Rubio moves to the right of House GOP (on Affordable Care Act)

[ProSense]

Rubio moves to the right of House GOP

By Steve Benen

When House Republicans passed a temporary spending bill to keep the government running through September -- its "continuing resolution" -- they picked a small fight over sequestration, but left the bigger fights for another day. Some on the far-right pushed GOP House leaders to go further, but Speaker John Boehner demurred, unwilling to push towards a government shutdown.

Soon after, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said he hopes to block the stop-gap spending bill unless Congress delays funding of the Affordable Care Act. The reaction from nearly everyone, including Republicans, was a whole lot of eye-rolling -- not just because Cruz has positioned himself as an unserious crank, but also because no one seriously believes GOP lawmakers will shut down the government in order to block "Obamacare" implementation....Cruz now has an ally: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). Greg Sargent reports this morning:

This just in, from Rubio's office: RUBIO TO OPPOSE STOP-GAP GOVERNMENT FUNDING BILL -- UNLESS IT DEFUNDS OBAMACARE

In so doing, Rubio joins Senator Ted Cruz, who has said he'll object to any bill that continues to fund the government unless it cuts off funds from Obamacare. One imagines that continuing to feed the Obamacare repeal fantasy is a requirement for anyone who wants to be competitive in the next GOP presidential primary.

Quite right. Rubio, responding to the wishes of right-wing activists, is now saying he'd rather see a government shutdown than see the Affordable Care Act continue to be implemented...The Florida Republican justified his posturing during an interview on a far-right radio show, telling Hugh Hewitt that he wants to "defund this health care bill ... that is going to be an absolute disaster for the American economy." Rubio made the comments before this morning's jobs report, which helped show the law isn't a disaster for the American economy.

Wait, it gets worse.

To put this in some additional context, Rubio, fresh off his votes against the Violence Against Women Act and against disaster relief for Sandy victims, is now to the right of House Republicans when it comes to funding the government. Sure, Cruz is just as foolish, but Rubio wants to be taken seriously as a credible national leader of his party.


- more -

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/03/08/17237358-rubio-moves-to-the-right-of-house-gop

Moving to the right of the House GOP puts Rubio and Cruz in batshit crazy territory.

Ted Cruz: New budget must defund Obamacare
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022468570

It gets better. Evidently, House Republicans are begging the President Obama to expand funding for "Obamacare's" high risk pool.

GOP Leaders: Refashion Obamacare To Address Preexisting Conditions In The Short-Run

Sahil Kapur

<...>

After years of scorched-earth opposition to the Affordable Care Act, they recognize that appearing opposed to the law’s well-liked coverage guarantee for sick people — around which much of the rest of “Obamacare” is built — is a political vulnerability.

So this week, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) and five others wrote a letter calling on President Obama to support the transfer of money from Obamacare’s prevention and wellness fund to a temporary program designed to protect sick people before the law’s preexisting condition guarantee takes effect in 2014.

“We believe allowing those with pre-existing conditions access to health insurance is another worthy reason to reprogram these funds,” the GOP lawmakers wrote. “With your support, we could help these Americans get the care they need.”

<...>

Democrats scoff at the GOP’s letter, declaring that if Republicans actually care about people with preexisting conditions, they should support implementing Obamacare.

“Unfortunately the Republicans continue to take every opportunity to try to decimate the prevention fund,” Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) told TPM. “The best way to take care of individuals in the high risk pool is to implement the Affordable Care Act.”

- more -

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/03/house-gop-we-really-care-about-preexisting-conditions.php

And then there is the Medicaid expansion, which includes an offer some Republican Governers are finding hard to refuse, full funding.

GOP Governor Begs Her Party To Expand Medicaid: ‘The Human Cost Of This Tragedy Can’t Be Calculated’
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/03/06/1679461/brewer-medicaid-human-cost/

[ProSense]

1. Kick! n/t

[Sandy one]

3. There goes the Latino vote.

There you go. Rubio is just another right wing tea party guy who happens to be Cuban. Bet he loves all his benefits that we pay for. Hey Rubio, will you cut your own salary and healthcare? Sure, when hell freezes over!

[jwirr]

2. Now we know why he and his family left Cuba - health care was universal.