Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) said Republicans could defund Obamacare by changing the rules on mandatory spending they themselves created. He said the House leadership was scared to take that stand because they think it will cost them elections, even though a majority of Americans disapprove of Obamacare.
Speaking to Breitbart News Executive Chairman Stephen K. Bannon on Breitbart News’ broadcast of the “Exempt America” rally on Tuesday, Gohmert said the Republican leadership does not understand that the GOP will lose the trust of the American people if they stop fighting for what they promised Americans they would fight for.
“They honestly believe that it may hurt the party if we stand too firm with what we believe in,” Gohmert said.
On Obamacare, Gohmert suggested House Republicans needed to stop playing games to act like they are in favor of defunding Obamacare, and instead actually take meaningful steps to do so.
“You hear over and over that we cannot defund Obamacare… that it is mandatory spending,” he said. “It is a rule of the House that we created… We made the rule… We can change the rule if we take the stand.”
He added, “Even if we are unsuccessful, why wouldn’t we do at least everything we could when you know how badly it would affect the people?”
Gohmert said the Republican leadership had the “misimpression that taking a strong stand could cost us the majority.”
“What they don’t understand is if if we don’t stand for what they promised when they elected us, they will not elect us to the majority,” Gohmert said, noting that the fears of the Republican establishment were “misplaced.”