Harry Reid annoys me. Anyone who has read this blog consistently will know how much Harry Reid annoys me.When news reports hit that on January 12, 2011, the House of Representatives, who as of today is controlled by the GOP, would be passing a two page bill repealing Obamacare, I said go for it. Force Democrats in the Senate (23 are up for reelection in 2012) to go on record supporting the chaotic Obamacare plan against the opposition of the majority of Americans.
My exact thoughts on that are at a previous post titled "Obamacare- Republicans Should Force Democrats To Vote With The People Or Against Them."
Ok, caught up? Good.
In that same post, I mentioned Harry Reid and other Senate Democrats, had decided to try to tell the new Speaker of the House, John Boehner, what he should and should not do, by "warning" him not to bother with health care repeal as they vow to block it in the Senate.
"The incoming House Republican majority that you lead has made the repeal of the federal health care law one of its chief goals. We urge you to consider the unintended consequences that the law’s repeal would have on a number of popular consumer protections that help middle class Americans," the Democrats said.
Democrats said repeal would threaten the consumer protections included in the healthcare package, including the provision that eliminates the so-called "doughnut hole" in seniors' Medicare drug coverage.
"If House Republicans move forward with a repeal of the healthcare law that threatens consumer benefits like the 'donut hole' fix, we will block it in the Senate. This proposal deserves a chance to work. It is too important to be treated as collateral damage in a partisan mission to repeal health care," wrote Reid, Majority Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.), Democratic Vice Chairman Charles Schumer (N.Y.), Conference Secretary Patty Murray (Wash.) and Policy Committee Vice Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (Mich.).
More news came out, claiming John Boehner, responded to Harry Reid's warning. I swore it was a joke. No way!!! Soft spoken Boehner wouldn't! He didn't!
OMG, he did!
Boehner's response to Reid, Durbin, Schumer, Murray and Stabenow: (H/T RedState)
Senators Reid, Durbin, Schumer, Murray and Stabenow:
Thank you for reminding us – and the American people – of the backroom deal that you struck behind closed doors with ‘Big Pharma,’ resulting in bigger profits for the drug companies, and higher prescription drug costs for 33 million seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D, at a cost to the taxpayers of $42.6 billion.
The House is going to pass legislation to repeal that now. You’re welcome.
- Speaker-Designate John Boehner’s Press Office
Whether Reid allows the House's repeal bill to come to a vote in the Senate or not, Boehner and Republicans are drawing a line here, showing that on this issue they are keeping promises that were made across the board when campaigning for the midterms.The promise to repeal Obamacare.
They won't stop at this vote either, it is the starting volley. Since Democrats still control the Senate and have already vowed to block this total repeal, the GOP who now controls the House aka purse strings, can and have already stated they will defund Obamacare by not appropriating monies to Obamacare related needs.
I have always maintained that House Representatives should actually represent us, those they are elected to represent.
I have wanted to tell Harry Reid to take a long walk off a short pier for a very long time and John Boehner just did, which means he represented me and thousands if not millions of others by doing it so publicly with his "You're Welcome" letter.
So allow me to say, Speaker Boehner... Thank you!!!
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