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He’ll negotiate with Syria and Iran but he won’t sit down to hash out a suitable settlement with lawmakers who are doing what they were elected to do—implement the will of the people.  Poll after poll shows that the American people do not want the Affordable Care Act [ACA] that was foisted on them by the Democratic Congress of 2010.  Yet the president continues to threaten a shutdown of the government unless he can keep Obamacare just as it is.

The Republican House passed a continuing resolution that will fund the government as of October 1.  It contains a provision that excludes money for Obamacare, an idea that rankles the president so much that he says he’d rather see a shutdown than accept the funding.  As of this morning, the Senate was prepared to pass what its Democratic leaders called a “clean” version of the bill – one that conforms with Mr. Obama’s wishes.  It would be sent back to the House where Speaker John Boehner said it would be summarily dismissed.  His Republican Majority will likely offer up a new strategy for dealing with the ACA.

I received a lot of positive feedback from members and non-members alike for reaffirming the association’s position in support of the House bill in remarks he made last week.  There were some, however, who disagreed with our position but you could tell that they did not understand our viewpoint.  We do not want to see the government shut down but even the president, himself, admits that Obamacare is flawed.  So, why doesn’t he ask for help in fixing the law?

As for the political “blame game” the media has been playing as regards the shutdown threat, it is noteworthy that two independent polls conducted by the Pew Research Center and the Washington Post show that both Democrats and Republicans share responsibility equally in the eyes of American voters.

But the fact is that the president is ultimately the only person with the power to avoid a shutdown.  All he has to do is to convene a meeting of Congressional leaders and work out a deal.  Even if it simply delays implementation of the Affordable Care Act for a year, it would give lawmakers and the president time to work things out, not for their sakes but for the sake of the people who will have to live with Obamacare.  After all, the president is exempt from its onerous provisions.

There’s a lot in the law that needs fixing including the Independent Payment Advisory Board or so-called “death panel, the intrusion on our religious freedom, the onerous restrictions it puts on doctors and hospitals, the loss of jobs that pay a living wage and the mean-spirited provision that allows our elected officials to avoid the law’s punishing mandates.

At a time when the national debt hovers around $17 trillion, it would be a relief not to have to add another trillion dollars in Obamacare costs.  The House bill that was sent to the Senate may be our only chance to stop the Congress and President from bankrupting America.

The intensity of the debate is an indication of how unpalatable the law is to voters. Our newest poll this week shows that our membership is overwhelmingly in favor of full passage of the House bill by the Senate.  Like most Americans, they believe they deserve better.  They believe our government can do better.

ABOUT AMAC

The Association of Mature American Citizens [http://www.amac.us] is a vibrant, vital and conservative alternative to those organizations, such as AARP, that dominate the choices for mature Americans who want a say in the future of the nation.  Where those other organizations may boast of their power to set the agendas for their memberships, AMAC takes its marching orders from its members.  We act and speak on their behalf, protecting their interests, and offering a conservative insight on how to best solve the problems they face today.