In a major victory for President Donald Trump, the House has voted to dismantle the pillars of the Affordable Care Act and make sweeping changes to the nation’s health care system.
If a house is on fire, you do not wait for it to burn to the ground before trying to save the family trapped inside. The situation we face today with Obamacare is no different: It is on the verge of collapse, buckling under the weight of its own toxic mix of mandates and regulations, and many of our fellow Americans are trapped inside.
This crisis will not resolve itself — it is only getting worse, and America’s families can’t wait any longer. Do we have the courage to do what’s right for the American people?
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Against the odds, House Republicans have regained momentum on health-care reform, and they’re nearing a majority coalition. While there may be more swerves before a vote, they ought to appreciate the importance of demonstrating that a center-right Congress—working with President Trump —can govern.
There are still holdouts and others are undecided in the GOP’s moderate and conservative wings, but their differences are narrowing. More members are also recognizing their political mistake in trashing the original ObamaCare repeal and replace bill.
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The MacArthur amendment focuses on an idea that’s core to Republicans’ DNA: federalism. That’s a positive step forward. But what still seems to be lacking is a strategic roadmap for what Congress and the Administration should be trying to achieve. By laying out this roadmap, the Administration can bridge the gap between Republican moderates and conservatives, and possibly open up a much-needed dialogue with centrist Democrats.
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The Republican predicament is illustrated in the cultural response to a monologue by late-night host Jimmy Kimmel who, through tears, made an impassioned plea to President Donald Trump and the GOP not to decrease public funding for or access to health insurance.
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