# Will Republicans actually repeal the Affordable Care Act? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 19, 2016, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377 "2016-09-19T20:27:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377/1 "2016-09-19T20:27:21Z")
I know that Congressional Republicans have voted over 60 times to repeal the ACA. But in all those cases, they _knew_ it would get vetoed by Obama. It could just be empty political posturing on their part. If Trump gets elected, and the GOP controls Congress, will they _really_ do it, when push comes to shove? Will the fear of a backlash from millions losing their healthcare coverage be enough to deter them from actually repealing it? ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377/2 "2016-09-19T20:42:07Z")
Repeal has never passed in the Senate. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377/3 "2016-09-19T20:42:13Z")
Given how they’ve built it up as their _sine qua non_, if they don’t repeal it they’ll be facing angry republican voters and primary challenges next time out. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377/4 "2016-09-19T20:44:49Z")
In a heartbeat. If they have control of both houses and a malleable President, ACA is doomed. Either by straight repeal or more likely replacement by a version that is worse than nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377/5 "2016-09-19T21:06:43Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Given how they’ve built it up as their _sine qua non_, if they don’t repeal it they’ll be facing angry republican voters and primary challenges next time out. I think it’s possible that there will be some behind the scenes maneuvers by the leadership, ensuring that there are exactly enough votes by Republicans in moderate districts (in combination with the Democrats) to defeat passage of the repeal. I’m by no means certain of this, but I think it’s a possibility. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377/6 "2016-09-19T21:13:18Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > I think it’s possible that there will be some behind the scenes maneuvers by the leadership, ensuring that there are exactly enough votes by Republicans in moderate districts (in combination with the Democrats) to defeat passage of the repeal. I’m by no means certain of this, but I think it’s a possibility. They couldn’t control their party enough to stop Trump. What makes you think they could do this? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377/7 "2016-09-19T21:18:46Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > In a heartbeat. If they have control of both houses and a malleable President, ACA is doomed. Either by straight repeal or more likely replacement by a version that is worse than nothing. Assuming the fantasy that they control both houses of Congress AND Trump gets elected, then this…they would do it in a heartbeat and probably as soon as they can while they have the chance. There is a very real and wide spread perception among Republican’s that the ACA was and is a huge mistake and has a disproportionate impact on small and even medium businesses and needs to be gotten rid of ASAP. Trouble is, there is no way the Republicans would gain enough control (let alone that the Trumpster would be elected) to do this, so it’s pure fantasy. ---
**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:** [September 19, 2016, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377/8 "2016-09-19T23:07:49Z")
If Trump wins _and_ Republicans have control of the House and Senate, then I guess your country doesn’t want the ACA enough to keep it. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377/9 "2016-09-20T00:23:40Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > I know that Congressional Republicans have voted over 60 times to repeal the ACA. But in all those cases, they _knew_ it would get vetoed by Obama. It could just be empty political posturing on their part. If Trump gets elected, and the GOP controls Congress, will they _really_ do it, when push comes to shove? Will the fear of a backlash from millions losing their healthcare coverage be enough to deter them from actually repealing it? Since Obamacare has totally fucked up the medical insurance world, I sincerely hope that they do repeal it. I honestly can’t think of a worse piece of legislation that has been passed in my lifetime. ---
**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:** [September 20, 2016, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377/10 "2016-09-20T00:54:12Z")
Repealing the ACA will result in 20-30 million people losing their health insurance. So I don’t know if the GOP wants to do that. But nobody ever lost money betting on the stupidity of voters. I’m sure a lot of the people kicked off the insurance rolls will blame the democrats if the GOP repeals the ACA. It reminds me of a story some political writer overheard in a restaurant, some waitress was upset about the estate tax because she felt she should be able to leave money to her kids. She had no idea the estate tax was for people who leave several million minimum to their children. Point being, there will be a lot of human pain and fallout if the ACA gets repealed, but I’m sure a lot of them will blame the democrats and vote republican because of it. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377/11 "2016-09-20T00:58:50Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > Will the fear of a backlash from millions losing their healthcare coverage be enough to deter them from actually repealing it? No reason for them to care what Dems and non-voters think. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377/12 "2016-09-20T01:39:00Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > No reason for them to care what Dems and non-voters think. What about independents? Don’t you think any of them will be swayed by the suffering of their fellow Americans? ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377/13 "2016-09-20T01:48:56Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > No reason for them to care what Dems and non-voters think. Do you have any stats as to how many beneficiaries of Obamacare are Democrats or non-voters, and how many are Independents or Republican? ---
**Author:** ![Kimera757](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimera757/32/3765_2.png) [@Kimera757](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimera757)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377/14 "2016-09-20T01:51:52Z")
IIRC, as a result of the 2004 election the Republicans had: The White House. The House of Representatives. The Senate. And already had the Supreme Court. Yet no attempt was made to render abortion illegal (as an example). I doubt a Republican Supreme Court would have overturned such a law. Maybe the Republicans thought you need a way to get those single issue voters out. (I’m reminded of a similar episode in Canadian politics. Many years back now, the Liberals, who had a governing minority, tried to pass a law to make gay marriage legal. The Conservatives, led by Stephen Harper, tried mightily to block the law, and failed, albeit barely. A few years later the Stephen Harper Conservatives had a majority, which lasted four years, yet never even made an attempt to overturn the law. I conclude that the Conservative establishment simply wanted to be _seen_ as opposing the law. It’s a great way to boost conservative turnout. Also, overturning the law would have been difficult and a human rights violation, since any attempt would have brought opposition from the Supreme Court.) I doubt Obamacare would be left “unmauled” if the Republicans get the trifecta of presidency, Congress and Senate, but killing the program would be as unpopular as wiping out many other social programs. At most they could come up with a new plan and remove the old one, but that would require coming up with a good plan that they could actually agree on. I think I’ve seen one or two conservative health plans that seemed pretty good, but only a few Republicans support them, and they would probably be derided as RINO plans anyway. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377/15 "2016-09-20T02:10:19Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > Do you have any stats as to how many beneficiaries of Obamacare are Democrats or non-voters, and how many are Independents or Republican? No. I’d suspect there are less Republican beneficiaries because some red states have gone out of their way to sabotage it. I don’t think this is particularly relevant because Republicans hate the ACA. If you think Republicans would stage a backlash against their own party for getting rid of the evil communist Obamacare, well…I’ll believe it when I see it. It’s taken for granted in liberal circles that working class Republicans regularly vote against their own self interest. _What’s the Matter with Kansas?_ and all that. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Krupe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Leo\_Krupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Krupe)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377/16 "2016-09-20T02:26:14Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > If Trump wins _and_ Republicans have control of the House and Senate, then I guess your country doesn’t want the ACA enough to keep it. If Trump wins (forget the other part about Congress), then _I_ don’t want my country. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377/17 "2016-09-20T03:12:20Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Repealing the ACA will result in 20-30 million people losing their health insurance. That seems like a huge range. Can the government not more-precisely answer how many people ObamaCare has been responsible for insuring than +/- 5 million? ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377/18 "2016-09-20T03:13:26Z")
> [@Leo\_Krupe](#): > > If Trump wins (forget the other part about Congress), then _I_ don’t want my country. Another Canadian migrant? Can I interest you in some real estate north of the border? ---
**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:** [September 20, 2016, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377/19 "2016-09-20T03:19:30Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > That seems like a huge range. Can the government not more-precisely answer how many people ObamaCare has been responsible for insuring than +/- 5 million? > **[Obamacare repeal would lead to 24 million more people without health insurance](https://www.cnbc.com/2016/06/13/obamacare-repeal-would-lead-to-24-million-more-people-without-health-insurance.html)** > > Most of the people losing coverage if Obamacare were repealed would otherwise be on Medicaid programs that provide health services to the poor. Obamacare repeal would lead to 24 million more people without health insurance ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377/20 "2016-09-20T04:18:34Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Another Canadian migrant? Can I interest you in some real estate north of the border? Maybe California would secede… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-republicans-actually-repeal-the-affordable-care-act/766377.md?page=2)