I am not sure if both of these articles reflect an actual plan to end Obamacare--one article details a plan to end it--the other article details a move that if successful will end it intentionally or not.
Politico reported Monday that a group of 'moderate Democrats' are looking for a way to roll back the part of Obamacare that requires everyone to purchase health insurance.
The article reports:
"And it's not just health care. The senators are prepared to break with the White House on a wide range of issues: embracing deeper spending cuts, scaling back business regulations and overhauling environmental rules. The moderates most likely to buck their party include Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Jon Tester of Montana--all of whom are up for reelection in 2012 and represent states Obama lost in 2008."
Meanwhile, yesterday the Wall Street Journal reported that the House is planning to defund Obamacare before any money can be spent to implement the program.
The Wall Street Journal reports:
"The House last month approved a bill to repeal the health law outright, but the measure was rejected last week by the Senate. The GOP's backup plan calls for repealing specific portions of the law, such as its requirement that all individuals buy health insurance. The GOP amendment reflects yet another strategy: choking off the money needed to put the law into effect.
"The spending bill will also have to pass the Democratic-controlled Senate, which is unlikely to support a defunding provision. That means that Mr. Obama's signature health initiative will be one of the major sticking points in passing the government-wide spending bill known as a continuing resolution.
"The measure is needed to keep the government running after March 4, when the current stop-gap spending bill expires. House Republicans are using the bill as a vehicle for making deep cuts in spending for the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30."
It seems to be understood that repealing the requirement that everyone purchase health insurance would make the financing of the bill impossible. That is the provision that the courts have recently declared unconstitutional. Because Obamacare is the President's signature legislative accomplishment, this is going to be a very heated battle. Start the popcorn, and sit back and watch the fireworks!
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