so long as the state has an alternative plan that will expand health care coverage and cuts the federal budget deficit at least as much as ObamaCare would.

In other words, if Republican governors think they have a better idea than ObamaCare, they can get a waiver and prove it.

It reminds me of a scene I saw on Spin City.

The mayor and his chief of staff (Bostwick and MJ Fox) were negotiating with a union and they were debating over whether they would get a 4.25% increase in pay or a 4.20% increase in pay as I recall.

Fox: "Point zero five percent is nothing. It's eraser dust...it's miniscule...nobody would notice it..."

Union Kingpin: "If it's so small, then give it to us"

Fox: "Over my dead body"

The fear from the right seems to be that it will work.

 

[kwc57]

Yup. I mean really. Who the hell needs to read something before they pass it??

After all. They had to pass it before they found out what was in it.

Talk about fucking idiots.

Obamacare was fully read many times before it became law

What are you talking about?

Go talk to Pelosi who poo-poo'ed the idea of actually needing to know what was in it before voting. I know you already know what she said......."we have to pass it to FIND OUT what's in it". Isn't she one of the Dem's highest ranking "leaders"?

 

[rightwinger]

What I find it really funny:

1. What will you say if its not successfull?
2. The Dems sure as shit won't remind anyone that they passed it all on their own.

If its not successful, we make it better. Put in a government option, more transportability, more competition.

The Dems will remind people of the state of healthcare before it passed. What Republicans call Wedontcare

Liberals.....the only people dumb enough to put to sea with a hole in the boat and say we'll fix it when we are under way. But then, they DID pass a law without reading it, soooo.......

To paraphrase Rumsfeld...You pass the bill you can pass

There was a very narrow window to pass healthcare. We needed to develop a bill that did as much as possible at that time
It can be fixed. No bill is perfect and successive Congresses can adapt it to meet future needs.

And yes Virginia...it was read

 

[thanatos144]

The republicans should grow some balls and defund the fucking thing. Even if that shuts down the government. I dont care that a few million welfare queens dont get a check for three or four days because make no mistake if government is shut down Obama will pull a Bill Clinton and fold like a chair.

As already correctly noted, you have no idea what you’re talking about.

Your ignorance, hate, fear, and stupidity are what’s wrong with this country, and what’s wrong with most conservatives.

I have a even better idea fire all who are effected by a government shutdown....They are nonessential anyway which means they are dead weight.

 

[kwc57]

If its not successful, we make it better. Put in a government option, more transportability, more competition.

The Dems will remind people of the state of healthcare before it passed. What Republicans call Wedontcare

Liberals.....the only people dumb enough to put to sea with a hole in the boat and say we'll fix it when we are under way. But then, they DID pass a law without reading it, soooo.......

To paraphrase Rumsfeld...You pass the bill you can pass

There was a very narrow window to pass healthcare. We needed to develop a bill that did as much as possible at that time
It can be fixed. No bill is perfect and successive Congresses can adapt it to meet future needs.

And yes Virginia...it was read

Which is what the house is trying to do.

Bullshit! Not by your leadership.