Trump: “Let ObamaCare fail and then come together and do a great healthcare plan”
Developments on Day 180 of the Trump Administration:
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Trump Promises Collapse of Healthcare System
Responding to the failure of the GOP effort to repeal and replace ObamaCare, Donald Trump pledges that he will let the system collapse.
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Trump responded in a series of tweets to Monday’s confirmation that the Republican leadership in the Senate did not have the votes to even put their bill on the floor.
As I have always said, let ObamaCare fail and then come together and do a great healthcare plan. Stay tuned!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 18, 2017
Trump explained further at a public appearance at the White House:
It’ll be a lot easier. We’re not going to own it. I’m not going to own it. I can tell you the Republicans are not going to own it. We’ll let Obamacare fail, and then the Democrats are going to come to us.
The Congressional Budget Office has evaluated that, if the Affordable Care Act is repealed without a replacement, 35 million Americans will lose coverage and premium will increase 100% for those who can still get insurance.
Senate Majority Mitch McConnell said on Monday, as he confirmed that the GOP bill could not succeed, that he might call for a vote on repeal, but several Republican senators — enough to overturn the GOP’s 52-48 majority — said they would offer no support.
However, Trump can sabotage the current system by declining to reimburse insurance companies for reducing the out-of-pocket costs of those on low incomes, or by refusing to enforce the mandate that most Americans are covered.
Senators from both parties offered constructive alternatives. The GOP chairman of the Health Committee, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, said he would hold hearings in the next few weeks on stabilizing the individual health insurance market. Legislators on both sides of the aisle have discuss how to provide money for the reduction of out-of-pocket costs, how to help pay the largest claims through reinsurance, and how to help those in counties where no insurer chooses to offer health plans through the Affordable Care Act marketplace.
The Senate Democratic leader, Charles Schumer of New York, asked Republicans to defy Trump and work with Democrats to strengthen insurance markets.
But Trump pressed ahead on Twitter:
We were let down by all of the Democrats and a few Republicans. Most Republicans were loyal, terrific & worked really hard. We will return!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 18, 2017
He even claimed a victory rather than a climactic defeat, according to CNBC’s John Harwood:
As Senate health bill collapses, Trump takes credit for winning over most Republicans: "would have been 48-4. impressive by any standard"
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) July 18, 2017
Tillerson Considers Closure of State Department’s Cyber-Operations Office
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is considering closure of the State Department’s cyber-operations office or merging it with another office and downgrading the cyber-coordinator’s position, according to a “source familiar with internal planning”.
Christopher Painter, the cyber-coordinator is leaving at the end of the month. He had led American delegations to international cyber-meetings since 2011, negotiating joint agreements with other countries on issues like protecting critical infrastructure and developing cyber-norms.
With the State Department facing a cut of more than 30% in the draft Trump budget, Tillerson is slashing and reorganizing bureaus. Earlier this week it was reported that he is eliminating the State Department’s war crimes office.
However, the source said there was also a specific dismissal of cyber-matters: “They basically gave [Painter] two weeks notice. It’s clear they’re thinking about reorganizing it….Clearly they don’t think it’s that important.”
