Yesterday, we wrote about our CEO Michael Needham's question for the candidates in last night's debate. When asked by the Washington Post what Mr. Needham would ask the candidates, he responded:
"A third of small business owners say Obamacare is one of the biggest hurdles they face to hiring new workers and budget analysts estimate it is a trillion-dollar budget buster. Given its negative impact on the economy and federal budget, do you think it is appropriate to repeal Obamacare using reconciliation given that is the tactic which was employed to pass it?"
Well the candidates must have been listening because last night. Former Senator Rick Santorum brought up reconciliation when asked about Obamacare:
"We need to repeal [Obamacare] by doing it through a reconciliation process. And since I have experience and know how to do that, we'll take care of it...
Former Governor Mitt Romney agreed:
"Rick, you're absolutely right. On day one, granting a waiver for all 50 states doesn't stop in its tracks entirely Obamacare. That's why I also say we have to repeal Obamacare, and I will do that on day two, with the reconciliation bill, because as you know, it was passed by reconciliation, 51 votes."
A candidate simply saying they'll repeal Obamacare means nothing. Democrats in the Senate who voted for the law won't allow it, even if Republicans regained control of the Senate. Why? Because in the Senate you need to have 60 votes to invoke cloture, or end debate. Unless some Senate Democrats recognize the ills created by Obamacare, using the reconciliation process (which was used to get Obamacare to President Obama's desk) may be the only way to repeal the law.