Why the GOP's Repeal Vote Is a Political Win

As voters are exposed to Obamacare's worst features, the repeal vote will be a reminder that the Dems own political responsibility for the disastrous bill.

The House has scheduled a vote to repeal Obamacare for January 12, 2011.  This is a wise move.  First, Republicans promised that they would do it and it is always astonishing when a party fulfills its promises.  Much of the Contract with America did not eventually pass but it was all promptly voted on in the House.  This gave the leadership credibility.  If elections matter such votes should be held.  Second, it will be a probe of the Democrats’ strength and weakness on the issue.  The passage of Obamacare happened without a Republican vote in the House.  Its repeal will attract more than zero Democrats.  Third, it will pin down the Democrats in swing districts.  The worst parts of Obamacare will start becoming law.  For instance, it is reported that the bill may stop the building of 45 hospitals right out of the gate.

Every glitch, every flaw, every trouble that can be laid at Obamacare’s door should be.  One of the problems for Republicans in fighting Obamacare was that everything in the present system was laid at their door.  No more.  Democrats own every problem that crops up.  This vote, taken a week into the new session does not preclude other votes and so tinkering is not foreclosed.  There is no guaranty that the Senate will take up any vote, on either Obamacare or any fixes.  This may seem smart to the Democrats but the failure to even vote on its worst features will provide enormous fodder for Senate campaigns in 2012.  Ben Nelson, Jim Webb and the like have to explain why after the voters sent a message the Senate did not get it.

Best of all, the House can then turn to the economy.  The hard work of budget decisions is going to be brutal and take time.  A vote on Obamacare removes it from the calendar and allows the House to focus on the budget.  All tax and spending bills must emerge from the House.  That is where the most power for the House exists.  This vote will weaken the President and the Democrats early and allow the Republicans to move to other issues where more power is in their hands.

Problems Republicans highlighted in the health care bill are beginning to show up.  So are ones they did not.  Every Republican will be shown to have voted against those problems and nearly every Democrat for them.  This is the best way to scrap the whole thing and start over.  It is also the best way to end any veto threat in January of 2013.

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