What mountain of rocks has Rand Paul been living beneath for the past 3+ years? ~ ~ Sooz

TPMLIVEWIRE
Rand Paul Says There Hasn't Been A 'Big Debate About Obamacare' (VIDEO)
Tom Kludt – October 1, 2013, 11:29 AM EDT

The Affordable Care Act was the subject of a hot button Supreme Court case last year. It was a dominant issue in both the 2010 and 2012 elections. House Republicans have voted more than 40 times to repeal the law. But as Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) sees it, there hasn't been a robust debate over the law since it passed Congress in 2010.

During an appearance Tuesday on CNN's "New Day," Paul credited Sen. Ted Cruz's (R-TX) recent 21-hour talkathon for initiating what he said was an overdue discussion about the law.

"You know, I think it was helpful to talk more about it," Paul said. "We haven't had a big debate about Obamacare really since it passed in Congress. And so I think it was helpful to have the debate."

The government shutdown that began Tuesday morning was largely a result over the efforts by Republicans like Cruz and Paul to defund the Affordable Care Act in exchange for funding the government.

A poll released Tuesday showed that a huge majority of Americans were opposed to shutting down the government over the health care law.

The marketplace exchanges under the Affordable Care Act went live on Tuesday, with scores of visitors overwhelming the government's website.

[Sooz says there is a video here in the original, accessible via the end link]

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/rand-paul-says-there-hasn-t-been-a-big-debate-about-obamacare-video

"We haven't had a big debate about Obamacare really since it passed in Congress. And so I think it was helpful to have the debate."

1. Cruz talking for 21 hours is not a debate.
2. It's best to debate before passing a bill, not after.
3. No big debate on Obamacare? Huh?

3. No big debate on Obamacare? Huh?

He's right. There hasn't been any big debate on Obamacare. "Debate" in the political sense means arguing to make something work. Thus far, all that has happened is that the GOP has taken positions to either get rid of it or to ensure it doesn't work. When Rand and his cohort decide they want to help make Obamacare work, the debate can take place. Until they get to that point, however, they are just blowing smoke.