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https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...abdafa-e491-11e6-a547-5fb9411d332c_story.html

PHILADELPHIA — Republican lawmakers aired sharp concerns about their party’s quick push to repeal the Affordable Care Act inside a closed-door meeting Thursday, according to a recording of the session obtained by The Washington Post.


The recording reveals a GOP that appears to be filled with doubts about how to make good on a long-standing promise to get rid of Obamacare without explicit guidance from President Trump or his administration.


Senators and House members expressed a range of concerns about the task ahead: how to prepare a replacement plan that can be ready to launch at the time of repeal; how to avoid deep damage to the health insurance market; how to keep premiums affordable for middle-class families; even how to avoid the political consequences of defunding Planned Parenthood, the women’s health-care organization, as many Republicans hope to do with the repeal of the ACA.


“We’d better be sure that we’re prepared to live with the market we’ve created [with repeal],” said Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.). “That’s going to be called Trumpcare. Republicans will own that lock, stock and barrel, and we’ll be judged in the election less than two years away.”


Recordings of closed sessions at the Republican policy retreat in Philadelphia this week were sent late Thursday to The Washington Post and several other news outlets from an anonymous email address. The remarks of all lawmakers quoted in this story were confirmed by their offices or by the lawmakers themselves.


“Our goal, in my opinion, should be not a quick fix. We can do it rapidly — but not a quick fix,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.). “We want a long-term solution that lowers costs.”


Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) warned his colleagues that the estimated budget savings from passing the Obamacare repeal bill — which could approach a half-trillion dollars — is needed to fund the costs of setting up a replacement. “This is going to be what we’ll need to be able to move to that transition,” he said.


Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) worried that one idea floated by Republicans — a refundable tax credit — won’t work for middle-class families that can’t afford to prepay their premiums and wait for a tax refund.


And Rep. John Faso (R-N.Y.,) a freshman congressman from the Hudson Valley, warned strongly against using the repeal of the ACA to also defund Planned Parenthood. “We are just walking into a gigantic political trap if we go down this path of sticking Planned Parenthood in the health insurance bill,” he said. “If you want to do it somewhere else, I have no problem, but I think we are creating a political minefield for ourselves — House and Senate.”


The concerns of rank-and-file members appeared to be at odds with key congressional leaders and Andrew Bremberg, a top domestic policy adviser to President Trump, who laid out their plans to repeal the ACA using a fast-track legislative process and Trump administration executive actions. However, these leaders acknowledged in Thursday’s meeting, as they have before, that the law known as Obamacare cannot be fully undone — or replaced — without Democratic cooperation.


That and other aspects of the unfinished GOP plan prompted several wary members to urge their leaders to move more deliberately — even as the Trump administration appears to be moving ahead with repeal. On Thursday, the White House ordered federal health officials to immediately halt all advertising and other outreach activities for the critical final days in which Americans can sign up for 2017 health coverage through Affordable Care Act marketplaces.


Of particular concern to some Republican lawmakers was the plan to use the budget reconciliation process — which requires only a simple majority vote — to repeal the existing law, while still needing a filibuster-proof vote of 60 in the Senate to enact a replacement.
“The fact is, we cannot repeal Obamacare through reconciliation,” said McClintock. “We need to understand exactly, what does that reconciliation market look like? And I haven’t heard the answer yet.”

Press stop if old

 

[SlipperyFishes]

Trump(don't)care

 

[Extra Sauce]

Their concern seems to be upcoming elections rather than the well-being of Americans but whatever works...

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

Their concern seem to be upcoming elections rather than the well-being of Americans but whatever works...

It's always politically motivated

 

[Vhalyar]

This

“Our goal, in my opinion, should be not a quick fix. We can do it rapidly — but not a quick fix,”

sounds like the kind of shit someone who's been sleeping through a meeting until just now and decided they had to throw out a line to make themselves sound intelligent.

 

[Dubbedinenglish]

Early opposition has them spooked. Good.

 

[Already Torn]

Incoming tweet about how recording this was unfair

 

[The Technomancer]

“We want a long-term solution that lowers costs.”


The only things that do this are more progressive

Y'all done fucked yourselves

 

[RedAssedApe]

Their concern seems to be upcoming elections rather than the well-being of Americans but whatever works...

As is the case for the majority of politicians :|

 

[Chorazin]

At least SOME of those Republicans actually mentioned worrying about low and middle class American costs. All in all the few that truly do care and those that just want to save their own skins can work to help out all Americans AND LOOK GOOD FOR DOING IT which is good for us.

 

[Slayven]

No motherfuckers you wanted it, now shit or get off the pot.

 

[Retromelon]

its funny and sad that they don't express concern for implementing the best plan they can to help the american public, only that they want to repeal the ACA and defund planned parenthood with as little fallout or blowback possible.

 

[Ferrio]

It's going to be funny if the main thing the GOP fought against throughout Obama's term is the one thing they don't change.

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

ACA is as republican a bill as it gets with healthcare, they are now realizing they done fucked up trying to repeal and REPLACE something that is something more republican in nature than the ACA already is without completely dismantling it

 

[Lowmelody]

Nice, secret recordings already getting out. The IC will break this administration.

 

[Vixdean]

Sounds like the jist is "Oh right, we actually have no ideas on how to improve health care because we're Republicans." Woops!

 

[Afrodium]

The amount of stuff leaking out of Washington lately is insane.

 

[BoosterDuck]

they dug their own grave by slapping Obama's name on the bill

own it

 

[norinrad]

how huge is this?

 

[TheMan]

Their concern seems to be upcoming elections rather than the well-being of Americans but whatever works...

My thoughts exactly. If they put forth a reasonable plan and cut ACA simultaneously, I'll be happy that a crisis was averted regardless of their motivations.

Not that I think they're actually capable of coming up with a reasonable replacement, mind you.

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

how huge is this?

Not very, just stating the obvious and what democrats have been saying from day 1 concerning the repeal . In 24 hours this won't be talked about as the media will have moved on to another Trump tweet to dissect

 

[ultron87]

At least there was the one guy who was all "hey, we told all these people we aren't going to take away their health care, maybe we shouldn't do exactly that thing?"

 

[DOWN]

how huge is this?

Not that huge. Just reveals what the left already knew - the outcry from the right to repeal this was more political than anything else. They never actually knew what to change or how to do it. The right won't pay attention to this.

 

[Toxi]

 

[captive]

The hilarious part is that they've had 6 years to come up with something better now that they have all the power their pissing down their leg.

 

[Xe4]

ACA is as republican a bill as it gets with healthcare, they are now realizing they done fucked up trying to repeal and REPLACE something that is something more republican in nature than the ACA already is without completely dismantling it

This is what I in hilarious. They're so pissed off because a black man proposed it they never considered what any of their options were going to be trying to replace it. Every single plan they've proposed is worse, and they know it, because they gave the most conservative workable plan back in the 90's. Anything more conservstive would basically just be going back to the old system.

 

[onadesertedisland]

So, fuckboys, you got power and can do what you want, and you are starting to recognize that the problem is something that can't be fixed by waving your hand and saying Obamacare is bad?

 

[dave is ok]

ACA is as republican a bill as it gets with healthcare, they are now realizing they done fucked up trying to repeal and REPLACE something that is something more republican in nature than the ACA already is without completely dismantling it

This

They'll probably change a few minor things and then praise themselves for the "complete rehaul" they did on the ACA

 

[Glix]

Nice, secret recordings already getting out. The IC will break this administration.

Infinite Crisis? I mean, I'd love to see Superboy Prime go HAM on Trump.

(but seriously, what it IC?)

edit - Holy crap that Wile E Cyote jpg is fucking apropos

 

[benicillin]

Man I am loving the leaks coming out of this government. Keep it up.

 

[QuantumBro]

They really did not expect Trump to win, lol.

Six years since ACA passed and their best idea is nothing.

 

[adj_noun]

even how to avoid the political consequences of defunding Planned Parenthood, the women’s health-care organization, as many Republicans hope to do with the repeal of the ACA.

Well that ain't happening. You folks are gonna own that one.

 

[Dan]

Nice, secret recordings already getting out. The IC will break this administration.

What? Intelligence community has nothing to do with this.

 

[Eidan]

ACA is as republican a bill as it gets with healthcare, they are now realizing they done fucked up trying to repeal and REPLACE something that is something more republican in nature than the ACA already is without completely dismantling it

Precisely. The ACA as it exists IS the Republican solution to health care. The only way to get more Republican is to simply undo everything and walk away.

 

[Lowmelody]

Infinite Crisis? I mean, I'd love to see Superboy Prime go HAM on Trump.

(but seriously, what it IC?)

edit - Holy crap that Wile E Cyote jpg is fucking apropos

Intelligence community.

 

[Mr.Sumal]

Infinite Crisis? I mean, I'd love to see Superboy Prime go HAM on Trump.

(but seriously, what it IC?)

edit - Holy crap that Wile E Cyote jpg is fucking apropos

it could be either international community or Intelligence community

I'm going with the latter

 

[jmdajr]

The hilarious part is that they've had 6 years to come up with something better now that they have all the power their pissing down their leg.

The hard part of government is being in charge! Doing you know...stuff. Obstruction is jut coasting.

 

[onadesertedisland]

This

They'll probably change a few minor things and then praise themselves for the "complete rehaul" they did on the ACA

They could introduce legislation to kill "Obamacare", and then just continue the ACA to appease morons.

 

[Syraxith]

Their concern seems to be upcoming elections rather than the well-being of Americans but whatever works...

This is every elected official everywhere in the world.

 

[gutshot]

I never understood Republicans' opposition to Obamacare in the first place. Did they have specific policy criticisms or was it simply the fact that Obama championed it?

 

[PepsimanVsJoe]

They're willing to throw away half a trillion bucks just to repeal the fucking thing.

These imbeciles need to be fired into the moon.

I never understood Republicans' opposition to Obamacare in the first place. Did they have specific policy criticisms or was it simply the fact that Obama championed it?

It's been all about Obama since day zero. GOP is filled with racist short-sighted morons.

 

[Lonewulfeus]

They could introduce legislation to kill "Obamacare", and then just continue the ACA to appease morons.

I'm 100% ok with this and Obama even said he was too lol

 

[fredrancour]

They really did not expect Trump to win, lol.

Six years since ACA passed and their best idea is nothing.

i mean, the free market solution has already failed to lower costs enough. The only way to make health care more affordable is to erode the profitability of the industry directly by doing something further left like a public option. they're getting the ideological equivalent of a divide-by-zero error from all those years of demonizing the notion of driving millions of people to give their money to insurance industries.

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

This

They'll probably change a few minor things and then praise themselves for the "complete rehaul" they did on the ACA

Trumpcare

 

[tuxfool]

I never understood Republicans' opposition to Obamacare in the first place. Did they have specific policy criticisms or was it simply the fact that Obama championed it?

The latter.

 

[Pbae]

The amount of stuff leaking out of Washington lately is insane.

That's what happens when the piss hits the bed.

 

[Xe4]

I never understood Republicans' opposition to Obamacare in the first place. Did they have specific policy criticisms or was it simply the fact that Obama championed it?

You can't be seen agreeing with a black man.

I'm serious, that was their concern. They were afraid that their racist as fuck constituents would vote them out in the primaries.

A few people like Grassley tried and people fucking hated him for it. They screamed in his face and called him a fucking trator. It was nuts to watch happen.

 

[Davey Cakes]

Their concern seems to be upcoming elections rather than the well-being of Americans but whatever works...

I recall an interview Colbert did with a senator where the senator pretty much conveyed exactly that. It was something like "the number one concern is to be re-elected."

Colbert obviously seemed taken aback that the answer wasn't, y'know, " the number one concern is about serving the people."

 

[leatherhat]

They really did not plan for losing that automatic veto in the oval office.

 

[Ogodei]

Makes me hopeful. If we could hold out on a repeal until the 2018 elections, maybe the winds can shift (not that the Dems are going to win back any chambers, but if the GOP takes a net loss they could get gunshy about doing anything too drastic in the second half of Trump's term).

Edit: There's something to be said for politicians who focus on re-election: you can't do anything if you don't hold office. Yeah it's skeevy to hear them obsess about reelection, but even if you do the right thing and it makes you lose, and then the guy after you just comes up and undoes your accomplishments, then what have you really achieved?