Mighty Casey And The Freedom Caucus

Let me very clear so there is no room for misinterpretation or any chance of you misunderstanding exactly what I think and exactly what I am telling you.

First and foremost, you do not have a Constitutional right to healthcare, period. Neither do I. This is the harsh truth no matter what you have been told or think to be true. No matter how much noise the left makes, there is simply no such right to be found in the Constitution. In fact, the government has no business whatsoever being involved in, providing or paying for you or anyone else to see a doctor, get emergency treatment, receive mental health care or anything else. The Constitution simply does not provide for such things but it is far too late for that argument. The government is in the healthcare business and that isn’t going to change, ever. President Barack Obama and the Democrats guaranteed government would push us around in terms of healthcare when they rammed through the ill-conceived Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare.  We have been manipulated ever since by a variety of players for a variety of reasons.

It’s wrong, you know it and so do I but what are you going to do about it? If you’re like so many you’re going to belly ache about it. You’re going to bitch and complain, you’re going to act out on Facebook and Twitter but in the end none of that will make one bit of difference. Obamacare in some fashion or reincarnation is here to stay and that is nearly certain.

The Freedom Caucus led by Congressman Mark Meadows and others like Senator Rand Paul are on a self-congratulatory victory tour after the American Health Care Act was pulled from the House floor before a vote on the bill could be taken. President Trump and Speaker Ryan had concluded the measure didn’t have a chance of passing because the nearly 40 members of The Freedom Caucus refused to budge on their demands on what they said had to be in the bill. In addition other Republicans were not on board because they said the ACHA went too far and would people in their districts.

My question is what exactly are they celebrating? Did they notice that Democrats like Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton are also doing a victory lap and calling it a great day for America? It might give one pause to stop and consider why those on the hard left are so happy and rejoicing over the success of some of the most outspoken conservatives on Capital Hill.

I have a different, albeit sometimes unpopular point of view with some on the events of the past few days. My opinion is not because I think the Freedom Caucus and its supporters are wrong, I don’t. I agree with them on many points but I also know that repealing Obamacare probably isn’t going to happen.

This was an embarrassing failure on many fronts, including the Freedom Caucus, President Trump and Speaker Ryan among others. You see government involvement in healthcare will be here for the rest of our lives, the only question is to what extent. The only question is how far we can cut it back and what can actually get through Congress.

I agree with the principle of the Freedom Caucus but I also believe they failed to see the bigger picture which is; if you want to repeal Obamacare it is going to take several steps to get there. The Republicans don’t have the votes to get a full repeal because if they did it would have been on the table already. It’s not and it’s not going to be as they all know that it would have less of a chance to pass than what was rejected on Friday. The Freedom Caucus and Rand Paul’s traveling circus would all support the repeal measure but dozens of others would not be as resolute and would absolutely fold.

Barack Obama knew he was making the Affordable Care Act nearly impossible to get rid of when he married it to the IRS.

Maybe one of the biggest irritations through it all has been the antics of Senator Rand Paul and his sanctimonious comments. Nothing is more unattractive to me than some guy smugly working the room because he just ‘knows’ he is the smartest person there. I agree with Senator Paul on the issues too but I am wholly turned off by the way he has approached the entire matter.

Maybe the Senator can wipe the little smirk off his face long enough to come up with a plan to repeal Obamacare that will actually be viable. Maybe the Freedom Caucus can put forth a plan they will support and that will also collect enough votes of those they call Rinos to make the journey to the Presidents desk for his signature.

If I am doing my math right and I am basing it on the social media conversations I had with conservatives all weekend; there are about 210 Rinos in Congress. That is their estimation not mine. But clearly its going to be hard, in fact nearly impossible to get a deal, any deal when you and your supporters are running down more than 200 of your supposed colleagues for not being conservative enough. From what I have read the only good guys in the room are those that are part of The Freedom Caucus.

By the way, Social Security isn’t Constitutional either. It never has been. Should I be looking for a bill to repeal Social Security, Food Stamps, the EPA and every other hair brained scheme we’ve been living with for far too long? I mean if it really is all about principle then the answer of course must be yes.

Politics is a long game. When you get some of things you want and your supporters voted for, in fact a good portion of it, I am of the idea that you should take what you can when you can. You win baseball games hitting singles, lots of singles. Remember Mighty Casey struck out when swinging for the fences. He’d have been far better served just trying to put the ball in play.

Do I need to point out that Mighty Casey team lost?

Now let’s see if you can throw me out at home.