Sept. 26, 2013 Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Nathan Mehrens today issued the following statement urging every senator to vote “no” on ending debate on the continuing resolution that will ultimately allow funding for Obamacare:
“Some Senate Republicans have come forward arguing that it is unfair to characterize those who oppose Ted Cruz’s battle to defund Obamacare as supporting Obamacare. Yet, how else should one characterize a vote to close debate on a continuing resolution that ultimately allows Obamacare to be funded?
“Cloture is the only vote that matters in the Senate. Any senator who votes ‘yes’ on cloture, is casting a vote that will allow Obamacare to be implemented — it is undeniable. That is the only vote the American people are going to care about. If you vote ‘yes’ for cloture, you support Obamacare.
“It is puzzling that Senate Republicans would then point to the difficulties of passing legislation as the excuse why the Cruz effort is doomed and should have never been attempted, when their alternative is most certainly doomed to failure. Sen. John Cornyn argued on the Sean Hannity program that Republicans just need to get a Senate majority in 2014, and then they could send legislation to Obama that deals with Obamacare, ignoring the fact they will still most likely lack the votes to even get to cloture on such a bill and most certainly will lack the votes to overcome a presidential veto.
“Then, the argument will be that Republicans just need the presidency to undo Obamacare, ignoring the fact that in 2016, the GOP will be even less likely to get a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate — something they have never accomplished — than they are in 2014. So, even if they win the White House, when Democrats filibuster any attempt to undo Obamacare, then the argument will again be they just need more senators to be elected in 2018 to get the job done.
“To follow the Cornyn so-called strategy to its conclusion, the earliest the American people might be able to deal with Obamacare would be in 2019, when it will have been the law of the land for almost a decade. In effect, the Senate Republican strategy to get rid of Obamacare is to allow it to be implemented. It accepts failure as its premise, and to call it plan is the most cynical, condescending trick of all, when it is simply surrender.”
Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at (703)383-0880 or at media@algnews.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Nathan Mehrens.
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