Look, I really don’t think that I'm the first one to come up with the notion that this guy, Boehner, has got to go, but I gotta tell ya, he ain't doing us any good. Now if the people of Ohio can't quite bring themselves to replace him at the local level, then it's going to be up to the rest of us to somehow work toward forcing to leave the Speaker position so that we can then get an actual Conservative into the position. Look, first of all he brings about a vote in the House to repeal Obamacare, after John Roberts decided that it was constitutional, and now he says he's willing to go ahead with funding it. Which is it going to be, John? Are you with us or are you against us? Right now it would at least appear that you're against us! And if that's the case why should I vote for you?
And the reason I say that it appears that he's against us, is the fact that when asked whether the House Republicans would permit or not permit funding for the funding of Obamacare in whatever legislation is ultimately enacted to fund the government after Sept. 30, when the current funding legislation runs out, our weak kneed, spineless Speaker of the House responded by saying that "our goal would be to make sure the government is funded." Ok, so what the Hell is that supposed to mean? Apparently the House Republicans do plan to fund implementation of Obamacare past Sept. 30. Is this why we handed them control of the House in 2010. And is this supposed to convince us to hand them control of the Senate this November? I just don't understand the logic here.
So the bottom line here would at least appear to be that unless there is some special provision that finds its way into the bill to fund the government past that drop dead date of Sept. 30 that would expressly prohibit funding specifically for the Obamacare regulation that requires health-care plans to cover, without cost-sharing, sterilizations, artificial contraceptives and abortifacients, the House Republicans, by funding implementation of Obamacare, will also be funding implementation of that same regulation. The sterilization-contraceptives-abortifacient regulation takes effect on Aug. 1. And apparently, Boehner’s position had been echoed by Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in a press briefing on Monday. So it would seem that Mr. McCarthy has outlived his usefulness as well.
At his press conference on Tuesday, Boehner was asked, “In whatever legislation funds the government after Sept. 30, will House Republicans permit funding for the Affordable Care Act?” Boehner responded by saying, “I expect that we’ll have an agreement with the Senate on a CR [continuing resolution]. As you all know, CR’s do contain some changes but usually not many changes. And considering that we’ve been fighting--the House has voted now 33 times to defund, to repeal and change Obamacare. Actually, about seven or eight of those votes have become laws, so there have been changes.” He added, “But our goal would be to make sure the government is funded and any political talk of a government shutdown is put to rest.” Gibberish, and nothing but!
On Monday, when Majority Whip McCarthy spoke with reporters, he was asked, “In the next CR [continuing resolution] or appropriations bill, whatever that appropriations bill might be, will you and the other House Republicans permit or not permit funding to implement the Affordable Care Act”, McCarthy answered, “We’re not at a CR yet, but I don’t see this government ever being shut down. I think you’ll find that we’ll get this job done. We have displayed many times our desire to repeal and we will continue to do so.” A follow-up question , “So, if it comes down to either the government shutting down or you funding, the House Republicans funding Obamacare –” and sounding like a broken record, McCarthy then said, “I don’t think you’re going to find any members here who are going to shut down the government.”
I think most of us understand the fact that all federal spending begins in the House of Representatives and must be approved by the House. Article 1, Section 7 of the Constitution states, “All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives, but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.” It further states, “Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States.” Barry must sign the appropriations bills for the spending to commence; the same holds for a continuing resolution. The House and Senate pass the appropriations. The president then can either sign the legislation or veto it.
So far, 127 House Republican members have now signed a letter urging the GOP House leadership --Speaker Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.)--to use the appropriations process to defund Obamacare. The letter, in part, states, “[W]e urge you not to bring to the House floor in the 112th Congress any legislation that provides or allows funds to implement ObamaCare through the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Health and Human Services, or any other federal entity. We also urge you to take legislative steps necessary to immediately rescind all ObamaCare-implementation funds.” It is a letter that our stellar leadership has seen fit to essentially ignore. And as such I can only assume that what we've been hearing about repeal is nothing more than lip service.
Congruent with the Affordable Care Act is a regulation issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that requires nearly all health insurers to provide sterilizations, contraceptives, and abortifacients free of charge. The regulation goes into effect on Aug. 1, in eight days. The Catholic bishops of the United States, who represent the single largest religious denomination in the country, have said the HHS mandate is an “unjust law” and cannot be obeyed. Numerous dioceses, Catholic institutions, and several non-Catholic groups have filed lawsuits against the regulation, stating it violates their religious beliefs. (Catholicism teaches that sterilization, artificial birth control, and drugs that induce abortions are immoral and sinful and Catholics cannot engage in or support such practices.)
I have had it with the three stooges who are laughingly referred to as being our Republican leadership in the House. Curly, Larry and Moe seem to have now been essentially morphed into Boehner, Cantor and McCarthy. These aren't leaders! These are wimps! I've always been more than willing to give these guys the benefit of the doubt even though, more often than not, it was against my better judgment. So that part was my mistake. I'm sure it's probably too late now to do anything now, but next time around every one of these guys must be made to face a primary challenge from a truly conservative candidate. This November may just come down to whether or not the Republicans want to keep control of the House. Because if people see absolutely no difference between a Speaker Boehner and a Speaker Pelosi, where's the incentive to vote Republican?
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