The Republicans gave progressives a huge gift from the GOP retreat, and now is the time to run with it and tell every GOP lawmaker “We don’t want your Trumpcare!”
The Washington Post obtained leaked audio from a retreat session where Republicans expressed concerns with rapidly repealing the Affordable Care Act. One Republican lawmaker, Rep. Tom McClintock, warned his colleagues about “Trumpcare,” because “Republicans will own that lock, stock and barrel, and we’ll be judged in the election less than two years away.”
What is Trumpcare? Trumpcare is the “[healthcare] market we’ve created” after repealing and replacing the ACA. Republicans are also concerned about attacking Planned Parenthood in the middle of the healthcare debate, how to have an actual replacement plan ready when the repeal takes place, and how to keep everything affordable for the middle class. Oh, yeah, they’re also concerned about the fact that American taxpayers are on the hook for “building the wall” on the Mexican border. House leader Paul Ryan (R-WI) made it clear that “we are going to finance the Secure Fence Act, which is the construction of a physical barrier on the border.” Just to give you a sense of the disarray in the Republican Party, Ryan took questions about building the wall because he didn’t want to take questions about the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Nice.
If you want a peek into what “Trumpcare” might look like, take a peek at what Republicans are trying to peddle in Minnesota. That’s right. You can keep your “insurance.” But it will no longer cover cancer treatments, diabetes, maternity care, anti-psychotic drugs, mental health care, and a list of at least 29 other medical issues that are currently covered by the Affordable Care Act.
Sponsor of MN’s cruel a la carte health bill is @SteveDraz. He doesn’t understand disease progression, insurance pools or public health. pic.twitter.com/LNo8biB5FO
— Andy Slavitt (@ASlavitt) January 24, 2017
So, just keep on saying: “we don’t want your Trumpcare!” Preferably with hundreds or thousands of others in your representatives office.
