Trump’s Health Care Ultimatum

(Photo: Getty Images)

               His way or the highway: President Trump is making Republicans choose between his proposed health care bill and Obama’s Affordable Care Act. When Trump and Paul Ryan became doubtful the bill would pass, the G.O.P. decided to cancel the scheduled vote.

               Struggling to gain support from his own party, Trump moved the date of the big vote to Friday March 24. Ryan refuses comment on whether or not he thinks the vote will pass, but it is reported that Republicans concern about the bill is its costliness.

               Essentially, President Trump is now making it so that either his bill passes on March 24 or ObamaCare stays and Trump moves on with his agenda.

               Not coincidentally, the vote was initially scheduled to take place on March 23, the 7 year anniversary of ObamaCare. But, as speculated by New York Times writer Julie Hirschfeld Davis, failure to pass Trump’s health care would result in a “humiliating loss on the first significant legislative push of his presidency.”

               In defense of the Affordable Care Act, Obama chimed in by writing, “I’ve always said we should build on this law . . . if Republicans are serious about lowering costs while expanding coverage to those who need it, and if they’re prepared to work with Democrats and objective evaluators in finding solutions that accomplish those goals — that’s something we all should welcome.” Any outcome of the vote will offer significant insight on the country’s health care for years to come.

Alanna Shingler Staff Reporter

OP-ED: Shooting Yourself in the Foot, A Congressman’s Guide

(Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

            Last week, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) successfully made the first step towards torpedoing their prospects for 2018, when House Republicans finally unveiled their proposal to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act.  Their solution, entitled “the American Health Care Act,” is not so much a replacement as it is a death wish.

            The AHCA, as it currently exists, would absolutely eviscerate the gains in health coverage made under the admittedly flawed Obamacare project.  Standard & Poors estimates that anywhere from 6 to 10 million Americans would lose their current coverage under the AHCA, which shrinks federal income tax credits for the insured by up to two thirds, and would leave states scrambling to fill a $380 billion shortfall in the Medicaid program.  Despite the insistence of Speaker Ryan and Press Secretary Sean Spicer, this is not “Obamacare 2.0.”  The AHCA is, in fact, objectively worse, to such an extent that even some of the ACA’s harshest critics in the Senate are refusing to get behind the bill.

            Many prominent Republicans, such as Senators Tom Cotton, (R-Ark.) Rand Paul (R-Ken.) and Dean Heller, (R-Nev.) have come out strongly against the AHCA, claiming that it is not passable in the Senate.  While House GOP leadership wants to categorize the bill as a budget reconciliation measure – which would let Senate Republicans block an inevitable filibuster from Democrats with a simple majority – it is highly unlikely that the Senate parliamentarian will view it as such.  This is a potentially fatal procedural obstacle.  Between partisan opposition from Democrats and reluctance to destroy an increasingly popular program by vulnerable Republicans, it would be almost impossible to get the required 60 votes to force a vote on the Senate floor.

            If this bill is to succeed, it will have to be changed.  Republicans desperately need a victory on this front.  With both Congress and the President’s approval ratings sitting well in the negative, Democrats have been quietly plotting the GOP’s downfall in 2018.  Even Mr. Ryan has acknowledged that a failure in the Senate would bring about a “bloodbath” in the next election.  However, GOP leadership in the House has thus far refused to specify where they’re willing to compromise.  They better figure it out fast.

Ford Mulligan Staff Reporter