Last night Karl Rove told Hannity that we shouldn’t defund Obamacare, that we should just let it collapse under its own weight:
SEAN HANNITY: Let me ask you one question about this budget. Senator Mike Lee of Utah is saying that Republicans, as this battle moves forward, this is the last opportunity because all spending begins in the House, with Congress, they have the power of the purse. He’s saying defund Obamacare, fund the rest of the government. I know they’ve voted 35 times to repeal it, but this is the one thing they can do constitutionally that would have some teeth. I think it’s a good idea, what do you think?
KARL ROVE: You know what? I’m suspect about it because it gives the president the bully pulpit and a gigantic stick on which to beat us, because all he has to do is say, ‘Look, this law was passed, it’s on the books. I’m going to veto your continuing resolution that doesn’t fund Obamacare, and it’s on you for shutting down the government.’
HANNITY: But it would be on him.
ROVE: No it wouldn’t. He would turn it around just like Bill Clinton turned it around on us. I would rather make him continue to be the guy who is trying to ask for more spending and keep the spending flat at 967 as his budget agreement that he signed set in motion.
HANNITY: I think this is our last chance to get rid of it. If we — once this is law, I don’t think we can get rid of it.
ROVE: Look, I think it will collapse in and of itself if we keep the pressure on. (Hannity, July 25, 2013)
Jeffrey Lord said this shows the difference between Reaganites and the GOP Establishment, agreeing with Hannity that defunding Obamacare will be a litmus test:
Not to put too fine a point on this, but this is a crystal clear example…the latest of decades worth of this kind of thing…of the difference between Reaganites and the GOP Establishment.
As a matter of fact, Mark Levin suggests Rove is actually working with Boehner and McConnell on this, with the GOP leaders using Rove as a way of getting themselves off the hook on this issue without having to do the dirty work themselves out in the open.
Suffice to say, this is not going to go over well. Yesterday Sean Hannity suggested on his radio show that defunding Obamacare is a litmus test issue. Hannity is right.
When I look at the two strategies, one thing jumps out at me clear as day. One strategy is based out of fear and doubt and the other is based in strength and confidence. Reagan was a great communicator and Rove/Bush…well, communication seemed to be one of their biggest problems.
Yeah, I think I won’t go with Rove on this one.
One other point. Last night, Mark Levin asked a caller who was advocating this ‘collapse under its own weight’ idea, when has a social program ever collapsed under its own weight? It’s not going to happen and I think that’s a fantastic rebuttal.