Mitch McConnell Surrenders on Obamacare Repeal

Yesterday, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said he won’t move to repeal Obamacare if Republicans win a majority this year.

In a Fox News interview, McConnell was asked if he’d push for “getting rid of the Affordable Care Act” as majority leader.

“It would take 60 votes in the Senate. Nobody thinks we’re going to have 60 Republicans,” McConnell said. “And it would take a president – presidential signature. No one thinks we’re going to get that.”

Rather than reaffirming his pledge to repeal Obamacare “root and branch” as he has vowed to do countless times on the campaign trail, Senator McConnell is now making excuses for why he won’t deliver on his central campaign promise.

Americans are sending Republicans to Washington to do the right thing, not to capitulate to the president. Elections have consequences and voters expect Republicans to do more than just pass bills the president likes. And if the president chooses to veto the bill, then it’s another reason for Americans to elect a strong conservative to the White House in 2016.

And Senator McConnell is wrong. Obamacare can be repealed with 51 votes using budget reconciliation. In 2012, he stated that Obamacare could be repealed with 51 votes and vowed to make repealing Obamacare “job one” if he became the Senate Majority Leader.

Apparently, that was just political posturing.

This is why so few people actually believe Mitch McConnell anymore. He makes conservative promises and then fails to follow through. He said he would rip Obamacare out “root and branch,” but has now flip-flopped days before the election and waved the white flag.

If Mitch McConnell can’t figure out a legislative strategy to repeal Obamacare with a Senate majority, then maybe it’s time for him to step aside and let someone else with more parliamentary skills do the job.

Republican voters expect Republicans in Washington to fully repeal Obamacare. This law is the biggest threat to our nation’s fiscal health and it’s time to repeal it and start over.

FAILED LEADERSHIP

Mitch McConnell is the reason why Republicans are underperforming this year. He, more than anyone else, is the reason why a massive GOP wave hasn’t materialized.

First, McConnell refused to outline a conservative agenda for Republicans. If you ask Americans what Republicans will do if they win a majority, most don’t know.

And if you ask Senator McConnell, he won’t tell you. In fact, last week he was asked what Republicans would do to fix Social Security and he refused to say.

Republicans will probably still win a Senate majority this year, but only because the President is so unpopular. A GOP victory will not be because Republicans gave voters a compelling alternative.

We’re going to win by beating something bad with nothing. Imagine how good the Republican prospects would be if we were beating something bad – the President’s agenda – with something good – a conservative, limited government agenda that expands freedom and opportunity for everyone.

Second, McConnell selfishly sucked over $50 million into his own campaign – money that could have been used to help elect other Republicans if he had retired and allowed a more electable Republican to run instead.

Remember, McConnell pushed former Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) to retire in 2010 for the good of the party, but failed to take his own advice this year.

Third, McConnell violently attacked conservatives in his own party, vowing to “punch” them “in the nose” and to “crush” them “everywhere.” His attacks on conservatives have demoralized the party’s most loyal supporters.

He even personally donated $65,000 and helped raise over $800,000 for Senator Thad Cochran’s race-baiting campaign in Mississippi that used Democrats to hijack a Republican primary.

WORST GOP CANDIDATE IN 2014

There is no better example of an underperforming Republican candidate this year than Mitch McConnell.

McConnell is running in a state that President Obama lost by 23 points, he has a mountain of money, and he’s poised to become the Majority Leader if he wins.

He should be way ahead of his Democratic challenger right now. Instead, he’s locked in an extremely tight race – so tight that he was forced to loan his campaign $1.8 million last week. It’s embarrassing.

The only good news is that Republicans will most likely win enough seats to gain a majority even if Mitch McConnell loses next week.

And if Republicans don’t win a majority, it will be the biggest GOP establishment failure in our lifetime – even bigger than Mitt Romney’s loss in 2012.

Charles Krauthammer said, “If the GOP can’t win back the Senate in the climate like this, maybe the party ought to look for another country.”

Actually, they should look for another leader.

Sincerely,

Ken Cuccinelli II
President
Senate Conservatives Fund
@KenCuccinelli / @SCF