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In high-level strategy sessions on Capitol Hill, Republicans are going through reams of historical information and sitting through marathon slide show presentations, trying to figure out how to gut Obamacare through a complicated budget process that requires only a simple majority — a sign of how seriously they’re taking their best shot yet at dealing a long-term blow to the health care law. Behind closed doors, Washington’s top budget experts have quietly met with Sen. Mitch McConnell, the incoming majority leader, and the Senate Republican Conference to detail options for action next year. (Haberkorn and Raju, 12/8)

Congress has gotten tagged with a reputation for gridlock. Now that the House and Senate are both in Republican hands, what’s the prospect for real activity and real change? For insight into the prospects, Gerald Seib, Washington bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal, spoke to incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. ... [McConnell on the health law:] I think it’s the single worst piece of legislation we’ve passed in at least the last half-century. Having said that, it bears the president’s name. The chance of his signing a full repeal are pretty limited. There are parts of it that are extremely toxic with the American people: the elimination of the 40-hour workweek, the individual mandate, the medical-device tax, the health-insurance tax. I think you could anticipate those kinds of things being voted on in the Senate. Such votes haven't been allowed in the past. (Seib, 12/8)

When the new Senate convenes in January, only half of the 60 Democrats who voted for President Obama’s health care law will still be in office. As Bloomberg Politics noted, Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana became the eighth Democrat who voted for the Affordable Care Act in 2010 to lose re-election this year when she was defeated Saturday by GOP Rep. Bill Cassidy. Greg Giroux of Bloomberg Politics noted that 19 Democrats who voted for Obamacare four years ago have retired or resigned from office and three others died in office. Of the eight senators who were defeated by voters, Landrieu joins Alaska’s Mark Begich, North Carolina’s Kay Hagan, Arkansas’ Mark Pryor and Colorado’s Mark Udall in losing in a year when ties to Obama became a prominent theme for Republicans. (Camia, 12/8)

Sen. Ted Cruz is blocking a bill that would change the way expatriate health insurance must comply with Obamacare, a measure to alter the president’s health care law that has rare bipartisan support. (Haberkorn, 12/8)