How should the President handle the Tea Party threats to defund Obamacare?

[kentuck]

Should he not negotiate at all?

Perhaps he should tell them to negotiate with the voters?

One thing is for certain, he should not try and compromise with them.

What do you think the President should do?

[Xipe Totec]

1. Congress has the duty to set the budget

It is not a shared responsibility.

Let them sow.

[wercal]

2. The vast majority of the funding is non-discretionary

Obamacare can't be fully defunded without being repealed. Efforts to partially defund it will just look obstructionist.

[tridim]

3. I think he should let the GOPs fight it out among themselves.

That will maximize the chance that they split in two after 2012.

There is no compromise in bills that are already law.

[kentuck]

9. Excellent idea!

Let them figure it out. Hal Rogers of Kentucky has already voiced his displeasure with the way they are handling this issue. It's just that Obamacare got most of these Teabaggers into office, including Ted Cruz, and they hate to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Why not try again? Maybe lightning will strike again?

[L0oniX]

4. Put SS on the table? ..capitulate as usual? ..take them out for steak dinner? ..give a stern speech?

[geek tragedy]

5. sit back and watch the GOP devour itself over the issue nt

[cthulu2016]

6. Veto any bill that defunds Obamacare?

That's what I would do.

[winter is coming]

8. I think he pretty much has to (veto anything defunding Obamacare).

He's got enough street cred sunk into Obamacare that he can't afford to back away from it... which is one of the reasons why the Republicans keep targeting it.

[kentuck]

11. Besides, it's the law of the land.

They can threaten to shut down the government over the debt limit. Except, the deficit has been shrinking at record levels.

[1StrongBlackMan]

12. No Bill to defund …

ObamaCare will get anywhere near his desk to veto. No, I think the best strategy is to do nothing … just keep the focus on JOBS.

And at every opportunity during the recess, mention:

While my focus is on trying to create jobs … which, BTW, my republican counter-parts ran on in 2010, and again on in 2012, the republicans are holding townhall meeting trying to ‘repeal ObamaCare’ … and their talking about shutting down government if they don’t get their way. Think about that … they are telling you, ‘if we can’t take away your health care, we will stop you from getting your SS check, we will stop you from getting your mail, we will stop veterans from getting their benefits.’ it’s like they’re not listening to you.

You have said you want Jobs and they are telling you we want to repeal ObamaCare, or else!

And that’s a shame because those of you that have been allowed to benefit from the ObamaCare kind of like being able to get health insurance even though they have a pre-existing condition; you kind of like not being told by insurance companies ‘you’ve reached your limit so we’re not going to pay for your treatment; you kind of like paying lower premiums … and I hear you kind of like getting checks in the mail when insurance companies choose to use your premiums to give executive bonuses, rather than pay for the medical care you purchased.

So I ask you to join be in telling your representatives, ‘What’s done is done … ObamaCare is the law of the land. So can we please focus on Jobs?

[leftstreet]

7. He could have Healthcare Town Halls again!

That's where the madeup 'tea party' first got their steam and helped citizens resign themselves to no single payer, not even a public option

[on point]

10. Ignore and veto as needed