Defund the NSA not the ACA.
The Tea Party and GOP hate the Affordable Care Act. The thought of the government exerting so much authority to give average Americans a shot at affordable health care just drives them nuts. They are equally passionate in their hatred of domestic surveillance by the National Security Agency revealed by Edward Snowden. Even though a plan to defund the NSA has been defeated once, not the 40 + failures to repeal the ACA, the GOP is still trying to kill Obamacare that IS constitutional.
Defund the NSA, fund the ACA
It was revealed, through another leak, that the NSA budget was $10.8 billion for 2013. With so many congressional representatives calling the NSA surveillance unconstitutional, defunding the previously covert operation seems like a natural step. If you kill the funding, you kill the domestic spying. Conservatives in congress could find some bi-partisan ground with liberals over cutting the NSA budget because many Democrats are equally paranoid of the surveillance operations.
My Tea Party Rep
My own confused congressman, Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA), has called for amnesty for admitted national security thief and leaker Edward Snowden while not wanting to grant amnesty to thousands of undocumented immigrants who honorably work and pay taxes in our country. McClintock has signed a letter and co-sponsored a bill calling for the defunding of Obamacare. He and 80 other “mad as hell” congressman are going to stomp their feet, hold their breath and hopefully shut down the federal government by not voting for any budget bill that allows the ACA to move forward.
Raising money to hurt Americans
So firm is McClintock’s belief that the ACA should be repealed that he runs Internet ads begging viewers to support his cause and, of course, give him money. These conservative obstructionists against affordable health insurance for all Americans are a bunch of conservative suits full of Tea Party rhetoric gleefully spouting hollow slogans about constitutional rights all in an effort to fill their campaign accounts from big money SuperPacs like American Crossroads, Club For Growth Action, and American Action Network.
Road block to reform
80 House members and 14 Senators have signed up to vote against any federal budget continuing resolution that doesn’t defund Obamacare. Since the revenue to fund much of the ACA comes from new taxes on health plans and medical equipment, those opposed to offering tax credits to families to afford health insurance really just want to stop the funding mechanism for Obamacare.
Proponents of unfunded mandates
This is somewhat ironic because these are the same people that whine about unfunded mandates. The ACA, as originally written, was fully funded by the new taxes. These are also the same folks that brought us the unfunded Medicare Part D Prescription Drug plan under President Bush which is a tremendous help to seniors but also adds to the budget deficit.
How is helping people horrible?
If these congressmen want to save us from Obamacare and protect our constitutional rights they should all introduce legislation that would defund the NSA. Of course, they might be accused of being soft on terrorism. Although, they have no problem be called callous and hard-hearted when it comes to helping working families afford health insurance which is the gateway to a healthier, more productive life. If they are true patriots they will defund the NSA and support the ACA.
Kevin Knauss urges Rep. McClintock to support ACA
I visited Congressman McClintock’s office in Granite Bay to urge him, as a constituent, to support the Affordable Care Act and not vote against a continuing budget resolution that retains the funding mechanism for premium assistance for middle class families to afford health insurance.
