Can the Healthcare Bill be Repealed?

There is concern among a lot of people whether the recent “healthcare” bill that has been passed can be repealed. Much of the concern centers around whether people will care about repealing the bill long enough to make a difference. Sure, there is much anger about the bill among those in the tea party movement, and a lot of anger outside of the tea party movement as well. But can that anger last until November of this year to affect the elections?

I think the anger will last. For one thing, those who passed the bill (such as Obama and Pelosi) will not let people forget that they passed the bill. This was not a bill that they passed in secret in the dead of night. This was done in broad daylight (with much backdoor dealing and arm twisting, to be sure, however): this is something they are proud of. The healthcare bill is Obama’s baby, his legacy, and considering how much he likes to talk about himself, I doubt he can stop talking about his accomplishment of reforming healthcare in America and using that as a launching point to pass other sweeping reforms. The point is, I don’t think Obama, Pelosi, and others will let Americans forget that they passed healthcare reform, and being constantly reminded of that fact, American’s anger should remain high, likely all the way into November.

But does this mean that the healthcare bill will be repealed? I don’t know, and much of my worry about it not being repealed rests on my perception of the tea party movement itself.

I am all in favor of the tea party movement. I think it is great that a large group of Americans are banded together to oppose much of what is going on in Washington. My concern is that I don’t know if the tea party movement can remain unified long enough to make a lasting impact. For instance, what will happen after the election in November, assuming that conservatives are able to take back the House and Senate (the best case scenario)? If those elected in November remain true to conservative principles, the legislative march to repeal the healthcare reform bill will begin. But that will be a tough mountain to climb. Not only will they be opposed every step of the way by liberals (both Democrats and any RINOs left in Congress), they will be constantly demonized by the mainstream media as heartless monsters who want people to die in the streets, and Obama will still be around for at least two more years, to add his own demonization of the conservatives and veto any bill they try to pass. The road to repeal will be a long, bloody battle.

What will happen to conservatives as they try to repeal the bill? The weak ones might cave in and turn RINO, and wind up opposing the very thing they were elected to do. Some in the tea party movement may recognize that the road will be hard and will remain steadfast in their position and support of the remaining conservatives. Others may become frustrated because there is no immediate change. Impatient with the progress, and disheartened by the falling away of some conservatives, these tea party members will turn against the Republicans (which I am assuming will be the party the majority of the conservatives will belong to), curse them as being no better than the Democrats, and turn to a third party, independents, or some other ineffective outlet. At this point, the tea party movement would fall apart or become a shadow of what it was. Without a strong backing, the remaining conservatives in Congress will become disheartened themselves, and even more may turn RINO.

So, can the healthcare bill be repealed? I think so, but it will require strength and patience on the part of those in the tea party movement and other Americans who want the bill repealed. It will require not only electing conservative representatives in the coming election, it will require holding those elected officials to account, and calmly, systematically removing any who turn RINO from office in later elections, rather than getting angry and lashing out against conservatives or a conservative group (such as those conservatives in the Republican party) as a whole. This will take patience, long memory, and perseverance for a long term goal. Hopefully, those qualities have not been lost in Americans.