House Speaker Mike Johnson raised some eyebrows this week, taking aim at the Affordable Care Act in ways that most Republicans in Congress tend to avoid. At a campaign event in Pennsylvania on Monday, the Louisiana congressman said there would be a crowd ‘huge’ changes in healthcare in the United States when Donald Trump returns to power. ‘Healthcare reform will be a big part of the agenda’ the GOP leader added.
The House Speaker has since claimed that it was taken out of context, but a video of the event does him no good. When an attendee asked during the event, “No Obamacare?” The Republican leader of Congress responded: “No Obamacare.”
One far-right lawmaker on Capitol Hill apparently welcomed the rhetoric. USA Today reports this:
Other Republicans have continued to push for an end to the health care law. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, reposted Johnson’s comments on Thursday, writing: “Kill Obamacare now.”
This seems like a good time to pause and take stock.
- Trump tried to destroy the Affordable Care Act; He continues to sue the popular and effective reform law; and he recently told the nation that he “concepts of a plan” to replace the ACA, although he won’t tell anyone what that means.
- The former president’s running mate, Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance, also recently shared details about his plans to weaken protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions – which followed the Ohio senator leaving repeal of the ACA on the table in a possible second term for Trump.
- The Speaker of the House of Representatives wants that “big” changes for federal health care policy.
- Republican Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho, who would likely become chairman of the Senate Finance Committee if the GOP regains control of the chamber, said last fall that he is open to withdrawal and replacement plans.
- Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas, who is running to become Senate Majority Leader in the next Congress, said that a year ago too“I think Obamacare has been one of the greatest deceptions on the American people.”
- And now another prominent Republican senator is dropping all subtlety, telling the public in the final days of the election cycle that he wants to “kill” the health care law.
While the outcome of the election remains to be seen, it is entirely possible that Republicans will soon regain control of federal power, putting America’s health security at risk.
Let no one say that the public was not warned before Election Day. If anything, Mike Lee’s tweet was a late-in-the-cycle wake-up call for voters who take health care seriously.
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