Daniel Horowitz writes at CR:

Absent a major intervention from Trump or Pence, Republicans have no intention of repealing Obamacare. It's that simple. In fact, they are repealing the repeal of Obamacare. [emphasis added]

In a matter of a few weeks, in a shocking display of political black magic, Republicans managed to shift the focus away from the destruction wrought by Obamacare to the speculative problems of repealing Obamacare.

Watching the second confirmation hearing of Tom Price, R-Ga. (D, 62%) before the Senate Finance Committee, one could easily discern the diffidence in the voices of Price and Senate Republicans.

They accepted almost every premise of the Left on health care philosophy and even vouched for the guaranteed issue mandate that is most responsible for driving up premiums and destroying choice and competition in the market.

"Was it really hard for Price to tell Democrats that of course it’s a terrible idea to take 'insurance' out of insurance? Horowitz asks. Especially when the real-world impact of that move is to "throw people off their insurance, triple premiums, destroy $19 billion in wages, eliminate 300,000 jobs, and prevent the startup of 10,000 businesses?"

"It's clear that Republican leaders have no intention to repeal the main insurance regulations of Obamacare and pursue simple free market ideas," Horowitz warns. [Emphasis added]

"Thus, they are twisted into knots trying to find excuses not to repeal the law but come up with some sort of package that gives the veneer of reform."

Read the entire column here.