House Minority Leader John Boehner (R., Ohio) and House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R., Va.) have signed on to the two discharge petitions authored by Wally Herger (R., Calif.) and Steve King (R., Iowa). The former’s petition would attempt to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in full, while King’s would repeal parts of the law.
As a matter of procedure, a majority of the House (218 members) must sign on to the discharge petitions in order to force a vote. While this may be a difficult task to accomplish now, it is important that the debate on health-care reform be kept alive between now and the November elections. Now is not the time for apathy. If the Republicans take control of one or both houses of Congress this fall and the presidency in 2012, it would set the stage for repeal in 2013 — well before most of the benefits commence in 2014. As we know from history, it is very difficult to take something away from people, even if they don’t like it, once it becomes entrenched.
Obamacare was signed into law on March 23 without a single Republican vote. And, more important, the polls showed that prior to passage, 56 percent of Americans were against it. Three months after passage, according to several polls, that percentage has not changed; 56 percent of Americans support repeal of the legislation. The goal of everyone is affordable, accessible, quality care for all. The American people know that this legislation will not accomplish those goals and that their taxes will increase substantially, deficits will rise, and, ultimately, care will be denied. This is the largest entitlement program since the Great Society and will end up costing well in excess of the $938 billion over ten years that the president keeps telling us.
Now is the time to develop a roadmap to reform that will lead to universal coverage and lower costs. Some ideas for inclusion in the roadmap are ones that would empower doctors and patients rather than increasing the role of government from the 50 percent of the health sector that is now in government’s hands. A few examples include changing the federal tax code so that individuals get the same tax break to purchase insurance as those who get it from their employers, encouraging states to reduce costly mandates that drive up the cost of insurance, and states’ introducing tort-reform legislation in order to reduce the incidence of defensive medicine. It is encouraging that House members such as Boehner, Cantor, King, and Herger realize the importance of turning back this draconian legislation and bringing solutions that would work for all Americans.
– Sally C. Pipes is president and CEO of the Pacific Research Institute. Her book The Truth About Obamacare (Regnery Publishing) will be released in August.