GOP Rep. Rooney says health care repeal won't be easy

FILE: February 2011: GOP Florida Rep.Thomas Rooney (AP)

Republicans say they're redoubling their efforts to retake the White House and Senate in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling on health care so they have the power to repeal President Barack Obama's health law.

But at least one Republican thinks it won't be so easy. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Fla., said some of his GOP colleagues may be overly optimistic in predicting that the Supreme Court decision will galvanize the Republican base enough to yield a post-election repeal, according to The Wall Street Journal.

"For us to have the numbers in the Senate and House and White House isn't going to be as easy as everybody thinks," Rooney said after the high court decision Friday. "It's great to be optimistic, but in an election a lot of things have to go your way. 2012 would have to be like 2010 and then some."

Rooney, a constitutional lawyer who's taught at West Point, added that even if Republicans make gains, it would be highly unusual for Congress to reverse a Supreme Court affirmation of major legislation. "For me to comprehend the Supreme Court making a decision and it being overturned by Congress -- that's an extraordinarily high mountain to climb," he said.

Rooney made it clear that he hopes he's wrong and thinks the health overhaul should be abolished. He said he's unhappy at the thought of his children living under the health law 40 years from now, because he's convinced it will reduce affordability and quality of care.

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