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Repeal and replace with ... nothing [View all]
Repeal and replace with ... nothing
By Steve Benen
Even before the Affordable Care Act was signed into law two years ago, congressional Republicans adopted a simple, three-word, poll-tested phrase: "repeal and replace." The GOP would repeal the moderate reform law, which is based on a model Republicans used to support, and replace it with something new.
Shortly after the 2010 midterms, Republicans still paid some lip service to the idea, but 15 months after taking the House majority, the GOP plan to reform the nation's health care system -- the "replace" part of the equation -- doesn't exist. There have been no plans circulated, no hearings scheduled, nothing. It's almost as if Republicans weren't sincere about following through on their promises to reform the old, dysfunctional health care system.
Maybe in 2013 we'll see GOP lawmakers follow through? Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) suggested to Ramesh Ponnuru that the Republican plan has changed a bit -- and only the first of the three words still matters.
As Jon Chait explained, "The choice we face is not between Obamacare and some different, even more 'market-friendly' alternative reform. It's between Obamacare and subjecting millions of Americans to the insecurity and suffering of lacking health insurance. The uninsured can have the Republicans' answer now. Their offer is this: nothing."
- more -
http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/27/10887708-repeal-and-replace-with-nothing
By Steve Benen
Even before the Affordable Care Act was signed into law two years ago, congressional Republicans adopted a simple, three-word, poll-tested phrase: "repeal and replace." The GOP would repeal the moderate reform law, which is based on a model Republicans used to support, and replace it with something new.
Shortly after the 2010 midterms, Republicans still paid some lip service to the idea, but 15 months after taking the House majority, the GOP plan to reform the nation's health care system -- the "replace" part of the equation -- doesn't exist. There have been no plans circulated, no hearings scheduled, nothing. It's almost as if Republicans weren't sincere about following through on their promises to reform the old, dysfunctional health care system.
Maybe in 2013 we'll see GOP lawmakers follow through? Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) suggested to Ramesh Ponnuru that the Republican plan has changed a bit -- and only the first of the three words still matters.
If the court keeps the law and McConnell becomes Senate majority leader, he vows that "the first item up would be to try to repeal Obamacare."
But he doesn't favor comprehensive legislation to replace it. "We would want to more modestly approach this with more incremental fixes," he told me. "Not a massive Republican alternative."
Two ideas McConnell mentions are allowing people to purchase health insurance across state lines and reforming medical-malpractice laws.
But he doesn't favor comprehensive legislation to replace it. "We would want to more modestly approach this with more incremental fixes," he told me. "Not a massive Republican alternative."
Two ideas McConnell mentions are allowing people to purchase health insurance across state lines and reforming medical-malpractice laws.
As Jon Chait explained, "The choice we face is not between Obamacare and some different, even more 'market-friendly' alternative reform. It's between Obamacare and subjecting millions of Americans to the insecurity and suffering of lacking health insurance. The uninsured can have the Republicans' answer now. Their offer is this: nothing."
- more -
http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/27/10887708-repeal-and-replace-with-nothing
The notion that Republicans will see the light of universal health care if the law is struck down is preposterous.
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