Dems Growing Convinced That GOP Will Try To Force Shutdown Over Health Care Funds

[JohnWxy]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/20/health-care-funding-government-shutdown_n_811870.html

Democratic lawmakers tell The Huffington Post that they increasingly expect Republicans to try and freeze funding for the health care law. Such an attempt would face the same institutional hurdles as a straight repeal vote: a non-compliant Senate and a president wielding a veto pen. But whereas the repeal bill's death would mean -- in practical political terms -- absolutely nothing, the inability to pass an appropriations bill could have far-reaching effects.

"They are potentially setting up a situation where they will bring government, all of government, to a screeching halt," Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) said Wednesday. "Not because of the debt ceiling. This is beyond the debt ceiling ... If they think they are going to have the end game of their appropriations bills be that they drive health care reform into an early grave ... they are literally setting up a full stop for almost everything we will possibly do this year."

"I am real concerned," Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (D-Texas) said. "We do operate on yearly budgets that could exact great harm if they are dedicated to that proposition. You still have to work with the Senate. So what happens when you reach that kind of impasse? We have this gridlock ... There is no doubt in my mind that the Republican leadership ... has already charted a course. They are very disciplined and very good at what they do."

"This is only the beginning," Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) said. "I'm also fearful that they are going to try and eviscerate the legislation by denying it funding by harassing the administration."
(more)


...Yes, GOP... Gangrene on the body Politic.

[vi5]

1. Oh great, Dems being afraid....

That ALWAYS ends well, doesn't it?

[JohnWxy]

4. people better start calling and emailing WH no fucking backing down.

[vi5]

5. I will!

Because I remember how much they listened and paid attention to the oh....several thousand times I've done that before.

[barbiegeek]

11. Can U post the NUMBER?

[Bill USA]

15. [phone] see link for email form so you can do both

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact


(I guess JohnW is off-line) I googled it, called WH and sent email via form at link.

[JohnWxy]

18. I am not on as much as many on this site, plus since that request was not a reply to my post I

wasn't made aware of it in my inbox. Thanx Bill, for the help.

[liberal N proud]

2. They will go to the end of the earth for their corporate benefactors.

[JohnWxy]

3. GODDAMMIT OBAMA BETTER FUCKING FIGHT THEM ON THIS!!

NO FUCKING BACKING DOWN.

[jwirr]

6. I'm afraid, I'm afraid - come on guys please remember FDR. All we

have to fear is fear itself. Stand up and fight.

[midnight]

7. Didn't they shut down during Clinton?

[vi5]

8. The difference between then and now...

The Dems in the Senate and the house were much stronger and much more willing to fight and weren't scared of their own shadows. Some were, but not the vast majority like we have now (especially in the Senate). And I'd say the same thing about the difference in White House occupants as well. Clinton triangulated with the best of them, but he also was willing to fight and didn't capitulate and cave before a fight even started.

Nowadays, a threat from the GOP pretty much automatically means we give in.

[JohnWxy]

16. yes, TWICE. All non essential services stopped.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_government_shutdown_of_1995

[4dsc]

9. Where are the fighters of this party?

I'll support anyone who will stand up to these goons but that's rather hard these days.

[JohnWxy]

17. I think if our "leader" showed willingness to fight the fascists then many others would fall in

behind him. But who's going to go into battle when your "leader" makes compromises without even consulting with his field marshals (Pelosi, Reid) and denigrates those who have the guts to fight (and know why they are fighting - that helps) (as "professional left", "whiners") that doesn't exactly motivate people to man the battlements (and of course it encourages the terrorists bent on tearing down the Government - if it's one run by the people). We need a Democrat in the WH instead of a moderate Republican. (uh-oh! read this quick before it's deleted or locked)

[barbiegeek]

10. F*cking Let them shut down the VA, social security, medicare,

Bond payments. I freaking DARE them!!! Let them layoff all those workers so they REMEMBER who screwed them. It will last 3 weeks tops! Call your Congress people and tell them to DARE the REPUGS to do it. I'm calling mine now.

[barbiegeek]

12. Film the Vets being kicked out of hospitals when they shut down

The difference is WE ARE AT WAR!! Let those Bastards show their blackened hearts. Film the Military not getting their pay in Afghanistan!!

Shutting down the government this time has far more reach now then 1995

[JohnWxy]

19. you know, you should talk to some of the Dems in D.C. they are a rather apathetic group.

the number for the switchboard to Congress is [phone]. I like your ideas, not to mention your spirit(we need people like you!). Call and ask for any Senator's or Representatives number. Steny Hoyer's (minority whip) no. is [phone].
Nancey Pelosi's is : [phone]. With a phone call you can communicate your feelings better than with an email although, emails are good as a follow-up to the phone call.

Who know's, if enough of us call (and more than just once) it just might give them the encouragement they seem to need?

[barbiegeek]

22. i did. Thank You. Sorry I swore.

I get carried away.

[JohnWxy]

23. You do not have to apologize to me for swearing on this topic. The destructiveness of the

RepubliCorp is infuriating.

A while back Pol Pot's Red Brigade burned crops in the fields (or paddies) to produce havoc and weaken the Government in Cambodia to increase their chances of taking over. This is the exactly the same strategy of the Corporate Lobbyist party. It's very hard to keep your temper under control in the face of such cynical, anti-American tactics.

[Kweli4Real]

13. Stupid Question here ...

If the Republicans succeed at defunding the Healthcare Act ... would the Act still go into effect; but without all the federal money to make it work? IOW, would the insurance companies still be required to accept those with pre-existing conditions? Would they still be required to retain those that get sick while on insurance? Wouldn't the insurance companies still be required to keep with the premium to healthcare ratios? In short, wouldn't the insurance companies be required to take on 30+ million consumers, without the corresponding federal moneys?

Now, of course, the defunding would also withhold any funding for enforcement efforts; but could that be shifted directly to the DOJ (preferably having them begin surveying the premium ratios)?

It seems that the insurance companies's collective heads would explode at the thought of anyone defunding the law.

But as I mentioned at the beginning, these are stupid questions.

[JohnWxy]

20. not dumb questions. You have to work with this stuff to know the details of how legislation get's

enacted. I'm speaking in general terms here, but possibly the insurance companies could say if they haven't been paid premiums they are not obligated contractually to pay any claims. I think the insurance company lawyers would find a way to win in court based upon the argument that the insurers have to be paid premiums before they have a contract to insure people for medical costs.

[Zoeisright]

14. Maybe, just MAYBE, people who are hurt by this shutdown will WAKE UP.

And start voting against these fucking repukes.

But I'm not hopeful.

[JohnWxy]

21. what worries me is Obama will agree to eviscerate the law to keep shut-down from happening saving

Republicants from the people's ire they would have earned and basically removing all the guts (and glory?) from the law.

Of course, it would be better to stand and fight. Let them close down U.S. Government long enough to wake people up to the extremism of Republicorp and that would strengthen Obama's and the Dems' position. But so far, Obama hasn't shown that he can see it this way - or he's just afraid of a fight (with the RepubliCorp that is, -- he has no qualms about fighting with his base!).