Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
Kevin Williamson’s recent piece on Obama contains this graf about what to expect from a Romney administration post-election, which puts a lot of caveats around the idea of repealing and replacing Obamacare (emphasis mine):
“This will be especially important when it comes to repealing Obamacare, the first step of which is: Do not announce that you are repealing Obamacare. The smart way to repeal Obamacare is to revisit the legislation and to amend it in ways that remove the worst of its statist overreach and replace it with the best available free-market alternatives. The Wyden-Ryan approach is one possible model for amending Obamacare, but it is not the only one, and it is not sufficient by itself. In any case, it will be more effective to amend the legislation in such a way that it is effectively repealed and replaced than to have an emotionally satisfying but probably unwinnable fight over repeal per se.”
At New York Mag, Jon Chait responds with laughter.
“Williamson is arguing that conservatives should abandon their obsession with the repeal crusade, and allow Romney to build a consensus for radical changes to the Affordable Care Act... First of all, in the Wyden-Ryan approach, subsidized private insurance through exchanges, is not a reform of Obamacare. It is Obamacare. And this fact illustrates the broader problem with Williamson's argument. He wants conservatives to stop demanding that Romney commit to a full and total effort to repeal every single part of the Affordable Care Act, and instead let him muck around in the legislation so that it conforms with conservative principles. But the reason conservatives are so insistent on pinning Romney down is that, if he were allowed to muck around in the legislation, he'd wind up with something very similar. What conservatives want is for Romney to ignore his technocratic impulses. They have good reason to want that.”
Perhaps this is part of a growing recognition that the best case scenario outcome of the 2012 election could be what Romney promised in 2010: to “Repeal the bad and keep the good.”
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May '10
Re: Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
They need to repeal it and start over.
And here I was thinking I might actually vote for Romney.
Don't repeal and the the journey of the GOP to the dark side will be complete,
Jan '11
Re: Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
I happened to catch a piece on HotAir about the Huntsman flameout. The culprit (according to the piece) is John Weaver, the same campaign manager for John McCain. Weaver's plan "embraces the mainstream media, sets itself against elements of conservative dogma, and builds a coalition of moderate Republicans and independents ..." In other words, it's the anti-conservative Republican plan. Or, "take what the Democrats give you."
As the HotAir piece mentions, McCain lost with that strategy, and in 2010 the Republicans swamped the Democrats by deliberately rejecting the piecemeal approach.
Managerial progressives aren't bad because they're managerial. They're bad because they're progressive.
Aug '10
Re: Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
To answer your question Ben - no.
Obamacare is an unacceptable intrusion of the federal govt into my life.
Healthcare reform of some sort needs to occur - but it needs to be limited to the exclusive province of the Federal govt (e.g. being able to buy health insurance across state lines.)
Mar '11
Re: Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
One good thing about Mr Romney has been his promise to repeal Obamacare on day 1 (hopefully his promises mean more than Mr Obama's). So he has already ignored Mr Williamson's (no relation) advice.
He probably had to do this to stand any chance of winning the nomination, given his background.
Ideally, the Supreme Court will find the individual mandate unconstitutional and unseverable before the election -- but I'm not holding my breath.
Aug '10
Re: Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
Don't see much fighting anywhere.
You think that Republicans are actually fighting for something ? Other than Snark of the Year award ?
Re: Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
That's actually incorrect, unless he's said something different than what he's been saying in debates for several months. Romney has promised to grant a waiver to all 50 states on day one. A waiver is not repeal, and Phil Klein has detailed why this actually won't work. And this Congressional Research Service report has more detail.
Mar '11
Re: Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
Just accept Obamacare as a fait accompli, as John Kerry would say? I'm starting to get that old tingling feeling in my leg again...
...probably just sciatica. I really need to have this checked out by a Government Approved Healthcare Provider.
Apr '11
Re: Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
Ben Domenech
That's actually incorrect, unless he's said something different than what he's been saying in debates for several months. Romney has promised to grant a waiver to all 50 states on day one. A waiver is not repeal, and Phil Klein has detailed why this actually won't work. And this Congressional Research Service report has more detail.
Phil Klein didn't detail why it wouldn't work; he detailed limitations to it. These include the idea that only states with governors that want waivers would get them; I think it's safe to say that this would be the overwhelming majority (the over-under on GOP states is 21 after the election, and WV and others would want them, too). Assuming a popular, bipartisan, bill passes, the waivers wouldn't take the states out of the law until the law's relevant provisions hit in 2014, but would provide certainty that those provisions would not hit. It does not remove the need to repeal, but supplements repeal efforts.
Apr '11
Re: Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
Continued: Klein then says that it would be impossible to send a reconciliation based repeal to Congress on day two as they cannot be passed without a budget being passed first. This must be news to the Democrats, who passed much of Obamacare using reconciliation without a budget being passed first. Still, even were it true, Romney can send his bill to Congress whenever he wants. If Klein believes that Romney was saying that the bill will be passed on January 21st, then he's welcome to believe Romney in error. I suspect that most people would not understand him to be claiming that, just that his first step in a process that involves a number of different actors doing different things would be taken on day 2. Signing would come later.
Jul '10
Re: Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
Either ObamaCare will be repealed or the GOP will permanently lose any pretense of having co-opted the principles inherent in the Tea Party movement. Beginning to prepare the "masses" for the Romney non-repeal predicted by the Economist months ago is premature, but welcome as it reveals Romney and the GOP leadership for what they are and provides the necessary time for a Tea Party alternative to the Parties of Washington rather than wasting another election cycle.
Repeal is "unwinnable" because it is against the graft sucking interests of the Boehner/McConnell led GOP caucus. Trial balloons like this one are just symptoms of the greater sickness, floated too early because, well, it is the stupid party.
Apr '11
Re: Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
The problem, of course, is that, if Peter Robinson is correct, what Romney likes about Obamacare --- what he considers "the good" part --- is precisely what the Tea Party and other libertarian-leaning conservatives object to about it.
Jun '10
Re: Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
"Good news, we were able to remove almost 40% of your cancerous tumor."
"Yippee!!"
Re: Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
As Klein accurately noted, the waiver method Romney referred to doesn't kick in until 2017, unless Wyden and Brown's bill was to pass changing the relevant date.
Dec '10
Re: Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
I can't agree with Williamson on this one. Why on earth would we fix this for Obama? Why would we take the worst piece of legislation since the fugitive slave act and turn it into something worth keeping? Why would we establish his legacy for him?
Jan '11
Re: Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
Repeal & replace. I think it would do wonders for the business community to know that this weed is getting yanked out by the roots. I have aquaintences in the health insurance business and they're still unsure of how this 'thing' will look like operationally - after nearly three years. That uncertainty is cascaded throughout the economy and seems worse than the 'good parts'.
Start over - in a much more open, deliberative and collabrative manner. It would restore a little faith in gov't as well.
Oct '10
Re: Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
In one sense, no. Unfortunately Romney is not that keen on repealing Obamacare. I think we have to come to grips with that.
On the other hand, yes. Even though Romney can't be relied upon there is still a chance to do repeal it in Congress. That's probably much harder to do but at least it doesn't depend on picking the one right person to do it. I only hold out hope for this strategy because I think Romney can be kept in line by a GOP Congress.
Isn't the problem with the waiver that it's exactly what Obama has been doing, and the right has been criticizing? He's making the mistake of co-opting a strategy the other side is using for what he wants to do.
Apr '11
Re: Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
It should be noted here, just for the record, that Ben Domenech's favorite candidate, Newt Gingrich, said as recently as September that he wanted to keep about "10%" and "about 300 pages" of Obamacare. Newt wanted to "repeal the bad, keep the good."
Apr '11
Re: Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
It should be noted here, just for the record, that Ben Domenech's favorite candidate, Newt Gingrich, said as recently as September that he wanted to keep about "10%" and "about 300 pages" of Obamacare. Newt wanted to "repeal the bad, keep the good."
Nov '10
Re: Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
Thanks for this, Mr. Domenech.
For a while now, I have had this sinking feeling that Obamacare will be the Guantanamo of the Right. That it is even necessary that a post highlighting the schism among conservatives discussing not only how, but whether to repeal the law be written only confirms my anxiety. I hope that I am proven wrong.
Edited on January 16, 2012 at 7:22pmJan '12
Re: Should Republicans Stop Fighting for Obamacare's Repeal?
Great topic.
First, to answer the question directly, no, the GOP must repeal, completely.
But from my perspective as a first term Member, I see two reasons.
1. Credibility. What I find (and what I believe) is that if we can't pass what we say we will pass or do what we say we'll do, when we aren't in power, how can people trust us enough to keep our word, to put us in power.
2. Policy. We are great at repealing, but ask us to present a coherent alternative vision for health care to the American people and we are like a Monty Python sketch. (I'm thinking banging coconuts, Tim the Enchanter and watery tart's throwing swords). The public wants repeal, but they also loathe the current system. If we don't interactively develop and present a health care alternative, we will all celebrate on repeal day, then have the endless hangover afterwards.
This is not my area of expertise, but I'd be willing to join forces with those who know it better than I. But we'd better create a "9-9-9" sales pitch for health care. Simple, transformative, & effective.