The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age

    The Reps can't defund Obamacare

    By Flavius on Sun, 11/07/2010 - 2:04pm |

    by itself.

    We know what Gingrich did. They won't repeat that.

    They could try and do a mini version of that by eliminating the funding for  a specific department but I think they'd get a mini version of the Gingrich reaction

    Otherwise the House,by itself,can't reach down within a department and order some specific action.

    It can choose not to prohibit any  funds to be spent on some specific activity. But for that to become law the Senate has to confirm it. 

    Am I wrong?

    Comments

    Yes, you're wrong, sadly.

    Gingrich was sane compared to today's warriors.

    And there's little down-side for one of the back-benchers to confront health care, so all the front-benchers to say "we weren't behind this, but seems like a good idea".

    There are various things state Republicans can do to slow funding or kick it back to the feds, and with Republicans controlling 38 or so state legislatures, likely they'll do just that.

    And if Boehner & Rush are proclaiming they're out to get Obama, certainly more over-the-top than Dan Burton in the 90's.

    So yeah, it'll get wicked soon.


    by Decader on Sun, 11/07/2010 - 4:40pm

    Yeah the states can slow roll their responsibilities. And probably most rep states will. But my hope is some rep state legislators might not drink the kool aid.Almost certainly they are less disciplined than the reps in National House 

    And the House can huff and puff, but can it use its prerogative to appropriate funds to prevent the Administration from proceeding ?My guess is No. If it could that would constitute legislation by a single chamber which is unconstitutional.And we'd have seen lots of past examples.

    Based on the example in today's Times,it appears that what it could do is to vote to prohibit the Admin from spending to accomplish some specific Obamacare task. Then  if it could get the Senate to concur that would tie Obama's hands.

    But House unilateral action to block Obamacare  via its control of spending I think can't be done. 

     

     

     


    by Flavius on Sun, 11/07/2010 - 6:10pm

    New GOP governors will affect health law

    By N.C. Aizenman
    Washington Post Staff Writer
    Tuesday, November 9, 2010

    ....Many incoming Republican governors made their antipathy to the law a plank of their campaigns....

    Such state leaders cannot completely block implementation of the law: If they are unwilling or deemed unready to run an exchange by 2014, the legislation empowers the federal government to step in with its own version. But the law does grant states a fair amount of discretion....

    The result, analysts say, is that two models are likely to appear: Democratic governors and legislatures are likely to emphasize vigorous regulation and government oversight, while Republican state leaders are likely to put greater stock in privatization and other free-market approaches....

    ...for all the fanfare attending the GOP's retaking of the House in last week's midterm elections, the party's victories at the state level are likely to have far more immediate practical consequences for the health-care law....

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/08/AR201011...


    by artappraiser on Tue, 11/09/2010 - 3:36pm