All Senate Republicans appear ready to repeal health care law
Washington (CNN) - Every Republican in the Senate now appears ready to revoke President Obama's signature health care law. This comes as a federal judge, in Florida, strikes down key parts of the law as unconstitutional.
The GOP holds 47 seats in the Senate.
According to Sen. Jim DeMint's office, 45 of them will co-sponsor the South Carolina Republican's legislation – introduced last week - to fully repeal the health law. Republicans are "standing with the American people who are demanding we repeal this government takeover of health care," DeMint said at the time.
DeMint's office told CNN it did not yet have confirmation that Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran would sign on. But CNN contacted Cochran's office and confirmed that he would.
Chris Gallegos, a spokesman for Cochran, explained that the senator's legislative staff conducts a bill review first – before asking the senator whether or not to co-sponsor a bill.
"That process is going on in our office right now," Gallegos said. "We expect the senator to co-sponsor the DeMint bill."
Based on these numbers, that would mean that all of the Republican senators are now on board with the plan to repeal the health care law.
The intentions of some newly-elected GOP senators, who enjoy Tea Party support, are of little surprise. Marco Rubio of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Rand Paul of Kentucky have all denounced the health care law.
Some names that may stand out to some are moderate Republicans Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, both of Maine, and Scott Brown of Massachusetts. However, all three voted against the law's passage.
President Obama recently defended the law after the House voted to repeal it in January.
"I'm not willing to refight the battles of the last two years," the president said at a Families USA's Health Action Conference in Washington, on Friday. But the president has acknowledged he is open to ideas on how to improve the law.
Jon Summers, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, harshly denounced Republican efforts.
"What they are touting is their plan to raise taxes on small business, charge seniors more for prescription drugs, and increase the deficit," Summers said.
"We are happy to work with Republicans to improve the law, but we will not be part of their effort to stick it to consumers," he added.
Many Republicans acknowledge that their efforts to repeal the health care law could likely fail. They do not have enough votes to overcome a likely wall of Democratic opposition in the Senate. And, in the unlikely impossibility a GOP repeal bill passed the Senate, President Obama has the power to veto it.
Protect and Defend Freedom of Speech in the USA – Who pays the bills for every people whose life is saved in the ER and afterwards discovers that he or whe will NEVER EVER be able to pay the bill?
Yes, the comparison with auto insurance is faulty...
BIG NEWS.
But the ER fact happens every single day, and if by ANY chance a doctor in an ER comes and says 'I won't gonna save this man/woman/child's life because, obviously, he/she/the parents won't gonna be able to pay the bill' the doctor WILL GO TO JAIL (even if the patient's life is saved). SO SOMEBODY ENDS UP PAYING THAT BILL.
Guess who?
I thought the main focus would be "jobs jobs jobs" sure! I'm predicting the dems will win back both house and senate in 2012 an of course President Obama will be a 2nd termer. The Repubs will still be talking about Health care reform in 2012, Wow! "the more things change the more they stay the same".
Next stop SCOTUS. Odds are 5-4 Obamacare struck down
Lets do it. The law has nothing to do with improving health care or lowering costs for the honest, hardworking American taxpayer, just a massive classic democrat liberal wealth transfer plan and is unconstitutional. All this idiocy does is make easier to buy illegal drugs for Obama supporters.
I cannot bear to read any more comments without addressing the idiotic statements comparing being forced to pay auto insurance and being forced to pay healthcare insurance. The only auto insurance you are required to have is liability. This protects victims. If a bank requires you to have collision insurance, it is to protect their money. Healthcare insurance is for you or your dependents. Your health insurance does not insure your victims or your bank.
Florida RULES – Score 2 for the ACA, 2 against and 10+ that said 'case dismissed' or 'it is NOT my business to make a decision about that'. In the end, it'll be the SCOTUS that WILL decide about that provision. Scalia's vote is way too obvious, but the other 10 are not.
Patriots Salute the Flag! Traitors don't!!!
Why are you so divisive? Why do you (honestly?) thinks that African Americans are lazybones? By the way, what did you meant with comparising illegals (that came from all continents not just below the southern border) with a single 'race'? Are you THAT misinformed?
There are patriots and patriots, all salute the flag, and some put shame upon it... like you dude.
So the GOP want to repeal the law based on some notion that Americans want it done, but I beg to differ. Mind you will the bill is not that great, but I would bet that most Americans don't want a repeal of it. Why you ask? Because the GOP has not put forth anything and I mean anything that would be any better. This is a total waste of time and definitely a waste of taxpayer money!!! So while these guys are going around talking about the American people want this done, I would have them to really reach out to people other than the lobbyist who are saying so!! Stop talking about repealing and try to fix it for the better!!!
All that has happened is a scenario for the Supreme Court to review this case. Out Congress is there it write laws. If Health care is overturned by the Supreme Court then so can auto insurance. The argument that everone has to have health insurance has not been fully developed to the point of specific as to what limits they must carry or what will be required at all. It may come down to catostophic coverage is all that is needed and that could be at a cost of 20 doallars a year.
The haters are so quick to throw out the entire legistation that they are not even looking at a big picture- long term every city, county and state will save money form health reform! And, every individual will end up with better coverage and be protected incase of an emergency or chronic condition.
You tin pots are really something...all this is to you is a game isn't it? These comments nothing to do with what's best for the people, it's about you and your little selfish dim view of the world. Less than 18% of THE PEOPLE are asking for a full repeal. THE PEOPLE want it improved, most are smart enough to realize what's in place is going to need to change over time.
This is no win for the GOP. President Obama has already stated that he is willing to sit down with the GOP, if they are serious, and make some changes. If they aren't willing to do that I'm sure Obama will veto a repeal by the GOP. And yes, this is a waste of time by the GOP.
A WASTE of taxpayer's TIME and MONEY!!!!
@Max Leygrume
I laugh when I read the RIGHT crowing about first REPEAL, then Repeal and Replace, then FIX, then REPEAL and they know damn well that the REPEAL is not going happen!! Yes, it's a WASTE of taxpayer's money and the TAX CUTS for the RICH is a WASTE of taxpayer's money and I pay taxes!!! Your STUPIDITY brings me great pleasure...
Let’s support our current leader, President Obama, as he continues to MOVE AMERICA FORWARD in order to WIN the FUTURE!
Ingrid If health care is repealed by the GOP, I want all the GOP to give up their health care to show solidarity with all the people that will loose their coverage because of them.
Why aren't you asking for all the Democrats that voted for this to give up what they now have and go on the plan that they want the rest of the country to accept?
so now the GOP/TEA is the Death Panel taking away the healthcare that is being given. Palin--why you so quiet?
Really? Someone once told me bears poo in the woods too. Yawn.
"Odds are 5-4 Obamacare struck down"
I'll take them..you clearly haven't read the applicable case precedent and I'd love to take your money.
The reason why the President enact this law its because People needed to be healthy in order reach their potential of the American dream and this dreams help them have good livelihood and comfortable living. not only that it fuels the economy of the United State of America and healthy Americans means more people will be working that means more tax revenues. Sick Americans are not realizing their dreams, and that the added cost of their care they pull all the stop to this country's ability to rise above inflation. and make them less competitive when it comes to the job market (which means now those American can outsource the job to asia and china where citizens are healthier ) that help this countries economy. When people can't afford medication and treatment they are the one being where health care is rationed.
REPEALING THE HEALTH CARE IS THE REPUBLICANS WAY OF RATIONING HEALTH OF THOSE WHO HAVE AND THOSE WHO HAVE NONE IT BECAUSE NOW THOSE WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY WILL DIE EVENTUALLY AND THOSE WHO ARE RICH ARE THE ONE WHO SURVIVES . REQUIRING PEOPLE TO BUY HEALTH INSURANCE IS LIKE GIVING CHANCE TO EVERYONE FOR SURVIVAL AND REALIZING THEIR DREAMS AND THE MORE PEOPLE WHO BUY THIS MEANS EVERYONE CAN AVAIL HEALTH CARE. EVERYONE SURVIVE NOT JUST THE RICH BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN AFFORD IT.
HERE'S THE TRUTH:
GOP REPEALING HEALTH CARE REFORM = BLATANT EUGENICS OF THE SICK POOR PEOPLE(( CHILDREN DISABLED AND OLD PEOPLE ALIKE). THIS ARE THE GOP AND THEIR BASES WAY OF SENTENCING THEM TO DEATH
WHICH IN ALL ACCOUNT IS A BLATANT DISREGARD OF EVERY AMERICAN RIGHT TO LIFE, LIBERTY AND HAPPINESS. WHERE IN ALL ASPECT THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION IS BASED UPON . THEREFORE REPEALING HEALTHCARE IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL ACCORDING TO THE FOUNDING FATHERS WHO WROTE THIS LAW.
So, I don't get it Obama and all of the Dems kept on telling us that it won't raise health insurance but yet my rates skyrocketed this year by $1,200. The company I work for explained after talking to the insurance provider that they had to raise rates to cover the newly eligible people for their healthcare due to the new law... Also the states are taking the burden of the expanded medicare, I understand that the federal gov't is covering the bill for a while but still, who's talking about all of the large costs down the road. People are too short sighted to see that we cannot afford to continue paying everyones way. I personally believe that if you have the ablility to work, you should, and look at our welfare system. Name one service that the government does that it very efficient. A private industry has to worry about cost, government doesn't. It can borrow and borrow and borrow, then raise taxes, (I wish I could get a raise everytime I got myself into debt)
It's got a long way to go, but it certainly needs to GOoooooooo!
Reid is too afraid to bring it up in the senate – he knows it will hurt democrats. Obamacare is a job loser and everyone knows it. The only jobs that we will get it governemnt jobs which is all we have seen in Obama' first two years in office. We have lost 3 MILLION jobs since Obama's first day in office.
If people truly want to fix health care then incentives need to be brought in line. Fee-for-service physicians have the incentive to do unnecessary procedures, or even to do things poorly and requiring re-treatment, because they get paid for quantity and not results. Insurers have the incentive to spend money to identify those with preexisting conditions to deny them coverage and pass on these costs to those that are healthy and will likely not cost much money. Those with preexisting conditions have the incentive to lie about them or work for a large employer that cannot ask, which may not be the most productive position for the individual. Those with insurance have the incentive to seek treatment when not needed because insurance shields them from the true cost of care.
If we are ever going to fix all of these issues, at least one person won't like the result. Most people do favor making it illegal for insurers to deny those with preexisting conditions. They fail to realize, though, that if insurance is not mandated then people will simply not buy insurance until they are extremely sick. And since the insurance companies would not be able to deny them they would just go bankrupt.