Friday, March 31, 2017

Don't Forget Obamacare Still Needs Repeal

By Douglas V. Gibbs

Here we are, distractions running amok, and the Affordable Care Act remains in place.  Donald J. Trump's idea of Repeal and Replace has a serious flaw in it.  It's the latter word in that call.  There should be no replace.  The federal government has no constitutional authority to be involved in the health insurance industry, and to do anything less than repealing the entirety of Obamacare is unconstitutional.

The Freedom Caucus did the right thing, but stopping Obamacare Light is not enough. Representative Jim Jordan said, "This bill didn't do what we told the American People we were going to do."  That said, the effort must not be shelved.  We must not spend another dime on the Obamacare atrocity.  The next move can be a one page bill.  Simply repeal it.

The defeated bill by Ryan was not the only bill, or the only way, to repeal Obamacare.  The Democrat’s dream of heading towards single-payer socialism was designed to turn the healthcare industry into a public utility.  People like Socialist Bernie Sanders is already preparing to put on the docket another bill, one that is more communist than Obamacare.  Plans like Bernie's, and Obama's ACA, are designed to support mandates that drive up the cost of insurance in order to destroy the private system and establish a government paid single payer system.

Freedom Caucus was arguing that the bill that died would not repeal Obamacare, but simply tinker with it and keep it in place in another name.  The path was still one that would be down the path towards single payer.

The idea that Obamacare cannot be simply repealed is not true.  The cancellation of unconstitutional federal influence on the health insurance industry will not suddenly leave everyone with nothing to fall back on.  Consumer prices would not only drop once the Affordable Care Act is removed, but if a safety net is necessary for some people, States have those programs in place to assist these people.

The message from conservatives is that this setback does not leave us with the necessity of waiting.  There is no reason to wait.  Write a new bill, and move it forward.  Restore momentum towards repealing Obamacare, make sure the politicians understand they need to be committed to their promise to repeal Obamacare, and take away federal funding from Planned Parenthood while they are at it.

They act like there is not enough time.  There is time, if things are properly prioritized.  Make a deal to repeal the whole law, and put forward the case that federalism as per the Constitution indicates there can be no federal influence on health insurance.  If the States want to have these kinds of programs, they can.
  
The repeal can be in days, if the GOP wishes it.  We do not have to wait until after the midterms.  Repeal it with a one page bill, and then if there needs to be other laws regarding the industry, like allowing companies to cross State lines, then do it.

Tell your member of Congress to keep arguing for repeal of Obamacare. 


Tom Price, as Secretary, has a lot of authority because of the way the law is written.  He can help mitigate the damage, but it is still limited by rule-making processes, and of course anything he does will also be challenged in court, and the litigation process will likely delay what Price may attempt to do.

High-quality health care means all Americans should be free to choose a health care plan that meets their needs and reflects their values. Congress must act now to empower Americans, not the government, when it comes to this personal and vital matter.  Devolve the power back to the States as the Constitution requires.  Allow the industry to use free market forces, and we will see a drop in costs and a rise in quality.

As for Trump's tweet lashing out at the Freedom Caucus, and essentially the conservative branch of the Republican Party?  Bad move.  It was the conservatives of the country that got him into office.  He needs to quit listening to the Republican Establishment that is doing whatever it can to poison the President, and return to what launched him into the White House. . . which begins with listening to people like the members of the Freedom Caucus.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

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