Republicans are betting that they can force Democrats to negotiate a replacement for ObamaCare if they repeal the law first.
GOP leaders are planning a strategy to quickly repeal the law with a simple majority in the Senate, but then delay repeal going into effect for a few years to buy time to craft a replacement.
But passing a replacement won’t be easy. It would require the usual 60 votes in the Senate to advance, meaning some Democratic support would be needed.
To get those votes, Republicans plan to put the squeeze on Democrats by warning that they will take the blame if ObamaCare disappears and the 20 million people who have gained coverage from the law have nowhere to go.
“When that day came and you did nothing, if you want to play politics, I think the blame would go to people who didn’t want to do anything,” House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told reporters last week.
GOP leaders are planning a strategy to quickly repeal the law with a simple majority in the Senate, but then delay repeal going into effect for a few years to buy time to craft a replacement.
But passing a replacement won’t be easy. It would require the usual 60 votes in the Senate to advance, meaning some Democratic support would be needed.
To get those votes, Republicans plan to put the squeeze on Democrats by warning that they will take the blame if ObamaCare disappears and the 20 million people who have gained coverage from the law have nowhere to go.
“When that day came and you did nothing, if you want to play politics, I think the blame would go to people who didn’t want to do anything,” House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told reporters last week.
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