This week, the GOP’s Civil War ended and the Tea Party won. John Boehner and Mitch McConnell waved the white flag of surrender, throwing their support behind the irresponsible and dangerous Tea Party plans that would take the economy off a cliff.
Now that the party is united; the debate within the GOP has been relegated to which vehicle Republicans want to use– a government shutdown or a default on our obligations.
And why are they threatening to devastate the economy?
So they can gut ObamaCare and put insurance companies back in the driver’s seat of our health care. Their plan would result in bringing back insurance companies’ ability to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions, allow insurers to charge women more and kick young people off their families’ plans. If they got what they really wanted and repealed ObamaCare it would increase the deficit by $109 billion dollars.
Despite clear evidence that it's both bad policy and bad politics, Republicans in Washington have made these plans the centerpiece of their fall obstruction agenda. Congressional Republicans are so focused on undermining the President and his legislative agenda to boost the economy and improve access to health care for all Americans that they are willing to risk harming the economy, even if it they hurt the economic wellbeing of ordinary Americans in the process.
These kinds of partisan stunts are not what the American people want; they are looking for elected leaders to put ideology aside and find common ground. This week the Tea Party won and the American people lost.
Don’t take our word for it – see below for just a few examples of Republicans being called out for handing over the power of governing to the Tea Party and playing reckless games with the financial security of our country.
HEADLINE: The GOP's Reckless Bet
“Republicans eager for a fight need to realize that some things are not to be trifled with. A nation that does not pay its bills and fails to meet its obligations for spending is hardly following a conservative approach to fiscal policy.” [National Journal, 9/19/13]
HEADLINE: Pressed From His Right, Speaker Yields on a Budget Showdown
“Speaker John A. Boehner waved the white flag on Wednesday, surrendering to demands from his right flank that he tie money to keep the government open after Sept. 30 to stripping President Obama’s health care law of any financing.” [New York Times, 9/18/13]
HEADLINE: Analysis: House Republicans go for broke in fiscal battles
“Another down-to-the-wire fight, potentially more toxic than usual, is rapidly shaping up in the U.S. Congress as conservatives prepare to exploit looming fiscal deadlines to derail President Barack Obama's signature healthcare reform law.” [Reuters, 9/13/13]
HEADLINE: How the Tea Party is winning the GOP fight over ObamaCare
It looks like the Tea Party just won round one. [The Week, 9/18/13]
HEADLINE: The Movement Strikes Back
“For the tea-party coalition and its leaders, it’s a triumphant return to power inside the Beltway . . . . Republican leadership, which initially shrugged off the defunding cry, now faces a flush and angry grassroots operation.” [National Journal, 9/17/13]
HEADLINE: House GOP doubles down on losing bet
“There are about 30 Republicans — a minority, but enough to stymie legislation — who have stood firm against legislation that doesn’t affirmatively defund Obamacare. Their sights are now shifting to the debt ceiling, and some are beginning to say they are willing to ignore the implications of hitting the borrowing limit.” [Politico, 9/19/13]