Republicans Hesitant to Cut Obamacare Funding?

The Politico ran a story this morning that the Republicans in the house may not take take the opportunity to defund Obamacare in the new continuing resolution to fund the government for the rest of the year. The continuing resolution will be debated on the floor this week and it is expected to come to a vote on Thursday.

A House Appropriations Committee aide insisted that the Republicans need to write a continuing resolution that can be passed and signed into law to continue operating the federal government, rather than a bill “loaded up with a bunch of political time bombs.” Although Republicans insist that the purpose of this bill is to cut spending and not defund Obamacare, it is expected that House Republicans will still offer an amendment on the floor in an attempt to defund.

Not surprisingly, conservative groups are angry that Republicans would even think about missing an opportunity to get rid of Obamacare or force representatives to again go on-record with their position on the law. Although offering an amendment on the floor may serve some of the same principles, missing ANY opportunity to get rid of Obamacare is a mistake. During the 2010 midterms, getting rid of Obamacare was one of the number one issues Republicans and particulary conservatives ran on.

Although Obamacare will almost certainly be struck-down as unconstitutional when it finally comes before the U.S. Supreme Court, failing to follow-through on campaign promises, and failing to show the American people that we are serious about getting rid of this is a mistake. If a continuing resolution which defunded Obamacare was able to be signed into law, we would almost certainly see businesses promptly begin considering hiring of employees (due to the resultant elimination of additional costs and regulations associated with the bill), and the stock market would certainly get a boost.

Any opportunity to get rid of this disaster – no matter how small – should be taken advantage of. Not only do Republicans need to do what is best for their country, but they need to regain the trust of the American people. Showing their willingness to follow through on promises would be a great first step to holding onto/gaining power in 2012. Republicans also need to prove they are not on a drunken spending spree like last time they were in power.

Don’t let this opportunity go to waste