The Republican majority in the House of Representatives is currently engaged in a pointless exercise: voting to repeal Obamacare on the basis of a few hours of debate and discussion. No doubt the vote will be successful. It would surely bode ill for the Speaker if it falls short on numbers, given the GOP dominance in the chamber. Ultimately, however, the vote is a waste of time and focus. For the Bill has no chance whatsoever of proceeding into law, given the existence of a Democratic-majority in the Senate and the veto power of a progressive socialist in the White House.
Good governance requires the forging of majority coalitions capable of remedying bad law. Not all of Obamacare is bad law. For example, provisions concerning medical pre-conditions and continued coverage for those who become sick are widely supported. Good governance requires that good reforms should be preserved, and only bad laws removed. A piecemeal reform is appropriate. Morever, carefully selected reforms have a much better chance of working their through the Senate. If popular reforms are vetoed by the President, then his second-term is much more likely to be jeopardized.
Let us hope that this initial rush of blood to the GOP head will quickly dissipate and that a more effective approach to legislation will emerge. If not, then the GOP’s hold on the House will fairly quickly disappear. The GOP House members would do well to imbibe some public choice scholarship instead of rushing lemming-like into futile legislation.
