Health Care Repeal

Well, it looks like the Republicans are determined to push for full repeal of "ObamaCare" and have no intention of doing any sort of negotiation to improve the law and insert some of their own priorities.  This is no surprise of course- their base would destroy anyone who tried to compromise in any way. 

I could imagine an alternate universe in which Republicans proposed getting rid of the individual mandate or inserting tort reform in return for dropping plans for repeal and/or dropping attempted lawsuits.  In this world, however, they can't do it.

So what's going to happen?  Republicans are clearly going to fight like hell, with every weapon they can think of at their disposal, to destroy health care.  They'll use the courts, they'll use the filibuster, they'll use the budgetary process, and of course they'll continue to lie and demogogue it.  We know all this.

What we don't know is what Democrats will do.  Will they fight back?  Will they huddle in the corner sucking their thumbs?  Will they whine about how Republicans are abusing the filibuster?  Or will they stand up for what they supposedly believe in?

I wish I were more optimistic.  This fight isn't over yet.  The other side is bringing it- are the Democrats ready to keep fighting?

As an addendum, I'll just note that the Democrats are apparently making no changes in filibuster rules, so I fully expect Republicans to stall court nominations among other things.  Then I fully expect Democrats to express lots of predictable outrage while doing nothing about it.  Then, when Republicans are in charge of the Senate and the presidency, I fully expect them to eliminate the filibuster themselves without a second thought when Democrats start to use it, in the face of more Democrat outrage.  Republicans play hardball, and good for them- at least they believe in what they want enough to actually fight dirty for it.  If only their policies weren't so moronic....