As Ev Dirksen, the great Senate Minority Leader from Illinois, was fond of saying, “I am a man of fixed and unbending principles, the first of which is to be flexible at all times.” Major legislation, such as the repeal and replacement (R and R) of Obamacare, requires political flexibility, and that almost always is expensive.
Harry Reid had to be “flexible” to pass Obamacare in the first place, and it was quite expensive. There was the “Louisiana Purchase” to get Sen. Mary Landrieu, and the “Cornhusker Kickback” to get Sen. Ben Nelson. (It’s odd, isn’t it, that neither won another term, despite bringing home special goodies to their States?) As the R and R goes through the various House and Senate Committees, and to the floor, there will be lots of compromising going on, and it will almost all cost money. That’s, like, politics.
As slimy old Bill Clinton understood about Obamacare, once it was passed, the die was cast. It gave a very valuable benefit to a whole lot of people, and taking it away would be virtually impossible. Those with long memories will never forget the footage of Ways and Means Chairman Dan Rostenkowski being surrounded in his car by a mob of outraged senior citizens, beating on its hood, demanding that some small benefit they had be retained. He was one of the most powerful men in Washington, and he caved like a cardboard suitcase.
So the federal government is not going to abandon the millions who have benefited from Obamacare, and that’s going to cost a whole lot of money. That money will be borrowed, from your children, and my grandchildren. And this theft from future generations will continue unabated, until a Balanced Budget Amendment is passed. And that will only happen from the States, using Article V.
Trump wants his new Navy, and he’ll get it. Congress never really says no to spending money on infrastructure. Entitlements are off limits, and we’re all going to get a tax cut. What’s not to like? We don’t have to pay for it.
Lindsey Stroud of the Heartland Institute was kind enough to put this blog up on their “Freedom Pub”. Heartland is stepping up, taking the lead, and showing the way for other such organizations. We need all the support we can get.
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