The GOP’s war on Obamacare has been brewing for seven years at this point, but attempts to repeal the law have ramped up since Donald Trump took control in the Oval Office. Despite his initial claim to repeal and replace on Day 1 of his presidency, the first attempt to pass ‘Trumpcare‘ — formally know as the Affordable Health Care Act — was struck down due to a lack of votes. However, according to Republican House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, the House GOP may have finally secured the 216 votes necessary for the bill to pass and head to the Senate, with a formal vote reportedly occurring some time on Thursday according to CNN.
Although it is highly likely that the bill will be shot down once it reaches the Senate floor, the details of the proposed bill are even grimmer than the last. On his Wednesday night’s “A Closer Look,” Seth Meyers breaks down some of the details of the new plan, including the last-minute push that still exists despite years of talk:
“So now, in a scramble to come up with something — anything — that would pass, Trump and the GOP have actually made the bill even worse to appeal to hardline conservatives. This new bill would allow states to waive out of Obamacare’s ban on preexisting conditions.”
Meyers went on to break down the numbers, explaining that this would mean huge hikes in premium price for many: $4,270 for asthma, $5,510 for diabetes; and $17,060 for pregnancy. He also explains that through all of these messy proceedings, the GOP leadership has shown a core tenet that many would rather have you forget.
“As muddled as the GOP message is on health care, I do think there’s one theme that is starting to come through clearly: you see, part of the problem for Republicans is that they’re trying to hide a core truth about their bill — as well as a core truth about Republican ideology — which is that they simply don’t think it’s government’s job to ensure that people get affordable health care.”
Republican Congressman Mo Brooks echoed as much on Monday, blaming people with pre-existing conditions for not living “good lives,” to which Meyers quips, “People who ‘lead good lives?’ So what does that mean? People who are sick lead ‘bad’ lives? If that were really how it worked, Donald Trump would have died three years before he was born.”
With the vote seemingly ready for Thursday, many are mobilizing and making their voices heard in an attempt to stymie the bill. #VoteNo trended all night on Wednesday, with many encouraging others to call their representatives and urge them to once again keep “Trumpcare” from becoming the law of the land.
(Via Late Night)
