McConnell: We'll Keeping Fighting Health Care Law Whether It's Popular or Not

Getty Images/Mark Wilson

WASHINGTON -- Republicans are "just getting started" clawing back President Obama's health care reforms and reshaping the dialogue in Washington, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said today at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

"We're not about to retreat," McConnell said at the annual Washington gathering, which attracted tens of thousands of conservatives. He called the health care reforms the tipping point that galvanized the conservative movement to make a comeback.

Democrats have slammed Republicans, now that they control the House, for continuing to focus on a repeal of the new health care laws, even as the economy continues to flounder. McConnell countered today that the GOP should continue its fight against the reforms - regardless of what voters think - because Republicans should stand by their principles.

"When we started this debate, the president's vision of reform had the support of about 70 percent of the American people," McConnell said. "But here's the problem: We didn't swear an oath to uphold whatever's popular. We swore an oath to uphold the Constitution."

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"And according to the Constitution, nobody in Washington has a right to force anybody to buy something against their will," he added, referencing the line of attack conservatives have used in their court challenges against the legislation.

McConnell filed a brief in support of one of the pending lawsuits, one of which could very well end up heading to the Supreme Court.

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"Republicans will keep fighting it in the House, in the Senate, in the courts, and at public forums throughout the country until Obamacare goes the way of Hillarycare," he said.

Incidentally, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich spoke at the CPAC conference directly following McConnell and cited polls showing Americans are in favor of repealing the health care reforms as reason to keep pushing for repeal.

Nevertheless, McConnell urged the conservative activists at the conference to "never confuse what's popular with what's right."

He added, "If we do our jobs, popularity will take care of itself."

Indeed, a recent Gallup poll showed the Republican party has won its first positive approval rating since 2005. Still, fewer than half say they have a positive opinion of the party.

McConnell noted today that Republicans have managed to focus the debate in Washington this year on reducing government spending.

"We're having a serious debate right now about how free enterprise can stimulate our economy, not how the government can create jobs," he said.

He struck an optimistic note, declaring that Republicans "have embarked on our comeback."

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Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com. You can read more of her posts here.

[CJB42]

One should note a commonly confused detail regarding the Medicare insurance enrollment periods is there is no enrollment period for <a href="http://www.mysenioradvisorsgroup.com/index.html">Medicare Supplemental Insurance</a>. Many often confuse Medicare Supplement with <a href=" http://medicareadvantage2011.com/">Medicare Advantage</a> Plans. They are two completely different animals.

[pasha128]

IF government run health care is so bad -- why not allow the insurance companies bid for their desired number of "average persons" to insure. They have to make their profit from the difference between the average Medicare payments and the REDUCED costs of services their efficiencies can provide. Efficiencies are introduced as the companies are allowed a targeted percentage of profit. If they exceed that target the government reduces their payments the following year by 10% of the excess profits. There would need to be a cola adjustment for profit percentage that should be equivalent to the cola adjustment used elsewhere in the government such as for Social Security payments for retirees.

[levelheadedtoo]

FOR SALE: US Senator. Non election year 2010, Campaign contributions to Mitch McConnell Health Care Professionals $1,615,000. Securities & Investment (Wall Street) $2,350,000. Do we need to say any more. Bought and paid for!

[pasha128]

by retm-w February 10, 2011 8:45 PM EST
Medicare is so efficient that it is going broke. BY the way TRI-Care is run by private insurance companies not the government, the government just pays the premiums.

-----

FACTS vs your delusions.

TRI-CARE and Medicare operate under common FEDERAL AUTHORITIES unlike private insurance providers.

http://www.tricareinsurance.com/home.html

# TRICARE and MEDICARE are Sister Programs and pay the Doctors nearly identically
# The Doctors' Office uses the Same Claim Form for TRICARE and MEDICARE
# By Federal Law, if a Hospital accepts MEDICARE, it is mandatory due to Federal Funding Requirements that they accept TRICARE.

[pasha128]

Just think of the cost savings alone for medical providers (those that actually treat patients) if the private insurers joined with Medicare and TRICARE to create a common set of claim forms for the entire health insurance sector. That would be an indicator of RESPONSIBLE actions for the PRIVATE insurers to decrease costs for health related services.

[olebasiclady]

by olebasiclady February 10, 2011 9:34 PM EST
My friend's Social Security check has a deduction of $112.00 a month for medical insurance. In addition, she pays $99.00 a month out of pocket for a supplement through Blue Cross. Now, I don't know how much Medicare Tax she paid in through the almost 50 years she worked, but that amount, placed in a special savings account for that purpose, and combined with the $112.00 monthly taken from her SS check, and the $99.00 additional out of pocket, would pay for a good insurance policy for years to come.

I really think the FG is ripping us off BIGTIME with Medicare.

[pasha128]

Not to mention that many seniors are effectively parred from the insurance markets due to pre-existing conditions. Even if they were given access with their pre-existing conditions their rates would be staggering or coverage they REALLY NEED would be PROVISIONED AWAY from them by the PRIVATE INSURANCE PROVIDERS.

[levelheadedtoo]

You have only touch the tip of the problem for seniors. The average individual private plan for someone 60 -63 (not available for those 64)is about $1,200 per month (for a couple). The deductible is $5000 per person, no office visits, no co-pay, no dental, no mental and no Rx. If you are a senior and get laid off, you will not qualify for insurance if you can find a new job. Of course, your lifetime medical record is subject to pre-existing conditions. Medicare is the salvation to millions of seniors. So go ahead GOP and cut away!

[olebasiclady]

by jimbom121 February 10, 2011 8:42 PM EST
Please keep fighting, until the Federal Government healthcare involvement is limited to regulationing, and not provisioning.

-----------------------------------------------

That was the gist of the new law. Of course the government was already in the business in medicare and the VA.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jimbob, honey, the FG already provides free medical care (Medicaid) for MILLIONS and in 2012, MILLIONS more will become elgible.

This free provision of medical care IS NOT regulating - it IS provisioning.

[pasha128]

There are limits to all resources in the medical community. Apparently you prefer the current system of PROVISIONING based on PURE CORPORATE GREED without any concerns as to the equivalent treatment of individuals to NON DISCRIMINATORY government regulations where all people are treated equally?

[RobAla]

Continue the fight, because the majority of Americans don't want it and because it is an economic disaster in the making. Thank you.

[jimbom121]

I guess 20% is now a majority.

[olebasiclady]

jimbob, where did you get 20%? The NAACP??

[noloyalisti]

Yeah clown face, we know who pays you for office: the evil rich "health" insurance corporations.

[thinking-voter]

*watches as the will of the people flies right out the window*

Good one, McConnell.

[hhandyman]

my congressman Mitch must not belielve in right to life if he believes that health care should not be funded. Abortion after the fact is Murder and as a dialysis patient with no dialysis its a fairly slow death due to impuritues in the blood that is what Mitch is sentencing every dialysis patient with.
will I support him in his next election? Would you suppport the Man that wants to kill your life support? ghee yes I am Bias id like to live past 59.