# Could/would a DEM-majority congress repeal all the GOP damage after the midterms? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 15, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571 "2017-12-15T17:44:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chetumal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@Chetumal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chetumal)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571/1 "2017-12-15T17:44:37Z")
Let’s say that the GOP passes its tax bill, and next year also repeals the ACA. If the Dems retake the house and senate next fall, how easy would it be for them to just repeal all of the bills that the GOP passed in 2017/2018? ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571/2 "2017-12-15T17:46:03Z")
No. Not unless the Democratic majority is veto proof. Which is not in the cards, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571/3 "2017-12-15T17:49:37Z")
Well, they could spend two years bring repeated (if futile) impeachment proceedings, just to pass the time. ---
**Author:** ![squidfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@squidfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squidfood)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571/4 "2017-12-15T18:02:39Z")
We would see the Dem version of passing dozens of ACA repeals to be vetoed by Obama. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571/5 "2017-12-15T18:38:05Z")
It’s not the bills that the GOP has passed that are concerning, it is far more the policy implementations of the executive that has done damage and can’t be immediately reversed. The actions of his cabinet and his judicial appointees are by far worse than the few bills of substance that the GOP has passed. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571/6 "2017-12-15T19:47:22Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > It’s not the bills that the GOP has passed that are concerning, it is far more the policy implementations of the executive that has done damage and can’t be immediately reversed. The actions of his cabinet and his judicial appointees are by far worse than the few bills of substance that the GOP has passed. Oh no, the tax bill has drastic consequnces. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571/7 "2017-12-15T19:52:10Z")
> [@squidfood](#): > > We would see the Dem version of passing dozens of ACA repeals to be vetoed by Obama. Except we saw for years the republicans constantly try to repeal the ACA. They had no plans on replacing it, and when they finally did get in charge, they had to show their hand. They tried and tried and tried to hurt the people of the US, and were blocked by Obama from doing so. If for the next couple of years the dems keep trying to pass a healthcare plan that would improve the lives of millions, and they are blocked by trump from doing so, that may go over a bit better with the voters. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571/8 "2017-12-15T20:37:06Z")
If the Dems win back Congress and they say their primary goal is to ensure that Donald Trump is a one-term president, how many Republicans will call them traitors for disrespecting the presidency, especially now when there’s a war on somewhere, still. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571/9 "2017-12-15T20:55:19Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > If the Dems win back Congress and they say their primary goal is to ensure that Donald Trump is a one-term president, how many Republicans will call them traitors for disrespecting the presidency, especially now when there’s a war on somewhere, still. I don’t know that their goal should be to make him a one term president. That seems a bit too long. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571/10 "2017-12-15T21:25:13Z")
> [@Chetumal](#): > > Let’s say that the GOP passes its tax bill, and next year also repeals the ACA. If the Dems retake the house and senate next fall, how easy would it be for them to just repeal all of the bills that the GOP passed in 2017/2018? As other have said, the real roadblock is that President Trump would presumably veto most things passed by a majority-D Congress, including a tax hike or a re-implementation of ObamaCare. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571/11 "2017-12-15T21:37:09Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > As other have said, the real roadblock is that President Trump would presumably veto most things passed by a majority-D Congress, including a tax hike or a re-implementation of ObamaCare. And if those are things that the people want, which seems likely, as most are against the tax plan and the repeal of the ACA, then every time he does that, he campaigns for the democrats. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571/12 "2017-12-15T21:38:56Z")
I’m not sure if the OP means that the Dems will have a Dem president on their side or not. If it’s Trump in the Oval Office, why would he sign off on any of their repeals, any more than Obama would sign a bill repealing Obamacare? Now, if the Dems control all three branches of government after 2020, sure, I think it would happen. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571/13 "2017-12-15T21:45:48Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Now, if the Dems control all three branches of government after 2020, sure, I think it would happen. In that case you could presumably use reconciliation to repeal the tax cut bill, but I don’t think it would work to re-implement ObamaCare, at least not in its entirety. ETA: I suppose Schumer could use the nuclear option to eliminate the legislative filibuster too. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571/14 "2017-12-15T21:47:07Z")
Unless they can tie repeals to mandatory funding, not going to happen. That is how Pelosi got the minimum wage hiked in 2007. She tied it to an Iraq war funding bill. On another note, if the dems win the senate in 2018 they called block all judge nominations until 2021. So that’s good. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571/15 "2017-12-15T21:48:11Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > In that case you could presumably use reconciliation to repeal the tax cut bill, but I don’t think it would work to re-implement ObamaCare, at least not in its entirety. If reconciliation can be used to repeal the aca, why wouldn’t it work to bring it back? Unless you mean with president Trump. Yeah trump wouldn’t sign a law bringing the aca back. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571/16 "2017-12-15T22:05:54Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > If reconciliation can be used to repeal the aca, why wouldn’t it work to bring it back? … They were calling it the “skinny repeal” before McCain voted against it because there were some aspects of the law they could NOT repeal through reconciliation. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571/17 "2017-12-15T22:23:17Z")
Even if the Democrats took veto-proof majorities in both houses of Congress and impeached their way to President Pelosi, they still couldn’t get Gorsuch out of Garland’s Supreme Court seat. They could eventually put in other just and moral Justices, but that would take time. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2017, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571/18 "2017-12-15T22:25:08Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Even if the Democrats took veto-proof majorities in both houses of Congress and impeached their way to President Pelosi, they still couldn’t get Gorsuch out of Garland’s Supreme Court seat. They could eventually put in other just and moral Justices, but that would take time. SCOTUS justices can be impeached, can’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571/19 "2017-12-16T01:54:37Z")
Yes they can. IIRC only one judge has ever been removed on impeachment and that was for gross corruption. Doesn’t matter; there is 0 chance they could get 67 senators. Even an openly racist non-pedophile version of Moore would have won. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2017, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571/20 "2017-12-16T01:57:49Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Unless they can tie repeals to mandatory funding, not going to happen. > > That is how Pelosi got the minimum wage hiked in 2007. She tied it to an Iraq war funding bill. Maybe tie it to bills allowing the President to take vacations on an actual golf course instead of the kind where each hold has a little windmill. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-would-a-dem-majority-congress-repeal-all-the-gop-damage-after-the-midterms/804571.md?page=2)