Boehner Wants Affordable Care Act On Fiscal Cliff Chopping Block

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Boehner Wants Affordable Care Act On Fiscal Cliff Chopping Block

November 21st, 2012 2:03 pm Henry Decker

House Speaker John Boehner published an op-ed in the Cincinnati Enquirer today demanding that the Affordable Care Act be placed on the table for cuts in the ongoing “fiscal cliff” negotations.

In the op-ed, Boehner explains his belief that “As was the case before the election, Obamacare has to go.”

“The president’s health care law adds a massive, expensive, unworkable government program at a time when our national debt already exceeds the size of our country’s entire economy. We can’t afford it, and we can’t afford to leave it intact,” Boehner writes. “That’s why I’ve been clear that the law has to stay on the table as both parties discuss ways to solve our nation’s massive debt challenge.”

The speaker goes on to praise Ohio governor John Kasich for refusing to set up a health care exchange in Ohio — a step that several Republican governors are taking in a last-ditch effort to weaken the law. He also suggested that congressional Republicans will use the oversight process to attack the law.

“Over the past couple of years, I have noted there are essentially three major routes to repeal of the president’s law: the courts, the presidential election process and the congressional oversight process. With two of those three routes having come up short, the third and final one becomes more important than ever,” Boehner writes.

“Vigorous oversight of the health care law by the House can be expected and, in fact, is already under way.”

There are two ways to interpret Boehner’s suddenly bellicose rhetoric on health care reform. The first is that he genuinely intends to put President Obama’s signature achievement on the chopping block in negotiations with the White House. This would obviously be unacceptable to Democrats, and would almost certainly prevent the two sides from reaching a deal before the country goes “over the cliff” in January.

The second is that Boehner is merely playing to his base. After all, the speaker recently acknowledged that the president’s re-election cements that “Obamacare is the law of the land,” and suggested that repealing the law would no longer be a top legislative priority. This op-ed promising to continue targeting health care reform may be an effort to reassure conservatives that he has not given up.

Even if this is the case, however, it may signal trouble for the upcoming negotiations. As Greg Sargent writes in The Plum Line, “One Dem I spoke to worried that the mere fact that Boehner still has to throw sops like this to the Tea Party wing means he feels more beholden to them than Dems had hoped — which wouldn’t bode well for the talks.”

In any case, Boehner and the Republicans hold very little leverage in the fiscal cliff negotiations. The speaker can ask for cuts to the Affordable Care Act, but — with control of the White House and the Senate — Democrats have no reason to acquiesce to his demand. If Boehner holds firm and no deal is reached after all, it is rather clear who voters will blame for the failure.

Photo credit: AP/Susan Walsh

Tags: Congress, congressional republicans, debt deal, fiscal cliff, john boehner, Obamacare, op-ed

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_B6RROC4IUESHT322QS5VJVPYRM Lynda

New flash John. Your side lost. It is time to stop obfuscation and get to work on real issues. The ACA is the law of the land.

one_veteran

Two more important items to put on the table, Congress Retirement (make it zero) and Congress health care! (many employers do not offer health care, Congress can join the party!)

RETROACTIVE to 1950!!

nobsartist

the greedy old prick party is going to be in for a big surprise when President Obama allows medicare for all thru budget reconciliation. The fact is, he gave the crooks an opportunity to save the FOR PROFIT health care system and they decided to screw America instead.

boner is soon going to run out of town in his tanning machine on wheels.
labman57

So Mr. InstaTan has declared that allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire for incomes in excess of $250K is “off the table”, whereas gutting the ACA must be “on the table”.

Boehner and most of his fellow intransigent conservative members of Congress exist in a political bubble where the concerns of most Americans never reach them and the only factors that influence their decision-making are the recommendations of corporate lobbyists and the echoes of their own reality-devoid rhetoric.
bckrd1

Do what you have to do Mr. President to protect the middle class and the poor from the machete the Republicans want to use on us.

one_veteran

Better the middle class pays more in taxes than let the ones with their noses in the air get another break and widen the gap. Then more of us can get on the food stamp and medicade list. Message to the “super rich” not one more inch!

bcarreiro

vigorous oversight of health insurance industry altogether.
http://www.facebook.com/dominick.vila.1 Dominick Vila

How is Mr. Boehner going to reduce the FY13 budget by repealing a program that will not be implemented and funded until 2014? Shouldn’t he be focusing on current expenditure rather than pie in the sky issues that are irrelevant to current spending? His proposal is a clear demonstration of the power that big donors exert on our elected officials. It must be hard to say no to the insurance companies…

old_blu

You are right Dominick. I think someone has a gun to his back.

Edit: BTW have a great Thanksgiving.

http://www.facebook.com/dominick.vila.1 Dominick Vila

You too.

nana4gj

Boehner seems to believe that a successful budget will be one with a reducing deficit number on a page and increased numbers of sick people on the streets of this nation, closed hospitals, less home care provision, no research, and continuing inflated costs for services for those who may still have access to healthcare.

This “suggestion” of Boehner’s indicates he has no understanding of what Obamacare, aka ACA, entails. It focuses entirely on Costs for Healthcare that has limited the access to many citizens and that have been spiraling out of control to unaffordable heights for the average, middle class, working family, that is the majority of us. It addresses the huge amounts of non-funded care provided by hospitals that is ultimately paid for by that same average, middle class, working family via taxes and higher insurance premiums. He seems to have no idea of what the ACA is about, how this healthcare delivery system operates; or he has a misguided sense of values; or, he is just playing politics, again.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_4HKCTSVHCQJCJUU2VYCERLWWDE Richie T

He needs to stuff-it. reduce the Deficit? 2011 this country spent more the 5 times what China did on it’s military, their number two. The need to stop this ongoing this we’re the worlds police department attitude. They’re shutting down, schools, hospitals, police stations, and firehouses in this country, and Building them other countries.
LittleStream

The Republicans will deserve it if we go over the “fiscal cliff” They’ve worked hard for it. I just hope Americans remember it when election comes.
http://profile.yahoo.com/KWVFASTNOYNKVRCWCY5APR3GI4 Joyce

Is he suffering mild amnesia or what ? Has he lost his grounding due to the thrashing his party got.? Get real tan man, Obama care is the Law of the land as you previously stated in a recent interview. Why waste time and try to create hysteria , do the job you were sent there to do. You will soon be out anyway, people will do just that if you continue with your silly behavior

one_veteran

Mild????????

http://profile.yahoo.com/ZJ5BBSQIGTUMERPZFALES6HQNY Bill

Maybe it’s a leftover symptom of Romnesia. We no he’s not serious about this otherwise he would be tearing up and starting to cry. Republicans may cotnrol the house but they need to do something before the year end or the tax rates including capital gains, divivdends And interest payment will go up. The top 1% don’t want these tax rates to go up. Your move Boehner, get off the tanning table and do something to help the majority of the country.

kanawah

Bonehead is suffering from a severe case of RepubliSKUNK stupidity.
The Republiskunk states are so gerrymandered that it is almost impossible to get rid of the slime.

The only hope is an extremely progressive Supreme Court that will declare the gerrymandering unconstitutional as well as the Citizens united decision.

turtlewoman1039

Dear moderator,
What exactly was wrong with my previous attempt to post?
FlyfeatherA

Boehner is shooting from the hip. He will need a crutch when his foot is shot off. Next election, we will go after the tea party. He better bet on the public and not the tea party, if he likes his job!
commserver

Boehner is concerned about keeping his position as Speaker. With fewer Republicans in the new Congress, the extremists take on greater influence in their conference.

This means 2 years of no action.
http://profile.yahoo.com/IV74DGLCXHMSRZYGZIDANUSTGI frank v

I think he is in a damned if you do and damned if you don’t position . If he works with the DEM. he’s on his way out of town , if he works with the Tea Party he’s on his way out of town . I think his best move is to works with the DEM and make it clear that he did what he thinks is best for the American people ! But he’s going to have to cry a little when he sales it to the GOP !
nana4gj

Whether intentional obstruction using Obamacare as the bargaining chip is his game or whether he is ignorant of the content of Obamacare and the way healthcare works, the Speaker is being disingenuous and ineffective.

Obamacare, aka, Affordable Care Act, has built in mechanisms for immediate cost savings to the beneficiaries, or premium payors, and has long term implications for the provision of more cost effective healthcare. ACA will afford many new mechanisms for reducing the cost of healthcare provision to providers, payors, without slashing benefits and will begin to improve the quality of healthcare that we receive, make us healthier as individuals and as a nation, and, ultimately, change the model of how healthcare costs are incurred. It has already begun to do these things, with mandates to providers to provide more quality and to reduce quantity, in repeated admissions, inflated costs for some services, and with an emphasis on preventive care and disease screening. The fee-for-service model currently in use will eventually change and this, too, will provide for more cost effective healthcare.

The costs for healthcare for everyone concerned has begun to be addressed with the ACA and the process will continue because the door has been opened by someone bold and smart enough to understand that the costs for healthcare in a great nation cannot be addressed by slashing the availability of healthcare but, rather, by addressing the costs for these services, allegedly the best in the world. You cannot reduce costs for healthcare by not providing healthcare access to treat disease and/or to keep people healthy. That is how you increase the costs for healthcare. If you believe or rely upon this expense, that is still paid for by the consumer at point of service and by monthly premiums to a private business entity, ie, health insurance companies, you are misguided when the federal budget has other bloated expenses for dubious causes and when sources of revenue remain off limits.

Addressing costs for healthcare is best left to the insurance companies and the providers of healthcare, now that a system is in place that provides more access to healthcare. They know it and they will be eager to do so. In many instances, it will encourage medical practitioners to practice the kind of medicine they entered the profession to provide, smarter, more appropriate, with better outcome and dignity.

Because of Obamacare, aka ACA, there is no need to include healthcare expenses in any deficit busting plan. It is cutting off your nose to spite your face, or, reducing household expenses by each family member taking turns to skip a full day of meals a week in order to reduce the costs for groceries when the chief cook has already devised menus for providing better nutrition for all that costs less because all the “extras” no needed for good nutrition have been eliminated and there is even more “junk food” that can be eliminated.

Boehner should look elsewhere to cut costs. Healthcare costs have already been addressed, with mandates to continue looking for improved, more cost effective, quality care. Either he does not understand ACA, healthcare operations, or he is simply engaging in politics. Again.

marelbert

Politics!
sigrid28

This analysis is so useful. Thanks for helping us understand the ACA, which offers a complicated but essential step toward the kind of humane health care offered worldwide, but so far denied Americans. I’m encouraged by the 2012 election, which was a referendum on the failed and failing policies promoted by the Republican party.

In tandem with exit polls, the election results prove that the majority of voters are just not convinced by voodoo economics and wild claims unsubstantiated by facts. Most Americans do not identify with the avaricious, mendacious cruelty Republicans think we admire. They think we are like plain girls taking marching orders from the mean girls who rule junior high, when in fact, nothing could be further from the truth. They give some evidence of putting credence in the plain girls/mean girls model as far as they operate among themselves. Most Americans have outgrown this miserable period of pre-adolescence, and fervently wish never to relive it. For a few weeks more we may merely pity Republicans clinging to their bubble. Once they make the first attempt to destroy the well-being of other Americans with their childish obstructionism, pity will quickly turn to impatience and followed by forceful restraint and dismissal. President Obama and the legislators elected to oppose such Republican tactics have an ironclad mandate to do so.

TheOldNorthChurch

There simply is no Bi-Partisan approach on the table as of yet. Here is one:

Return the tax codes to those in effect on December 31, 1999. (Completely unacceptable to Republicans)

Cut the Federal Government back to its 1999 level adjusted for inflation. (Completely unacceptable to Democrats)

Totally acceptable to Independents and the American public.

johninPCFL

And, of course, ship the 25 million additional citizens off to where?

TheOldNorthChurch

Adjust for population as well. Then we have real compromise. What will the Number be? Try the answer pt could be interesting simple to solve.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_IXEQ4IX7PJF2EXCEE7MVUHCWGI ladyj

The Republicans and tea party will do the same thing have they done before. Hold the fical hostage. They would never change. Therie Motto is screw the middle class and give to the rich. ACA should not be on the table for cut. And beside if the Supream court made it law well then they should not touch it. The speaker is just want to keep his job and face with the party, well look what happen in the election, you LOST the White House. Sorry for your luck. ACA is the law of the land as you said , so get over it and deal with it. Stupid Republicans/tea party
lambypie

I think that all the legislators should have the same health care that we do. I bet we could save a whole bunch of money if they had to pay the same as we do. They don’t want us to have decent health care but they get the best in the world. What a bunch of hypocrites!
http://profile.yahoo.com/FMUBMRNDEXOIF55F47MWM4U6ZY Right view

President Obama should agree to this Obama and then do a step better to save money
which the Republican demaned, that is to Nationalize all Hospitals and put all Doctors
on Gov. Payrolls to save run away costs ( like in Northern Europe Denmark, Finland,
Holland, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, UK, Germany ) the people there are the most
happy people in the world because their system give them good jobs, health care, a
reasonable housing.
http://profile.yahoo.com/FMUBMRNDEXOIF55F47MWM4U6ZY Right view

The Republican will always be working on behalf of the rich the big corps, big oil,
big Insurance, but not for the little average working man, why did we vote them
in office ? which dummy did ? Oh they are not dumb just Greedy Pigs !
http://profile.yahoo.com/FMUBMRNDEXOIF55F47MWM4U6ZY Right view

America know very well for the last 20 years the rich got richer and the middle class
got poorer because of Congress tax sytem giving them loopoles, and Tax breaks for
sending jobs to China, India, Mexico. We the people need to march 100,000 strong
and demand to change this Shixx tomorrow or they will screw us up more !

http://www.facebook.com/debbinpink Debbie Brady

Let’s go I’m ready.

turtlewoman1039

TWO unfunded wars of choice started by republicans and their neo-con handlers. This government needs to sue Hallibuton, Blackwater, et al., to recover the over charges, theft, the costs for poor/dangerous goods & services for our troops. That $$ should put a dent in the ‘debt’. Tell the oil and other extraction industries that they’ll have to fight their own wars. And invest in clean, green, renewable energy so that we really are energy independent.

http://www.facebook.com/debbinpink Debbie Brady

Not to mention criminal charges against Halliburton for the solders they electrocuted in the showers they built.

turtlewoman1039

Thank you for reminding us. It is the republicans and their followers who have proven themselves to be devoid of patriotism. Anything for a buck, anything to line the pockets of their handlers.

sleepvark

Why not just turn our backs on ol’ bonehead and let them take us over the cliff? I see no disadvantage. Then, with their feet to the fiscal fire, they will be induced to negotiate a little more sensibly. If that doesn’t work, lets see who’s still standing after the next round of elections. Old Ben Franklin was certainly referring to the teabaggers when he said that politicians and diapers were alike in that they needed frequent changing, and for similar reasons.

http://www.facebook.com/debbinpink Debbie Brady

Good ol Ben, He always knew how to get to the heart of the matter.

marelbert

The republican establishment created and nurtured its own monster in the Tea Party and now it’s come home to devour it!
imabrummie

Oh dear! John has been consuming those sour grapes again! Who the Hell is this sorry specimen to deny affordable health care to the masses? He and his sorry bunch of losers would perhaps have more credibility if he and they would not only put other’s access to doctors on the table but his own also. Was Alan Grayson right when he said that Republicans’ health plan for us was “DON’T GET SICK, AND IF YOU DO GET SICK, DIE QUICKLY”?
Mimi2kool

The Republican party still believes that it knows best but it does not. After getting their butts handed to them on election day, they are still both arrogant enough and delusional enough to think they are in charge.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_XQV2E2E7VGHH5S2E2HEEGKMEAE Chas

Why are they even pretending to bargain with these a–holes? Send them home. Let the tax cues expire and let sequestration go into effect, then offer to bargain on the democrats terms like keep off social security, medicare, medicaid Obamacare etc. Take it or leave it.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_XQV2E2E7VGHH5S2E2HEEGKMEAE Chas

You cannot bargain with the GOP. Why try? Obama holds the cards and should stick it to them.
kanawah

I want Bonehead on the chopping block.
kanawah

Personally, I think the president should push it over the cliff. Then make the RepubliSKUNKS come to the table and really compromise.

First the skunks want to trash Social Security Medicare, and Medicaid, and now he wants to trash the ACA.

Send Bonehead back to Cincinnati, and stuff him in a Rumpke garbage truck.

turtlewoman1039

I appreciate your sentiment, but skunks are intelligent, charming little creatures. They would be appalled at the comparison…

http://profile.yahoo.com/QZOLTTTPLTLGELEYLKM7HUJPSU Davekzy1

Get over it gop and your brainwashed sheep! The people spoke! We want affordable health care!
http://profile.yahoo.com/GGHNYPK4GNCRYZLXWVZ447WHJM Plznnn

65% of the country agree with Boehner’s Partys idea of closing loop-holes & deductions, and lower taxes on ALL to avert the fiscal cliff, ahead of the 35% that want the Democrats of taxing the wealthy & NOT cutting spending.
http://profile.yahoo.com/JCDYOUQPDL6RBF2WIQY7IHJ4BM batavier

When you and your adherents just lost an election and have just about relegated your Party to the status of a Chronic(?) laughingstock, of course, you start important negotiations from a position of strength, whether REAL or IMAGINED!
Tpyge

Boehner may find that things have changed in his party since the election with many noticing a different electorate out there, causing them to rethink their stance on these important issues.
Wilbur Moore

The speaker is doing this because Obama care is taking money from investors in health care! They will be loosing easy Government paydays and they can’t have that from some mere average Americans with little money!!!
onedonewong

Barak has said everything is on the table…everything the Republicans hold near and dear, however nothing that he or his socialist cronies are in favor of is on the table. Barak is once again showing how little he has learned in the past 2 years. The republicans will go over the ficical cliff rather than permanently damage the economy for ever.
Dem’s can’t be trusted to reduce spending as they have shown again and again under Reagan and Bush 1. They won’t be fooled again

http://profile.yahoo.com/HFYZP2APYPP7H6PWS2ZDQRWFEQ Hillbilly

Reagan and Bush 2 were Republicans not Democrats. They are ones that made the big deficits while Democrats are the ones that have to come in and get the Country back on track.

onedonewong

No Reagan cut a deal with the dems and Tip…for every $1 increase in taxes they were to cut $3 in spending…what happened to that deal??? Dems increased spending.
As for W all the red ink happened when dems took control of congress in 2007 and started the race to the bottom

noelle99

It’s all about ego now. They have to fight about something just to save face. But they wll lose this one just like they did the election.
http://profile.yahoo.com/IDZQOZOR4YJBQKSWTYYBK7Z3IE E. L.

Bohner is showing the stuborn and obstructionist attitude that got the Repunlicans in the jam thery are now in. It may be that we will have to let the “sh[t hi the fan” to wake up the rest of America and they will throw out enough of these obstructionist fools to get the job done. I was hoping Bohner could get the rest of the “Tea Party” idiots in line but apparently he can not.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Tavia-Hughes/100000100020035 Tavia Hughes

Boehner, you and your Republican, Tea Party cohort cowards, LOST THIS CYCLE’ ELECTION!!! NOW TAKE YOUR OBSTRUCTIONISTS ANTICS AND STUFF THEM UP YOUR ASSES!!! No More Will the American Peoples Be Held Hostage By You Morons, Again!!!!!!!!! Now Get Your Asses Out Of the Way, and Allow the President and the Democrats TO TAKE CARE OF THIS COUNTRY AND ITS’ INHABITANTS!!!! GO AWAY BOEHNER, YOU AND MCCONNELL HAVE NO POLITICAL CLOUT!!! GO AWAY BOEHNER AND TAKE MCCAIN AND GRAHAM WITH YOU!!!!!!!
http://profile.yahoo.com/RGOUPZ3JYNMPBVOHLZRCRVRD6Q ivory69690

Boehner the bonner bone head . make him gone on his next election day him and his white hooded dress wearing B/F McConnel theres a pair that only swing in a bulls sack
http://profile.yahoo.com/RGOUPZ3JYNMPBVOHLZRCRVRD6Q ivory69690

“The president’s health care law adds a massive, expensive, unworkable government program at a time when our national debt already exceeds the size of our country’s entire economy. We can’t afford it, and we can’t afford to leave it intact,” Boehner writes. “That’s why I’ve been clear that the law has to stay on the table as both parties discuss ways to solve our nation’s massive debt challenge.”//// its the law of the land bone head and ways to solve our nation’s massive debt challenge. is also told to ur stupid butt by the ppl. and it can be fixed . the ppl have spoken to how to fix it you seem to be as deaf as you are dumb . all needs to be done the ppl. of the country agree on it to make the greedy bastards 2 % not pay any nore then every one else . just a fair share and the same % . thats all easy fixed . its only a matter of time before the ppl., start knocking off the ppl. that are stoping the country to being able to go forward
http://profile.yahoo.com/RGOUPZ3JYNMPBVOHLZRCRVRD6Q ivory69690

There are two ways to interpret Boehner’s suddenly bellicose rhetoric on health care reform. The first is that he genuinely intends to put President Obama’s signature achievement on the chopping block in negotiations with the White House. This would obviously be unacceptable to Democrats, and would almost certainly prevent the two sides from reaching a deal before the country goes “over the cliff” in January/// if the GOP ding dongs cant even go by the laws that are into play then 2014 elections the ppl. can get rid of the GOP,S idiots that want to break the law . the ppl. have to understand that thy voted the right way (4 MORE YEARS) now the ppl. have to get rid of the ones that are blocking the way to moving forward . maybe we can reprogram those 2 nuts that shot those inocent ppl. and programs them to shot the ones of the GOP party of dopes that are holding the country back . and when these 2 nuts are programs right then let them out when ther GOPS get together in one place and then let the shots be heard around the country that save our country
http://profile.yahoo.com/RGOUPZ3JYNMPBVOHLZRCRVRD6Q ivory69690

The second is that Boehner is merely playing to his base. After all, the speaker recently acknowledged that the president’s re-election cements that “Obamacare is the law of the land,” and suggested that repealing the law would no longer be a top legislative priority. This op-ed promising to continue targeting health care reform may be an effort to reassure conservatives that he has not given up./// why cant ppl see what the GOP wantsd and who thy care about ? its not the ppl. at all . all the things that are for the ppl. thy want to get rid of .
http://profile.yahoo.com/RGOUPZ3JYNMPBVOHLZRCRVRD6Q ivory69690

In any case, Boehner and the Republicans hold very little leverage in the fiscal cliff negotiations. The speaker can ask for cuts to the Affordable Care Act, but — with control of the White House and the Senate — Democrats have no reason to acquiesce to his demand. If Boehner holds firm and no deal is reached after all, it is rather clear who voters will blame for the failure/// and then the ppl. will see and in 2014 finish clean out the GOP ding dongs in office . we need ppl in office that work for all the ppl of the country and not just for the 2% greedy bastards .
TheOldNorthChurch

Including JohninPCFL suggestions,
The Grand Compromise:
Spending adjusted to Clinton’s last year in Office – Fiscal 2000, adjusted for inflation and population growth: $2,492.7 Billion
(Both Democrats and Republicans will hate this) it will drive the “Political Class” to jump off the cliff.

Tax Code Reset to that of 2000, prior to Bush. Revenues: $2,468.6 Billion
(The Tea Party and Liberals will hate this)

The winner is the Middle Class.
jstsyn

Voters already blame the republicans and showed it at the election. Obviously republicans want to lose control of the House too. All they have to do is continue with the B.S.
William Corn

This is typical of the Republican hypocrites, talking out of both sides of their mouths.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1668320278 Sylvia Butler

Boehner is a Jackass! How did he get his job the AHCA do not go in effect until 1214.
rustacus21

Knowing he & the rest of conservatives already need psychiatric help, the ACA should remain just as it is, so whether they admit it or not, they have the option to get all the help they need – at even MORE affordability, directly due to the Affordable Care Act. In the meantime, Liberal/Progressive & Democratic legislators, as well as ALL of the nation’s competent, coherent citizens, should ignore them & continue OUR coherent, intelligent & POSITIVE initiative of ERASING all remnants of the 2001-2009 administration & ALL of its destructive, backwards policies, that are nothing more than a curse to our MODERN civilization. THIS is the only way we can progress, recover & get better – by completely IGNORING conservatives & their psycopathies…

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