Monday, March 22, 2010

Can Obamacare Be Reversed?

As those of you who follow politics already know, the House of Representatives last evening passed the health care revision bill that had already passed the Senate. It is a sad day for supposedly representative government.

Practically speaking, we are stuck with Obamacare for at least the next 2.75 years. Why? Because any bill to reverse it would need the signature of President Obama. In the event of an presidential veto, overriding a veto requires a 2/3 vote in both House and Senate. It is unlikely that such legislation could attract those super-majorities in both houses.

In the event that President Obama is a one-term president in the model of Jimmy Carter, and if the GOP can muster sufficient votes to pass legislation to overturn Obamacare, it is conceivable that we may only live with it for three years.

If I were a betting person, I'd bet we're stuck with it. I'm a glass-is-half-empty pessimist.