Let the battle begin!
President-elect Donald J. Trump pressed Republicans on Tuesday to move forward with the immediate repeal of the Affordable Care Act and to replace it very quickly thereafter, saying, “We have to get to business. Obamacare has been a catastrophic event.”
Mr. Trump’s position undercuts Republican leaders who want a quick vote to repeal President Obama’s signature domestic achievement but who also want to wait as long as two to three years to come up with an alternative. But he was also challenging the resolve of nervous Republicans in Congress who do not want any vote on a repeal until that replacement exists.
Mr. Trump, who seemed unclear about the timing of already scheduled votes in Congress this week, demanded a repeal vote “probably some time next week,” and said “the replace will be very quickly or simultaneously, very shortly thereafter.”
That demand is very likely impossible. Republicans in Congress are nowhere close to agreement on a major health bill that would replace President Obama’s signature domestic achievement. A number of Republicans in the House and Senate have said publicly that they wanted to hold off on voting to eviscerate the health law until a replacement measure could be negotiated.
He seemed unclear? That’s a nice way of putting it. The fight going on between Republicans now is: Repeal and Replace 2 – 3 years down the road or Wait to Repeal until there is a plan to replace. Does he even know that?
Oh, he has a timeline for this:
But Mr. Trump said there was no cause for delay. And he said he would not accept a delay of more than a few weeks before a replacement plan was voted on. “Long to me would be weeks,” he said. “It won’t be repeal and then two years later go in with another plan.” That directly contradicts House Speaker Paul D. Ryan’s plans.
Long to him is weeks? Really, that’s what a long time is to an adult?
Maybe he could explain how his timeline of a really long few weeks would work considering Republicans haven’t even come to an agreement on the replacement plan. Does he know that the GOP doesn’t have a plan?
He’s like a dog. Everything is forever. I wonder if Kellyanne plays peekaboo with him and he panics when she covers his eyes too long. “Kellyanne, where did you go? Oh, there you are. You were gone for aYUGE amount of time!”
I love this comment sooooo much!
This could be the biggest wedge between Trump and Congress.
Agreed, but I think Trump is in for a YUGE shock. GOP congresspeople won’t sacrifice their jobs based on know-nothing tweets.
Repealing Obamacare May Have Died Tonight
Not holding my breath, but if GOP senators are peeling off…
Those legislators in the very key swing states that put Trump over have the most to lose. These states, where industry has left a hole and job growth is stagnant, have the largest percentage of ACA participants.
There is also another YUGE (don’t want this to be a trend, but felt appropriate for continuity) factor. Autism activists have made a huge push since 2009 to get services covered by both private insurance and supplemental Medicaid programs. This is a very large, very vocal group that spans party and regional lines. If they lobby effectively, it could further the gap between Trump and Congress.
Beginning to have some hope here, suspect what we’ll get is a symbolic “repeal” coupled to Republican self congratulation. In the voice of Rod Serling: “Imagine if you will a Washington where the phones ring night and day with calls from terrified Insurance Companies, Doctors, Hospitals and Patients demanding to know what the hell is going on”. Still waiting for the Republicans to start chanting “the greatest healthcare system in the world” when all else fails.