UPDATE - yesterday I reported on GOP House members' commitment to cut a hundred billion from the discretionary spending this fiscal year (which, by the way, started October 1, 2010). After I posted this piece, the GOP reneged on the commitment, with aides to Speaker Boehner saying the $100 billion figure was 'hypothetical'.

No, it wasn't.

In the 'Pledge to America' the signatories said "We will roll back government spending to pre-stimulus, pre-bailout levels, saving us at least $100 billion in the first year alone."

In a speech at the time of the midterm elections, Boehner himself committed to that number, saying "We're ready to cut spending to pre-stimulus, pre-bailout levels, saving roughly $100 billion almost immediately." (note Boehner's website had the link up yesterday, it doesn't work today.)

So why is this in a blog focused on health care?

Simple. The GOP has committed to overturning, or at the least de-funding, health reform. Not some of the Accountable Care Act - all of it.

That includes:

- the prohibition against medical underwriting that effectively prevents those of us with pre-existing conditions from obtaining individual coverage in most states.

- the closing of the doughnut hole in Part D that will save seniors thousands on their drug bills

- the requirement (already in place) that insurers cover kids till age 26

- the requirement (already in place) that prohibits medical underwriting or pre-ex exclusion for kids

- vouchers for less-well off folks to use to help cover the cost of insurance

- prohibition on lifetime maximum coverage limits

I find it...interesting that many of the same folks who passed Part D and its $16 trillion addition to the deficit in an attempt - successful at that - to woo seniors, would now want to upset seniors, and moms, and families by killing provisions that most voters like.

We'll see.