After pounding Democrats on ObamaCare for the last several years, Republicans have a big problem. The law is working and their message is falling flat.
This was confirmed again by testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Committee yesterday in which health-care-industry executives surprised Republican lawmakers. They said the law has not led to a government takeover of the industry, that most enrollees are paying their premiums as required, and that premiums are not certain to go up next year as Republicans claim.
With more than 8 million people enrolled in health plans through the ObamaCare exchanges, many Republicans know it's much harder to repeal the law now than it might have been several years ago. And they tried more than 50 times already without success.
So GOP lawmakers have suddenly pivoted to a new message, accusing the Obama administration and Democrats of staging cover-ups.
Yesterday, Republicans voted to hold former IRS official Lois Lerner in contempt of Congress for refusing to testify.
Today, the GOP will establish a select House committee to investigate the 2012 attack on the consulate in Benghazi, Libya.
Both actions — on party-line votes — reflect the GOP realization that attacking ObamaCare isn't sustainable. Instead, Republicans hope to rekindle controversies of the past as a distraction.
While neither move is necessarily welcome news for President Obama, Democrats can at least take solace that their signature legislative achievement of the last five years is finally moving out the GOP crosshairs.
