Key Republican: GOP would repeal health bill if they win in 2010

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/56815-key-republican-gop-would-repeal-health-bill-if-they-win-in-2010


Key Republican: GOP would repeal health bill if they win in 2010
By Michael O'Brien - 08/31/09 08:12 AM ET


Republicans will repeal healthcare reform legislation if they win control of Congress because of that bill, a key Republican pledged late Sunday.

The health bill is "dead on arrival" in Congress, said Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), the ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce committee, said during an interview on Fox News.

"If they somehow manage to get the votes and get enough Democrats to walk the plank and commit suicide, in the next Congress, I'll be chairman Joe Barton of the Energy and Commerce committee, and we'll repeal it," Barton said.

Republicans have shown optimism at picking up seats in the House and Senate in the 2010 midterm elections, largely as a byproduct of the contentious healthcare debate that has played out across the country.

Barton, whose committee is one of the three key House committees to craft healthcare legislation, suggested the current bill is basically not viable in its current form.

"Take the current bill and just tweak the public option and call it a 'deal' -- you put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig," he said of the potential changes that could be made to win lawmakers' votes. "I think this bill's dead on arrival."

President Obama has three options on healthcare, Barton said: Starting over, abandoning the bill, or muscling the bill through in a party-lines vote.

The third option, the Texas Republican said, would only hurt Democrats.

"If he chooses option three, muscle it through, he's committing his party, in my opinion, to the political wilderness," Barton argued.

We'll repeal healthcare then medicare and then just when you think we've done enough were going to put your social security in the market.

I would just love to see the fallout on that one.

so right about so many things.

the loudest and get attention for themselves. Sorry pal.

Public enemy.

.... because the Republican Party hates Americans.

...and just loves big business and the uber wealthy... I still can't believe why so many Americans listen to their drivel and believe the hypocritical, self-serving crap the GOP spews out...

:dem:

-Laelth

:hi:

I hope the Dem caucus understands that. I'm not real sure that they do.

and it durn sure isn't the dems. Its republiCONs and their putting the party first plus their MEAN spiritedness. The Dems will be picking up seats come the next election and I'd bet money on that if I was a betting man that is.

Firstly, it was the Dems who unilaterally threw Single Payer under the bus. Even though Single Payer is probably the easiest of all possible reforms to explain and sell to the voters, if they chose to. Nobody put a gun to their head on that decision.

Secondly, it is the Dems who have failed to get their messaging act together and sell whatever public option compromise(s) they are cooking up. They have failed (yet again) to get out in front of GOP swift-boating tactics, even though those tactics are as predictable as the sun rising in the east.

Finally, they control the presidency and both houses of Congress. They can pass any damned bill they choose.

The GOP is being their usual rat bastard selves, but really their tactics are so predictable after 20 years, and furthermore they are so clearly wrong on this issue, that I am unable to work up any sympathy for the Dems on this. The Dems are going to own any success or failure on this.

bp going up? I don't see it that way at all though. Like I was saying is what I see happening. :hi:

:dem:

-Laelth

And the veto would be sustained, and that would be that.

Even if the Republicans took over Congress in 2010, both houses mind you, they still would have President Obama to deal with and he would just veto it.

would be entertaining. Not.going.to.happen
:rofl:

If any bill passes and costs too many politicians their positions... the bills passed may be suspect. The public has the right to vote whom they wish to replace the incumbents, if at all. Based on the popular vote, the new seats may vote to repeal the suspect legislation. This concept prevails with any legislation, not only the current healthcare issue.
ie: if enough dems in congress truly have an issue with Bush's Patriot Act they should move to repeal it (they should, too).

My guess is that if the dems pass useful healthcare reform, the people will not want it repealed. If they pass half-ass insurance reform, then most people may want it repealed. I for one do not support some of the bullshit insurance reform proposals we have now. If we do healthcare we need to do it right the first time around.

And not only will we crush you in 2010 we will pick up seats. Be the whore for the health insurance companies
because that will make you real popular w/ the American people and you will find out what the real political wilderness
is all about.



Keep being the party of the old white man.

:shrug: :eyes:

If Obama gets HCR through, it will be REPUBLICANS whom will end up in the "political wilderness" for a LONG time. There is no conceivable way IMHO that HCR would be anything other than a net positive for Obama and the Democrats.

Who the hell exactly is going to come out and fight for candidates whom promise a REPEAL of things that a solid majority of people want such as not being able to be denied insurance due to a pre-existing condition, a public health care option, and other positive reforms?

The Republicans seem to keep thinking that Obama=Clinton, HCR 2009=HCR 1993 and 2010=1994 when it just ain't so (not that I wish to disabuse them of this notion because the more they're stuck re-living their past "glories", the better it is for those of us living in the reality-based present).

PLEASE!!!

That the MAJORITY of Americans WANT healthcare reform INCLUDING a public option...yeah, republics, you run on "GOP will repeal".

roflmao!!!

The majority of Republicans support health care reform too.

how many americans do you think want some crappy bill that lines the pockets of the health insurance industry and does little in terms of single payer or public option? My guess is not many.

Would you support a GOP effort repealing some such shitty legislation?
I probably would if it meant we could move on to meaningful healthcare reform.
(Assuming Barton's fantasy of GOP victories in 2010 reigns true - lol :eyes:)

If it makes the public buy some crappy, overpriced POS insurance plan, and all people see is the expansion of the same frustrating, maddening system we have now, then the Repubs will definitely have something to run on. Unfortunately. Only if the average person sees some improvement in the situation, preferably by driving out of pocket costs and premiums down, will there be support and in that case the Repubs lose. I hope to FSM that Obama realizes this.

The Republicans aren't going to be able to have it both ways unless there's a bill that *everybody* hates -- and I can't see any way for that to happen. If it's a sell-out to the insurance companies, the GOP's corporate donors won't let them get away with promising to repeal it. And if it actually does some good for ordinary Americans, repealing it isn't going to be much of a campaign issue.

Barton is living in some teabagger never-never land where large numbers of independents and swing state voters are going to hate health care reform because it raises taxes on the wealthiest Americans in order to help the poor and needy and are prepared to endorse a GOP platform of selfishness and greed even if it meant cutting their own throats in the process.

And that just ain't going to happen.

For those of you unfamiliar with it, gratuitous' adage (pat. pend.) is that no Republican anywhere can say anything so stupid, so outrageous, so devoid of any factual, legal or reality-based support that their lunatic ranting won't get a respectful hearing somewhere. gratuitous' corollary (pat. pend.) is that anything a Democrat says, no matter how reasonable, sane, or unarguable, can be twisted into something sinister by the same librul media that grants a respectful platform to the likes of Crazy Joe Barton.

Pat Pending

Ain't Barton a stitch? He emits some noises that by comparison makes the gibbering of the town lunatic down on the corner sound sane, and The Hill feels compelled to run it without the least trace of skepticism.

Shout it out, CorpMedia! Like you do so many frivolous stories! (ie, First Lady wearing shorts on AF1)

I thanked you does not mean I don't see you as a roaring asshole.

Pass something that will immediately make a difference to a block Americans - such as lowering the eligibility for Medicare to 55.

If a large number of Americans see an immediate improvement in their access to health care and reduction of their costs, then they and their friends will be less likely to approve any repeal of the program.

See how far that will get you.

why we are supposed to "cooperate" with ass hats like Barton.

they would never have 2/3 vote to override a veto.

that the GOP has survived this long while this out of touch with what the public wants.

His verbal contortions would humble a rubber band.

fuck 'em...

It's just more bullshit to rally their base...

They seem to be giving us a lot of help, although we must remember that WE WON even more than THEY LOST and I believe the GOP's lies have repelled any moderate voters who are not total idiot/racist/insane RWers. Granted they make a lot of noise and they have disproportional media support, it still boils down to votes cast. Despite their grinning predictions of victory, they will lose even more seats and influence in 2010 if we continue to support the Democratic party with cash, effort and votes.

We did it once, we must not stop.

mark

Morans.