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McConnell: As Long As Obama Is Allowed To Stay In The White House, Full Repeal Probably Won’t Happen



Apr 2, 2010 6 Comments ›› Pat Dollard

Hutchison Stays

Repealing the entire healthcare bill “probably” will not happen with President Barack Obama in the White House, the Senate’s top Republican said Friday.

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) said at a speaking engagement that a full repeal may be unlikely, but that the GOP could be able to repeal parts of it in the fall, even if they don’t win back majorities in both houses.

The Louisville Courier-Journal reported:

He acknowledged there is “probably not” a chance of repealing the full measure while President Barack Obama is in office.

Speaking to a Louisville audience, McConnell said he is hopeful for GOP gains in the fall election, based partly on recent poll results.

“Will that make full repeal possible? It might not,” McConnell said at a forum sponsored by Greater Louisville Inc., the metro chamber of commerce.

“But this (legislation) is very complex, it’s got a lot of moving parts, many of them have not yet kicked in, won’t kick in for several years. And so the goal would be to repeal it and replace it with something more modest directed at the cost problem, which is what I think most of this whole debate was about in the beginning.”

In an interview after his speech, McConnell said it might not be necessary for the GOP to gain a majority to repeal some provisions of the reform law. “There may be a number of Democrats that begin to have second thoughts,” he said.

Supporting the repeal effort has been a conservative rallying cry since the healthcare law was enacted, and those who have backed away from the message have been criticized.

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) revised comments he made that repeal is “not going to happen,” saying that is not going to happen in this election cycle. That puts Corker within the timeframe McConnell outlined Friday.

McConnell has touted a “repeal and replace” strategy since healthcare reform became law just over 10 days ago. Under the plan, opponents would get rid of the law supported by only Democrats and would replace it with new reform legislation.

The top Senate Republican’s comments Friday are similar to ones made Thursday by Sen. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) the chamber’s third-ranking GOP member.

President Barack Obama has publicly dared GOPers to try the strategy, saying “bring it on” at a speaking appearance this week.

For the GOP to repeal the bill this cycle, Congress would have to pass a repeal measure and then thwart a presidential veto with two-thirds majorities in both houses.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Thursday that Republicans are considering ways to work around a presidential veto. His plan would still be subject to a veto, though a politically tougher one for Obama to enact.


  • Kirk

    They could back Lt. Col. Terry Lakin in his call for the birth certificate, but apparently, that would take guts and integrity, and I guess upholding the Constitution, is too much to ask of politicians.

  • deek

    Cross-blogged at http://www.repubx.com

  • Tim Roesch – pseudo intellectual

    Seriously, Pat. Throwing Bricks, however fun, will not win the day here.

    We need intel and YOU and others on this site have access that I do not have.

    As a woman asked on Rush today: Why aren’t the Dems frightened about what they are doing?
    Now Rush suggested they are but somehow, I don’t buy that.

    They have some sort of ace up their sleeve. Whether it’s not the Ace they thought it was or whatever, whoever is behind his has some plan, some back up, something they are itching to pull out if only we uppity Americans would just draw down.

    What is the plan? Who is hiding in the shadows ready to go? Where is the ambush?

    We need every person in ACTIVE and every person you know, Pat, to start going out and, at whatever level they can, look for this. We need a probe.

    I am not saying what is discovered should be related to me or anyone in particular but we need to know what their game plan is.

    Also, we need to know the mood of the troops. What is being BS’ed about back in the Day Room? What’s the morale like?

    Tossing bricks isn’t going to do shit against this looming monster, Pat.

    We need intell; not rumors, not best guesses, not conspiracy theories.

  • thrasymakhos

    As all of us know, it was supremely important to have killed this bill in the cradle. That didn’t happen obviously. It was given a life of its own by demonic forces, passed by “hook and crook” and now we have a real crock of crap to deal with. It will not be repealed. People were so damned anxious to “punish the Republicans” in 2006, and many of us sat out that election and then again in 2008. The Dims have huge majorities in both Houses and the Presidency so “NO” it is not going to be repealed even if Republicans win both Houses of Congress in 2010. Barry will never sign off on a repeal.
    The key, of course is to win both Houses in 2010, where Congress will hopefully vote to defund the bitch, or radically modify it, AND then win the Presidency in 2012.
    The Dims are smug and not particularly worried because they know that we are at least 3 years out from ANY successful attempt at “repeal” which amounts to light years in political time. I could go on but won’t.
    About the best we can do at this moment is fight a political guerilla war consisting of delaying actions, legislative road blocks, and trying to win back the hearts and minds from the voters insane devotion to progressiveism by showing that, in the end, we are all screwed by the leftists if there inane and anti-productive policies continue.

    • Kirk

      “Barry will never sign off on a repeal.” That’s why he needs to be impeached, and for pushing an unconstitutional burden on America.

  • Hawkerdriver (Pisson the Koran)

    Providing we still have the right to in November,let’s vote out EVERYONE who will NOT take a stand demanding this so-called president be properly vetted.WE DEMAND PROOF !!

    Hey McConnell,if your so commited to repeal call the usurping bastard out on his quals! Let’s hear you say it,WHERE’S THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE? But I bet you never will because like 99.9% of your fellow members you are in on the fix that got the mahadi candidate in there in there first place.

    Scoundrels,all of you! You are on the express train to HELL.