ObamaCare: Prepare For The New Battle

In a symbolic move, the GOP-controlled House of Representatives voted to repeal President's Obama health care reform act. The Republican vote was unanimous.

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The effort was purely for show since the Republicans have control only over the House. The Senate, still under Democratic majority, albeit less so since the last Congressional election, will not even consider a repeal resolution and even in the House the Republicans do not have enough votes to bypass an assured presidential veto were the Senate ever to second the House's act. A 2/3 majority is needed in both houses of Congress to override a veto.

The Senate will also have its own symbolic vote but it is likely to be defeated in the Democratic-controlled chamber.

Although the Republican repeal act was symbolic and the leadership meant it more a red meat for the energized conservative masses and as a promise of their intention to truly repeal "ObamaCare" if the win the White House in 2012, the repeal measure may be more than just symbolic and carries serious consequences for Obama's single most important domestic accomplishment.

Simply put, Congress controls the purse strings. ObamaCare mandates Congress appropriating funds to states and to new bureaucracies in order for the legislation to become useful.

But the GOP could refused to provide those funds in the House and without that the president has no recourse. The way to kill ObamaCare will be to starve it to death.

Without money, there is no ObamaCare institution. Although many of the measures not necessitating funds will remain, such as suspending the precondition rule of insurers.

The White House better prepare for a fight.