Congress’s Absurd Debate Over Its Obamacare ‘Exemption’

House Republicans are having trouble deciding whether it’s a good idea to sacrifice their staffs’ health-care benefits at the altar of opposing Obamacare. In their defense, deciding between whether to abandon a baldly political argument or alienate your own employees is no easy choice.

For months, Republicans have argued that the Barack Obama administration exempted members of Congress and their staffs from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, allowing their insurance premiums to continue being paid by the government. A House proposal this morning would have allowed those employer contributions for staff but not for members of Congress or the president.