For many living and working in Washington, D.C., the Christmas break is a time to escape from the intensity of politics and enjoy time with loved ones.Capitol Hill becomes as still as the snow on the ground, as politicians return to their home towns to celebrate with family.
The memory of Christmas 2009, however, usually provokes shudders from those working in politics.After all, that year was pretty crazy.Once President Obama was sworn into office in January 2009, liberal lawmakers frantically began to shove through legislation that would impose their agenda on the American people, whether they wanted it or not.(And 2010s Christmas season wasnt much better as the liberals kept Congress in a lame duck session nearly till the Big Day for a second year in a row.What is it about it the liberal agenda that wont let them stop even for Christmas?)
ObamaCare was the equivalent of a coal-in-your-stocking gift to America by the anti-Santa Democrat elitists Nancy Pelosi (D-California), Harry Reid (D-Nevada) and President Obama.And while they couldnt tell us what was in the enormous box, they swore wed love it once it was unwrapped.Well, it didnt take Americans long to realize that ObamaCare would be outrageously expensive to keep running (like those neat electronic toys that keep Duracell and Energizer in business) and wouldnt do what the president promised.
After ObamaCare passed, several Republican Representatives introduced legislation to repeal certain aspects of the bill.Some focused on specifically repealing the individual mandate, while others tried to pass legislation explicitly forbidding the use of taxpayer dollars to cover abortion.Still others tried to generate support for a bill to repeal the whole thing. However, with liberals in control of the White House and both chambers of Congress, these efforts were unable to gain traction.
Cue the elections.On November 2, 2010, Democrats lost their House majority in a tidal wave of midterm election outcomes, with voters soundly rejecting liberal policies like ObamaCare.
The first priority of the newly minted House Republican leadership in 2011 is legislation to repeal the deeply unpopular ObamaCare.The House scheduled a vote for January 12, but it has been delayed out of respect for Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D).Last weekend, Giffords and others were shot and six people killed in a grievous attack by a mentally unstable young man.Giffords continues to fight for her life and the nation has mourned through the week as the funerals have taken place.
When the nations mourning is complete, we expect the House will hold its vote at an appropriate time.Granted, even if the House repeal passes, a Senate vote will be difficult to win, considering that the Senate still has a majority made up largely of many of the same Democrats who voted for it in the first place.But it will be a start, and well continue pushing.
If, by some miracle, the repeal does make it through the Senate, President Obama will very likely veto it.There are not enough votes for an override at this time.One thing we know, however:to take no action at all guarantees ObamaCare will not be repealed.By holding the votes despite the odds, we make a strong effort and leave the rest in Gods hands.The government takeover of our health care system is bad for America, justifiably unpopular and given it taxpayer funding of abortion, morally questionable.Holding votes builds momentum for the repeal which must come.
We need to remind Americans that ObamaCare includes abortion and health care rationing and that it forces all Americans to buy insurance they may neither need nor want.
Take Action!
Call your Representative at 202-225-3121 and ask them to support repealing ObamaCare when it comes up for a vote.If you do not know your Representative, please click here.