The problem with a half step is that that will get a check mark next to that, and the thundering herd will move on, until the Democrats come back and load the wagon again.
You may well be right about that -- it's impossible to predict the outcome with certainty. But our lives under half of ObamaCare will be better than our lives under full-strength ObamaCare, and the longer we can live under that before moving left again, the better. And I'd point out that the Democrats only managed to get ObamaCare when they controlled the House, the Senate, and the Presidency all at the same time. So we may well be able to hold only whatever
lessening of the statist burden we can get for quite a awhile.
Plus, if/when they do get that level of control again, they'll be starting lower down the socialist mountain than they would have been otherwise.
Unfortunately, it will also remove many of the objections people have and water down the the entire idea that THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS NO CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY TO BE IN THE HEALTHCARE BUSINESS WHATSOEVER.
Look -- I agree with you. I'm a pretty hardcore libertarian on the economy, and think the Supreme Court has been wrong on the commerce clause since the late 30's. The problem is that most Americans simply are not yet comfortable with that. Before we can convince them that very little government is best, we have to show them that less actually works. If we can restore more of the free market, even if not completely, that's going to give the free market more credibility in the eyes of the voters, and so we can push further next time. I know there's no guarantee that will happen, but as a practical matter, that's the only chance we've really got. Because the truth is that the percentage of the population who believes as you and I do on the substance probably is below 25%.
If I had a shred of confidence that the GOP would continue to attempt to reverse the notion that the Federal Government had the authority to demand we buy a product and fine/tax us all for not doing so, simply because we are breathing, I might be less recalcitrant, but I have little faith that will be the case.
There are no guarantees, and it is entirely possible that you are right But it is also possible that this is just the
first step in the right direction, and at least, it puts us one step closer to where we want to be than walking away with nothing. I'll take a 10% chance of success over a 0% chance of success ten times out of ten. Not to mention that our lives will be better under that half step back then they would if we took no step back at all.