Today Republicans have gotten into a fight that they will lose and that should devastate their popularity. Already House Republicans have voted to repeal Obamacare on 41 separate occasions, naturally the attempts never went anywhere due to the Democratic Senate and Democratic President. Now they have tried a different tactic, one which the Senate cannot ignore. Periodically Congress needs to pass a bill funding the federal government, if a bill doesn't pass then the government shuts down. So naturally, you want a bill to pass. House Republicans have other ideas.
They passed a bill today that funds all of the federal government except it bans funds going to Obamacare. The bill passed basically along party lines 230-189 (one Republican nay and two Democratic yeas) and now it heads to the Senate. This isn't the first time Republicans have taken the country hostage, remember the debt ceiling crisis of 2011? The problem for Republicans is that this time there is no compromise possible, they will lose on this issue. Obamacare is the signature achievement of Obama's first term, he will never sign the bill that defunds it. As well as that there is the problem of the Democratic Senate. They would need to convince Harry Reid to bring it up for a vote and they would need to convince at least five Democratic Senators to vote for it, assuming there was no filibuster. If there was a filibuster then they would need the support of 14 Democrats, ignoring the fact that several Republicans including John McCain do not support the bill! This. Will. Fail.
Republicans may one day repeal Obamacare but I am doubtful of their chances. To repeal Obamacare they would need control of the House, presidency and a filibuster proof majority in the Senate. For a little historical perspective Republicans have not had this since the great depression.
If the Republicans do shut down the federal government, they will be devastated in the 2014 midterms.
They passed a bill today that funds all of the federal government except it bans funds going to Obamacare. The bill passed basically along party lines 230-189 (one Republican nay and two Democratic yeas) and now it heads to the Senate. This isn't the first time Republicans have taken the country hostage, remember the debt ceiling crisis of 2011? The problem for Republicans is that this time there is no compromise possible, they will lose on this issue. Obamacare is the signature achievement of Obama's first term, he will never sign the bill that defunds it. As well as that there is the problem of the Democratic Senate. They would need to convince Harry Reid to bring it up for a vote and they would need to convince at least five Democratic Senators to vote for it, assuming there was no filibuster. If there was a filibuster then they would need the support of 14 Democrats, ignoring the fact that several Republicans including John McCain do not support the bill! This. Will. Fail.
Republicans may one day repeal Obamacare but I am doubtful of their chances. To repeal Obamacare they would need control of the House, presidency and a filibuster proof majority in the Senate. For a little historical perspective Republicans have not had this since the great depression.
If the Republicans do shut down the federal government, they will be devastated in the 2014 midterms.
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