These Things Were Actually Published, Part 1
By Today in classics of unintentional deadpan humor, Mr. Robert Costa:
Leadership sources tell me the House GOP will soon vote on a continuing resolution that simultaneously funds the federal government and defunds Obamacare. Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor are expected to announce the decision at Wednesday’s closed-door conference meeting.
This means the conservatives who have been urging Boehner to back a defunding effort as part of the CR have won a victory, at least in terms of getting the leadership to go along with their strategy. But getting such a CR through the Democratic Senate and signed into law will be very difficult — and many House Republican insiders say a “Plan B” may be needed.
“May.” Yes, getting Obama to sign a bill defunding the PPACA will be “very difficult,” in the sense that it will be “very difficult” for the Astros and Marlins to meet in the World Series this year. But perhaps the House Republican leadership could use the same techniques that Obama could have used to force Congress to support single payer but HE DIDN’T EVEN TRY. But Ted Cruz could definitely raise that green lantern:
Here’s how my sources expect this gambit to unfold: The House passes a “defund CR,” throws it to the Senate, and waits to see what Senator Ted Cruz and his allies can do. Maybe they can get it through, maybe they can’t. Boehner and Cantor will be supportive. But if Cruz and company can’t get it through the Senate, the leadership will urge Republicans to turn their focus to the debt limit, avoid a shutdown, and pass a CR that doesn’t defund Obamacare.
Maybe they can! Personal to Mr. Costa: care to make it interesting? Name your odds. And, goody, see the pundit blandly imply that Republicans will blow up the world economy if the House isn’t permitted to unilaterally repeal the ACA, as if this was a perfectly ordinary and reasonable course of action.
More on the subject of Republican hostage-taking, with welcome points about the terribleness of presidential systems.