Obama challenges Republicans to present an alternative to Obamacare
President Barack Obama is calling on Republicans to present an alternative healthcare plan to the American people. In his final days as president, Obama sat down with the Editor-in-Chief of Vox.com Ezra Klein to discuss his signature legislation, Obamacare, and Republican plans to repeal it.
“Now is the time when Republicans have to go ahead and show their cards if in fact they have a program that would genuinely work better.” The president said. “They can call it Trumpcare, they can call it McConnellcare, or Ryancare.” He joked.
The president promised to support any bill Republicans put fourth that worked better than Obamacare, but he did not seem hopeful that such a bill would, in fact, be created.
“All the promises they made about how they can do it better, cheaper and everybody is going to be satisfied are going to be hard to meet.”
This week Republicans announced plans to repeal Obamacare, but delay the actual effects for another two years. Obama called this measure a “disservice” to the American people and taunted Republicans to present a real plan for the public to study and debate.
“If they’re [Republicans] so convinced that they can do it better, they shouldn’t be afraid to make that presentation.” he said. “Why is it that they’re trying to rush the repeal so quick? What is it that they’re so afraid of?”
Obama insisted to Klein that he had no “pride” or “authorship” over Obamacare. The president also assured he would publicly endorse a repeal of Obamacare and encourage Democrats to do the same, if Republicans created a better alternative with the approval from independent third- party healthcare experts.
During the discussion the President also called out newly re-elected House Speaker Paul Ryan, R- Wisconsin, and asked the Speaker why he felt “obliged” to repeal the bill, before showing the American people what he would replace it with. Obama stated “a majority of Americans think that’s a bad idea.”
“If they choose to repeal something that is providing health insurance to a lot of people and providing benefits to every American who has health insurance, even if they’re getting it from the job. And they haven’t shown us what it is they’re going to do, then they do own it. Because that is irresponsible.”
Tune in to “Face the Nation” this Sunday as Vox.com’s Ezra Klein joins the political panel to talk more on his discussion with the outgoing President. We’ll also talk to two key Congressional voices when it comes to the Obamacare repeal: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker
