Delay and Dismantle

to see the video go here

In his ongoing obstructionism directed against the Affordable Care Act, Speaker John Boehner embraces "Delay and Dismantle" (outlined in a National Review editorial by that name). Wait, you might say, this is not approved by the Speaker, this is not what he is trying to tell us is the right thing to do - but you'd be wrong. Just take a look at this recent post from the Speaker's Office:

Protecting All Americans from ObamaCare’s Mandates JULY 14, 2013 | VIEW ONLINE Your Speaker Alert this week takes a look at upcoming votes to protect all Americans from the president’s health care law, efforts to strengthen our economy and make college more affordable, the success of the DC school choice program, and more. PROTECTING ALL AMERICANS FROM OBAMACARE “Is it fair for the president to give American businesses an exemption from the health law’s mandates, without giving the same break to individuals and families across the country?” asked Speaker Boehner. “Hell no it isn’t.” Watch him here: Giving all Americans the same break as big businesses: The House will vote this week on back-to-back bills to delay ObamaCare’s employer mandate and individual mandate, providing relief to all Americans. Read the bills here. ObamaCare fails basic test of fairness: Take a look at ways the president’s health care law is simply unfair. “Like” and “Share” our graphic, too. White House “honor system” leaves health care law “wide open to fraud”: The administration’s “subsidize first, ask questions later” approach could saddle taxpayers with “a ‘boatload’ of illegitimate tax credits.” Obama admin “has known for months” its health care law isn’t “on track”: Top Democrats claim ObamaCare implementation is “on track” and “fabulous,” but National Journal says the administration knows otherwise. GOP presses for answers: Republicans are asking the White House to justify its decision to only offer a break to businesses, not individuals and families. Another ObamaCare PR push? The White House “is dramatically expanding its efforts to sell” ObamaCare -- again. All Americans need reprieve from this “train wreck”: ObamaCare is driving up costs, threatening wages, and making it harder to hire. Republicans will vote to delay the law’s mandates on everyone, and remain committed to repealing and replacing it with effective, patient-centered reforms. National Review endorsed the effort in,  Delay and Dismantle . This post, and the prevailing GOP attitude of the last several years, is aptly countered by these July 12, 2013 comments by a reader of National Review Online: oldwhiteguy:  "Delay and dismantle" is already the theme song of the right-wing hijacked GOP. It's why Congress has been useless in dealing with our nation's challenges. "Delay and dismantle" should be the slogan for the GOP Presidential nominee in 2016. It assumes that this kind of negative backsliding is what the nation wants. So yah, in a world where our health care system ranks toward the bottom in spite of out-of-control costs, let's delay and dismantle. That'll work. oldwhiteguy: It's because using words like "socialist" and "collectivist" and claptrap like that when discussing the Affordable Care Act is indicative that's there's nothing more than cheap labeling going on here. There is no content to that. But ok, you feel this legislation is about control. I feel it's no more than what other industrialized nations do to provide their citizens with access to effective health care. You're a free market guy. I'm a guy who prefers some checks and balances. I've had hospital presidents tell me that while this legislation isn't perfect, it's a major step in the right direction. If more conservatives set about improving it instead of voting repeatedly to repeal it (and wasting everyone's time) we'd all be better off. To be fair, of late there is not much good to say about the Democratic party either - see my earlier comments here. Two things our Congress should be doing right now: Give the Affordable Care Act a fair chance to do what is is designed to do - improve the US health care system so that health care costs stop skyrocketing and so that individuals who need good health care get it. The line-by-line details of the new programs will not be perfect - so as they prove inadequate, modify them to make them better; pass legislation regarding immigration so that the non-documented immigrants are dealt with in a way that provides a reasonable process to become citizens to the ones who we want to stay here and who deserve to stay here, and that makes the immigration process better in the future than it has been for the past 30 years. Contact your Senators and Representatives and tell them to stop the squabbling, political power plays and obstructionism and do their jobs!  http://www.usa.gov/Contact/US-Congress.shtml Special note from me to John Boehner: Mr. Speaker, I'm sure you take your job seriously. And I'm sure you are at times very discouraged and frustrated with the contradictions and the politics you've been inundated with over the past 3 years. The role of the Speaker is of course to provide a single voice for the House of Representatives. But you have a second equally important role to play. It is critical that you speak your own mind and provide leadership to the House in situations, like the current one, in which the House is weakened and diminished by its internal conflict. The House, today, maybe more so than ever, is torn by emotion and politics. One of the reasons for this is quite clear. We have a black president. There are many in the general population who hold deep felt racial prejudices against blacks. And true to representing the American populace, there are Congressmen who hold the same prejudices. Any intelligent and honest American over the age of 40 will surely agree, there are members of the Senate and House who are of mind "I WILL NEVER ACCEPT LEADERSHIP BY A BLACK MAN - EVEN IF THAT MAN IS PRESIDENT. I WILL OPPOSE HIM AND HIS INITIATIVES IN EVERY WAY, AND TO THE FULLEST EXTENT I AM CAPABLE. I'm sure you know Congressmen of this conviction. Some are democrats, some are republicans, some are independents, some are libertarians.. Just as in the general population, I would guess that 10% of the members 113th Congress hold deep racial prejudices and are of the conviction that I mention. Of course they will not own up to this - they would lose their positions and their power to influence the situation in the way they deeply feel that they must. The public knows holding and acting on this kind of prejudice is wrong. I know and believe it to be wrong, and I'm quite sure you do too. My key point on this is: when 10% of Congress is dead opposed to the President, no matter his position, no matter the issue, how can the Congress do its job? So why do I bring this up? I am convinced that this, more than anything, is the cause for the gridlock in the legislative branch. This is the reason Congress has for the past 5 years been impotent in dealing with our nation's challenges. I suggest that's it's time that you speak your mind on the situation. It's time to take a stand against those in Congress who are acting on their racial prejudices. Don't be a "speaker" for these wrong heads. Be a leader and put them in their place. And get Congress back on track.