David Vitter, genius.
The dissension rampant in the Republican conference in the House of Representatives has spilled over to the Senate Republicans, where Sen. David Vitter's
bizarre anti-Obamacare campaign is starting to
piss off his Republican colleagues.
A growing number of Republicans are scoffing at Louisiana Sen. David Vitter’s push to stop federal contributions that will help pay for health coverage for lawmakers and their staff under the new Obamacare exchanges. Vitter’s crusade has effectively put his GOP colleagues in the unenviable position of hurting themselves and their staff financially or siding with another political attack on a law the party universally despises.
The latest pushback is another sign of how the long-running GOP fight to repeal Obamacare has suddenly degenerated into an internal Republican battle, prompting widespread concerns among party elders.
“One of our strengths in this fight—even though we had minority numbers in both the House and the Senate when the law passed—was that no Republicans voted for it in the Senate,” said Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), a member of his party’s leadership. “Somehow, some of our members seem to think there’s forward progress in figuring out ways to divide us on something we’re totally united on. That can’t be a good idea.”
Again, has anyone ever accused David Vitter of having good ideas? Senate Republicans are probably just pissed the Vitter is making them look like House Republicans, because there's nothing that creates more disdain in a senator than the House.
Vitter isn't doing much to bring fellow Republicans to his side, either. When fellow Republicans like Lindsey Graham and Susan Collins and Saxby Chambliss raise the issue that Vitter's plan would take affordable health insurance away from congressional staff, and that that wasn't particularly fair, Vitter staffer Luke Bolar, (who would also lose his insurance) responded: “Lotta Americans getting screwed under Obamacare and won’t get a taxpayer subsidy.” So, basically, "fuck all my coworkers." That'll win friends and influence people.
Stand with Daily Kos and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in denouncing Republicans who would completely shut down the government just to destroy Obamacare.