Obamacare can be stopped, but Coburn objects

HHS Secretary Sebelius with President Obama

Jenny Beth Martin writing for Breitbart.com asserts that Senate Republicans can stop Obamacare.

"There is a clear path to victory and the folks comprising the new Republican leadership emerging in the House and Senate are smart enough and bold enough to take that path." Martin writes.

"Understanding the options available to these new leaders requires an understanding of a few of the basics of Senate rules and process.  Otherwise folks like Karl Rove will tell you to “do the math” counting Democrat Senators without telling you that Senate Republicans have the ability to change the formula. "To help simplify an explanation of the Senate process, think of it like a football game where the rules and timing are set, but there are different plays at your disposal.  Winning requires playing the game with a focus on fundamentals.

"Let’s go with one possible scenario that could unfold this week.  As early as Monday, the Senate could agree to take up the House bill passed last Friday that funds everything in the government but Obamacare.  The Senate can do this by something called “unanimous consent,” if no one Senator objects, or if one Senator does object, they can put it to a vote requiring 60 votes to pass.  For the purposes of this exercise, let’s say one or the other is successful and the bill goes to the Senate floor for consideration," Martin writes.

Click here for more on Breitbart.com.

Oklahoma's Senator Tom Coburn suggests, however, that it should not be done.  Dr. Coburn shared his thoughts on the CR Sunday on CBS’s "Face the Nation."

He described how the tactic is well-intentioned but flawed and encouraged conservatives to not undermine a historic victory on spending (the Budget Control Act) in order to pursue a flawed strategy on Obamacare.  He recently sent a letter to Speaker Boehner and Senator Reid urging them to not unravel the BCA by putting Congress on a path to bust the caps.  Spending levels for FY 2014 should be $967 billion, not $986 billion.

Previously, Dr. Coburn has released CRS reports describing how a government shutdown will not shut down Obamacare and a report detailing the 19 times Obamacare has been modified.  The video from YouTube follows.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=mW2EIXkXBnY