Q. Why are the Republicans doing this?
A. GOP lawmakers believe that voters who saw the Obama-backed health-care reforms as a Big Government overreach were a major reason for the party's landslide victory in November's midterm election. Voting for repeal is a step toward fulfilling their campaign promise.
Q. So, will they get it done?
A. Put it this way: The 76ers have a much better chance of winning an NBA title this season. The GOP lacks a majority to pass major legislation in the Senate, let alone to reach the 60 votes to prevent a Democratic filibuster. If by some miracle the repeal did get out of Congress, it would be vetoed by Obama, and there would not be enough Republican votes to override the veto.
Q. So why bother?
A. This week's House vote is, in essence, a glorified conservative kickoff ad for the 2012 elections.
"They're saying, 'If you really want us to go full- steam ahead, we have to have the Senate and the presidency as well,' " said Robin Kolodny, a Temple University associate professor of political science who specializes in Congress.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Repeal
The Philadelphia Daily News provides some background on the House vote to repeal the health care law.
