Oh, yes, it can happen.
Here is exactly how one member of the Senate can force a vote on ObamaCare repeal. First, one Senator needs to use the provisions of Rule 14, to block H.R. 2 from being referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP).
OK, let's assume that's done.
Once you object to the bill being read a second time, it can sit on the Calendar for the next 2 years or until conservatives have mustered the votes to pass the bill. Conservative have a few options. Option one is to force a vote on H.R. 2 and option two is to use the amending process in the Senate to force a vote on full repeal.
Takes 1 (plus 16 other Senators) to get that done.
I would imagine that Senator RoJo will be one of the 16. Right?
The best part? Begin by recalling that in '12, there will be 21 (D) Senators up for re-election (20 if you don't count Dorgan, who announced he will not run.) At least one of them (Nelson/Nebraska) is running scared-to-death. McCaskill (MO) is weak, as is the (D) from Idaho. There are a few others who, if they support ObamaCare, are simply putting nails into their coffin.
So force them to vote on it. It's better to win that vote than lose it--but it's also very good to lose the vote and put about 12 more seats into the (R) column.
By the time the election comes around, no Democrat is going to be worrying about supporting PPACA. The folks are already starting to come around.
ReplyDeleteLet's see if the senate has grown some gonads.
ReplyDeleteJohnson needs to push for a vote.