The Obamacare lawsuit

The fact that the Republicans— represented by House Speaker John Boehner—have filed a lawsuit against the President over Obamacare is no surprise. It was expected: for years they have tried countless actions to annul, limit, or defund the health care reform.

Their action is in keeping with the relentless war against this president waged since 2009.

But it is noteworthy that they are suing the administration for having decided to postpone for one year the requirement for certain employers to provide their workers with health insurance, when they were the ones who demanded the suspension at the time.

They are also challenging the transfer, without Congress’s explicit approval, of federal funds to insurance companies to share the costs of the new health plans.

For its part, the Supreme Court announced this month that it would rule on the legality of another aspect of Obamacare: the tax credits for those who secured coverage under Obamacare.

Analysts doubt the merits of Boehner’s suit. Two law firms refused to represent the Republicans, who ultimately hired a constitutional law expert who is also a television personality. But it doesn’t matter. Regardless of its merits or outlook, the suit is a continuation through new channels of the ongoing battle against this president. Republican leadership is following the same old policy—otherwise it would lose the support of its own base.

The limits of the opposition’s offensive have yet to be determined. Republicans may even succumb to the temptation of denying the government funding in order to force a shutdown after December 11.

Boehner’s announcement came the day after Obama’s message on immigration, in an attempt to compete for attention and take issue with the White House over the public agenda.

The outlook for seeking bipartisan solutions in an environment of dialog and mutual understanding hinted at the day after the elections has vanished, and Boehner’s announcement portends further division and paralysis in Washington, to the detriment of all citizens.