GOP lacks Obamacare replacement plan

Wednesday, Jun 27, 2012 12:23 PM UTC The GOP has no Obamacare replacement; AG targets dark money; incumbents survive; and other top Tuesday stories By Alex Seitz-Wald FILE - This June 20, 2012, file photo shows a view of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington. Saving its biggest case for last, the Supreme Court is expected to announce its verdict Thursday, June 28, 2012, on President Barack Obamas health care law. The outcome is likely to be a factor in the presidential campaign and help define John Roberts legacy as chief justice. But the courts ruling almost certainly will not be the last word on Americas tangled efforts to address health care woes. The problems of high medical costs, widespread waste and tens of millions of people without insurance will require Congress and the president to keep looking for answers, whether or not the Affordable Care Act passes the test of constitutionality. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) (Credit: AP)

The GOPs Obamacare replacement plan: Nada:If the Supreme Court strikes down the Affordable Care Acttomorrow, House Republicanshave nothing prepared to replace it with. The GOP wont rush to pass anything in its place, Politico reports, and will instead let legislation slowly wind its way through committees and get debated, dissected and amended. This go-slow approach is a shift from where the party was a few weeks ago. Earlier this month, top GOP officials were privately deliberating what legislation they would push to fill the gap caused by a full strike-down of Obamas healthcare law. Corralling lawmakers behind hefty legislative proposals in an election year would also be a tough task.

Democrats, meanwhile, are a bit farther along. We have differentproposed draftsfor different contingencies, saidSenatorTom Harkin, the chairman of the HealthCommittee.

AG goes after big political spenders: New YorkAttorney GeneralEric T. Schneiderman, who has become a bit of a progressive hero for his tough action against banks, has begun investigating contributions to tax-exempt groups that are heavily involved in political campaigns, focusing on a case involving theU.S. Chamber of Commerce, which has been one of the largest outside groups seeking to influence recent elections but is not required to disclose its donors. The New York Times reports: Mr. Schneiderman issued a wide-ranging subpoena on Tuesday to executives at a foundation affiliated with the chamber, seeking e-mails, bank records and other documents to determine whether the foundation illegally funneled $18 million to the chamber for political and lobbying activities, according to people with knowledge of the investigation.

Justices health struggles could influence thinking: The HillsElise Viebeck notes that the personal medical histories of the Supreme Courts nine justices may influence their thinking on the Affordable Care Act. While much of their medical record is private, some emergencies, such as Cheif Justice John Roberts seizure in 2007, have been reported in the press. Justices live in society and are no doubt affected by their own life experiences, said George Washington University Professor Paul Wahlbeck. Their [healthcare experiences] might actually feed into their policy preferences on what is good law and what is good public policy. That could, in turn, shape their judicial views.

Freedom-lover Rand Paul hates DC freedom:Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul talks a big game on the importance of states rights and liberty, but he thwarted an effort to give the 600,000disenfranchisedresidents of the District of Columbia a modicum of self-control yesterday. Washington, DC currently doesnt fully control its own budget, andPaul killed a bill designed to do just thatby attaching a slew of unrelated amendments on gun control, abortion and labor unions. DC mayor Vincent Gray called on fellow Democrats to pull support from the measure, saying, Senator Pauls proposed amendments are an insult to the people of our city. Paul explained his motivations:We dont have [control] over the states, but we do for D.C.

Incumbents okay: Sen. Orrin Hatch, a Republican from Utah, survived his Republican primary last night against one of the toughestchallengershes faced in more than three decades in theSenate. Tea Party groups and super PACs had spent heavily to defeat Hatch.

Meanwhile, in New York City, embattledDemocraticRep.Charles Rangelfended off four challengersto win a nomination (and thus likely a general election win) for a 22nd term in Congress. Rangel was censured in 2010 after the House Ethics Committee found him guilty of 11 counts of ethical violations, including failure to pay taxes, improper solicitation of donations and failure to report his personal income accurately.

Topics: Arizona, Election 2012, Immigration, Jan Brewer

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer accused President Obama of wanting undocumented immigrants to illegally vote for him in a radio interview yesterday. Speaking with550-KFYI, Brewer slammed the Obama administrations decision to cut the state out of a federal immigration programon the same day the Supreme Court upheld a key provision of Arizonas landmark immigration law.

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GOP lacks Obamacare replacement plan