Ahead of a likely U.S. House vote on a government funding bill, Yahoo asked conservative and Republican voters whether they'd prefer their representatives vote to fund the government or gut the Affordable Care Act. Here's one voter's perspective.
COMMENTARY | As the House of Representatives prepares for a critical continuing resolution vote concerning a $986 billion funding bill, I support Republicans efforts to defund President Obama's Affordable Care Act, even if such a bold strategy risks government shutdown.
Nobody should desire a stoppage of services, much like those experienced in 1995 and '96, when Congress clashed with President Bill Clinton during budget negotiations. There are reasons such programs exist and funds should be available to allow normal function.
However, as defunding proponent Sen. Ted Cruz recently noted about the previous 28-day shutdown: "Nobody likes that outcome. But it also wasn't the end of the world."
Indeed, even under a potential government shutdown, a majority of federal services continue normally. Mandatory spending assures Social Security payments arrive, mail gets delivered, military remains robustly operational, FAA enables normal air travel, disaster services help citizens, and even Congress continues to work with electricity still running to Capitol Hill.
While closure of national parks, museums, and IRS call centers may prove inconvenient to workers and patrons, they remain just that: an inconvenience.
In contrast, broad consequences from unbridled federal spending and sky-rocketing health care costs may devastate the American economy.
That is why the House Republicans must take a stand and then win the public-relations battle, which was lost in 1995.
I am heartened to see Speaker John Boehner favoring tea party efforts to link funding the government with defunding Obamacare. Yes, the Affordable Care Act was made law in March 2010, but it requires spending from this year's budget. With revenue now needed to provide administration and subsidies of "health care exchanges," its fate remains an appropriate issue for debate.
And that is a battle Republicans can win because the reality of the law's consequences rapidly approach.
In my family, we have begun preparing for increased costs, as we are mandated to make unfavorable coverage changes. Our budget will take a hit, and while insurance companies may benefit, the larger economy will suffer as discretionary spending diminishes.
I applaud our representative, Rep. Tom Rooney, who co-sponsored a similar Senate bill, to defund Obamacare.
While votes likely do not exist in the Democrat-controlled Senate, why must the House always cave? Those 435 members represent the will of the American people as much as the Senate or presidency, perhaps more.
A government shutdown is inconvenient, but ramifications of closed parks are less costly than the impact of Obamacare.
The GOP must use this unique timing to make a powerful change, not a meaningless bluff. Anything less than spending linked to defunding assures not only defeat of those efforts, but altering the economy forever.
Jeff Briscoe is an attorney and writer from Port Charlotte, Fla.
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