There have been a few articles in the press, and even a diary here on Kos about what would happen if the election result is not as we all hope. I know that many will be upset about my raising this now. But just out of curiosity, let's do a little thought experiment on the other side of the orange hanging chad.
Let's suppose that come Wednesday, the American electorate has done what we all hope they won't do--they elect a Republican majority in both chambers of Congress.
The Republicans have made it clear that if given the mandate, their first order of business is to "repeal Obamacare." I don't usually trust things that Republicans say, but hey, it's a thought experiment, so let's imagine how this could unfold.
1. Passage of a repeal bill in the House is a given; they've already voted 50 times to repeal when they knew it would not go anywhere, so they must do it again when the outcome is in the realm of possibility.
2. Most are assuming that even if the Republicans try, the Democrats will filibuster in the Senate. But just for the sake of this thought experiment, let's consider either
a. the Republican majority in the senate suspends the filibuster, no longer requiring
60 votes for cloture, or
b. even more curiously, the Democratic minority in the Senate does not filibuster but
enables a cloture vote, and then all 49, or whatever the number is, vote no.
3. So then the bill comes to the president's desk. The reigning assumption is that he'll veto it. I fully expect him to. But, again, we're conducting a thought experiment. So what if he said,
"We live in a democracy where the will of the majority must be respected. Given the recent election and the Republican mandate that the voters have signaled they want, I will sign this bill repealing what I believe to be the most progressive policy on health care since the enactment of Medicare. But what I think as an individual shouldn't trump the will of the majority."
Then with a flourish, he signs the bill. Obamacare goes poof! Republicans celebrate!
Now, here's where it gets interesting:
What happens next?
--Will the Republican "end zone" dance continue when millions of people have their health care insurance cancelled?
--It will be up to the Republicans to provide something, what would that be? Of course, because they didn't campaign on a plan to replace Obamacare, anything they come up with is not really part of their mandate. The president would not be under any obligation to sign that legislation. So let's say he vetoes it.
--We know the GOP funders don't want them to raise taxes, grow government, or impose regulations, so where would that leave the Republican congress?
--Given the increase in costs, and all of the havoc to the economy, how will the Republicans respond? They wanted control of the government, like back in the good ol' days under Reagan and under "W" --you remember how great those eras were, right? Well, OK, Turtle, Boner--you're up. Now show the American people what you got.
The Democrats can rightfully say, "we didn't vote for this travesty"; president Obama is in his last term, so people can hate him all they want. And one thing's for sure: the Republicans would no longer be able to accuse him of being a socialist dictator.
But what kind of foolishness will the fools engage in, when they really have to govern instead of just obstructing? When the Heritage Foundation came up with what is basically the ACA, that's what the GOP wanted, kind of. But as soon as Obama presented that plan, it became radioactive. Republicans had to repudiate it. So where does that leave them?
Once this shitstorm gets going, how do you think the rest of their so-called agenda will unfold? Tax reform? really? Immigration? not a chance.
And then we get to 2016. How will this Republican-controlled turn of events affect the election?
I know, this will never happen; it's not even a possible gambit in Obama's arsenal of eleventh-dimension chess moves. But one little part of me would love to see how this would tear the Republican party to pieces.
And just when things start getting really uncomfortable for the GOP, I'd love to see the Democratic minority in either house attach an amendment to the Republican budget requiring women between the ages of 15 and 45 who profess pro-life sympathies for "unborn human beings" to become surrogate mothers for all the embryos cryogenically stored in fertility clinics. Republican women in Congress, and the wives and daughters of Republican congress-people would be given first priority for implantation. A womb is a terrible thing to waste.
Floors open...