Republicans want to kill Obamacare so much, they refuse to try to fix it

[mota bhai 2,675]

The law’s critics spend a lot of time talking about its potential effects on employers, and small businesses in particular. But there hasn’t been a real effort on the Hill to address the provisions that will have the most immediate impact on small businesses.

...
The lack of action stems from Republican divisions over whether it’s OK to “fix” parts of the healthcare law. Some conservatives say the party should focus solely on repealing the law and shouldn’t help Democrats solve potential problems.

...
Huelskamp is a hard-line conservative, and he ... said Republicans should consider small, targeted changes to the law’s employer mandate.
"That’s a reasonable part of a Republican strategy … that seems to make sense. Folks here are really concerned about small business,” he said.

The employer mandate requires businesses with more than 50 full-time-equivalent workers to offer health insurance or pay a fine for each uninsured worker.

Businesses have to offer coverage to every employee who works more than 30 hours per week. Some businesses have cut their employees’ hours, capping them at 29 hours per week to avoid paying for health insurance.

Some Democrats say that’s an unintended consequence of the mandate, and they’re open to fixing it — perhaps by raising the threshold for health benefits to 40 hours per week.

"Yeah, I’d be open to it. I'd be open to looking at it,” Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) said.

...

That’s the potential problem for Republicans: Small changes to the mandate could be easily (and accurately) described as fixing the law — something the conservative base doesn’t want to see.

...
Several congressional Republicans who frequently criticize the healthcare law’s effects on employers said they haven’t worked on bills to tweak the mandate because they don’t believe small steps would help.

http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/health-reform-implementation/300489-despite-talk-no-effort-to-change-obamacares-employer-mandate

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Some Democrats say that’s an unintended consequence of the mandate, and they’re open to fixing it — perhaps by raising the threshold for health benefits to 40 hours per week.

Now that is just plain stupid.

[BatmanUSA 105]

Obamacare, has many things that have absolutely nothing to do with healthcare... It should be completely repealed.!! it should be replaced with... Medicare for all.!! Include all American citizens in medicare.. charge a monthly premium.. and be done with it... The infrastructure is already in place... Ok, the claims examiners that work for private insurance companies will be unemployed... so give those people preference when hiring the additional staff that will be needed for the national medicare program.. my apologies to the multi-million dollar salaried CEO's of the private health companies..

[mota bhai 2,675]

Obamacare, has many things that have absolutely nothing to do with healthcare... It should be completely repealed.!! it should be replaced with... Medicare for all.!! Include all American citizens in medicare.. charge a monthly premium.. and be done with it... The infrastructure is already in place... Ok, the claims examiners that work for private insurance companies will be unemployed... so give those people preference when hiring the additional staff that will be needed for the national medicare program.. my apologies to the multi-million dollar salaried CEO's of the private health companies..

That will never pass either house of Congress so what is your point?

[BatmanUSA 105]

my point ... is that.... well

!) why do you say it can not pass either house.??

2) National healthcare is a better alternative to Obamacare.....

why should we spend time fixing this flawed plan??

the Democrats should have been more thoughtful when they wrote the bill... over 1000 pages..... They said this bill was their mandate from the people..... so.. people... President Obama gave you his version of what he thought you wanted... then he was reelected... and so there it is... Obamacare... ENJOY.!!

[mota bhai 2,675]

!) why do you say it can not pass either house.??

Because it won't. If you are even slightly aware of the politics around this, you know that.

Edited May 20, 2013 by amriki bhai

[GandD 5,966]

Because it won't. If you are even slightly aware of the politics around this, you know that.

Second

[BatmanUSA 105]

so your plan is what,??? try to fix a program that had no business to be created in the first place.??.... be honest... Obamacare, is 100% born from the Democrats... Either they should have been more thoughtful in the beginning... or they should agree to scrap it now... The Democrat were very very proud to have achieved, Obamacare, without any Republican support... so again... let them be happy and enjoy what they did.... and be sure to let all of American know that Obamacare, was the baby of the Democrats... remember this during the next election..

[Pooky 3,786]

Now that is just plain stupid.

Well, it was said by a politician. What else were you expecting?

[BatmanUSA 105]

Because it won't. If you are even slightly aware of the politics around this, you know that.

"because it wont"....???

what happened to the grassroots effort ?????

Oh, I agree, it won't... But I do think that is where we need to be.

[Pooky 3,786]

They said this bill was their mandate from the people..... so.. people... President Obama gave you his version of what he thought you wanted... then he was reelected... and so there it is... Obamacare... ENJOY.!!

Why does every discussion have to circle back to single issue politics?

The American electorate had many more issues to consider than just the PPACA, and a world of media white noise to distract their attention. On balance, the (slight) majority decided that President Obama was the lesser evil of the two choices available to them.

[BatmanUSA 105]

umm... this thread topic is about the health care act, commonly known as obamacare... and even President Obama has said this is his signature piece of legislation... considering this was done without one republican vote, how could you now expect the republicans to come and save it by tweaking it.??... aren't you even slightly aware of the politics around this.??

[BatmanUSA 105]

Why does every discussion have to circle back to single issue politics?

The American electorate had many more issues to consider than just the PPACA, and a world of media white noise to distract their attention. On balance, the (slight) majority decided that President Obama was the lesser evil of the two choices available to them.

you are assuming that people vote for the lesser of 2 evils....

maybe people vote for the person they believe in..

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

2) National healthcare is a better alternative to Obamacare.....

True. So have Boehner bring the following up for a vote: Implement Medicare For All as a replacement for Obamacare. They always talk about repeal and replace but they have yet to say what the replacement is. Make the replacement Medicare for All. Dare Democrats to vote against it, dare Harry Reid to kill it in the Senate, dare Obama to veto it. They won't vote against it. They'll vote to repeal Obamacare and Obama will sign it. Done.

[Pooky 3,786]

True. So have Boehner bring the following up for a vote: Implement Medicare For All as a replacement for Obamacare. They always talk about repeal and replace but they have yet to say what the replacement is. Make the replacement Medicare for All. Dare Democrats to vote against it, dare Harry Reid to kill it in the Senate, dare Obama to veto it. They won't vote against it. They'll vote to repeal Obamacare and Obama will sign it. Done.

You really think it would be that simple? You poor, deluded fool.