McConnell Can’t Answer How GOP Will Insure Americans After Repealing ObamaCare

[Galraedia]

Source: ThinkProgress

Since the Supreme Court last week upheld the Affordable Care Act, Republicans have been scrambling for a response. Without much to say now that the law has been ruled constitutional, the GOP has fallen back on its pledge to repeal ObamaCare. However, the new health care law provides 30 million Americans with access to health insurance. So how do Republicans plan to replace this key feature if they repeal?


Fox News’s Chris Wallace asked Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) this important question on Fox News Sunday today and the senior senator from Kentucky had no answer. After McConnell meandered through the typical GOP talking points that they plan to allow the sale of health insurance across state lines and that they will institute medical malpractice reform, he finally settled on an answer: Insuring Americans “is not the issue”:

WALLACE: One of the keys to ObamaCare is that it will extend insurance access to 30 million people who are now uninsured. In your replacement, how would you provide universal coverage?

MCCONNELL: Well first let me say the first single thing we can do for the American system is get rid of ObamaCare. … The single biggest direction we can take in terms of improving health care is to get rid of this monstrosity. [...]

WALLACE: But you’re talking about repealing and replace, how would you provide universal coverage?

MCCONNELL: I’ll get to it in a minute. [...]

WALLACE: I just want to ask, what specifically are you going to do to provide universal coverage to the 30 million people who are uninsured?

MCCONNELL: That is not the issue. The question is, how can you go step by step to improve the American health care system. … We’re not going to turn the American health care system into a Western European system.

Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/07/01/509277/mcconnell-obamacare-insure-americans/

[wordpix]

1. translation: we have no answers except "get rid of Medicare/Medicaid and Obama"

That's it. That's the repuke agenda.

Just say it, McCONnell

[jerseyjack]

28. You don't know what you're talking about. They have a plan.

Grayson explained it for you but you didn't listen.

Their plan is, "Don't get sick. If you do get sick, die quickly."

[wordpix]

46. that, too

[Turbineguy]

2. McConnell makes sense.

People who are in favor of health care vote for Democrats. Drop healthcare, kill those who vote for Democrats and voila! you don't have to steal elections any more.

[flamingdem]

10. They would save money if they didn't have to steal elections

Their world view makes sense, it does!

[Nay]

3. Of course they can't answer. Because their answer is, "We don't think those ppl should have

healthcare at all unless they can pay for it themselves. That's how we get rid of the unfit."

[SoutherDem]

4. That is not the issue?????

McConnell is loony! They KNOW there is no way to keep the benefits of ACA while not forcing healthy Americans to have insurance. All he knows is it is the Obama plan so it needs to go. Who cares if it was Romney's plan first. His replace is the status quo.

I heard a Republican talking head say the answer is deregulation. Well, wouldn't keeping the good parts of ACA regulations? Also, if we allow the insurance companies to do as they will, no one could ever afford insurance unless they are rich.

[Life Long Dem]

5. He never did get to it.

But he sure did say over and over how they will repeal it if they win and about the penalty being a tax.

[Iggy]

6. I've Come to the Conclusion

McConnell, Cantor, Boehner, etc. are the loud mouthed braggarts we all knew in high school... the guys that
when the science project was due would bellow like cattle about how great their project was going to be, how they
were "going to kick your ass", etc.

Then they show up with their crappy project which looks like they did it five minutes before it was due.

they got _nothing_.

[erpowers]

7. Nothing

Republicans like Mitch McConnell cannot say what they will use to replace the Affordable Care Act because they do not want to replace it with anything. I once came across a Republican who stated that having 45 million people without healthcare was not a bad thing. He actually said that the number was just about right. Yes, the person was far to the right, but he was in a position to affect policy.

[donquijoterocket]

14. cannot say

Because they do not know. I wonder what else anyone would expect from a group of people who haven't had an original idea since about 1955 or thereabouts.
The last thing I can think of that republicans have ever done for the country was Ike and the Interstate system, and neither one would stand the proverbial snowball's chance with the current Republican party.

[Amonester]

8. Can't wait for that question to be asked to Rmoney in the debates...

Well, I hope that question will be asked to him, so we can all watch him play etch-a-sketch in front of millions...

[HughBeaumont]

9. Ooooh, the Broken Clock's SOOOOO gettin' a stern talking-to by Roger fAiles.

One thing you have to realize, Chris: this whole "Journalism" thing? That's only for Democrats, not your masters and their useful idiots.

Repeal and Replace with FuckYouLikeICare is their plan, so that's not going to pass even Fox News muster.

[Patiod]

26. I had that same thought.

What's with the "holding his feet to the fire" bullshit, Chris? Fox "News" needs to be a safe and secure place for Republicans to come and repeat the talking points!

[Moral Compass]

11. TAX is the key word

Just continue to pay attention and you'll notice the word "tax" will be repeated over and over and over...ad infinitum. That is the hinge on which they will pivot onto the attack.

According to brother Grover, "Tax bad. No tax good.". That is the basic sophistication of what their argument will be.

Now that ACA has been declared constitutional and the individual mandate a tax--well here we go.

It is somewhat heartening to hear even Chris Wallace ask what the alternative is. After all, this is the market based solution that the Heritage foundation proposed. It is only unacceptable now, when its implementation represents a Democratic success.

[AllyCat]

12. I think he said their plan right in the last line: That is not the issue

To the Republicans, people don't need health care or insurance. They just need to do whatever it is that they do, but health is not part of that equation.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

13. 30 million people uninsured is "not the issue"?!

[valerief]

15. Insuring all Americans does not make the right rich people richer, so insuring them is not an option

As long as the right rich people get richer all is well in McConnell's world. He doesn't give a rat's ass about ANYTHING else.

[tanyev]

16. And then he pulled his head and legs into his shell and refused to come out

until the show was over.

[Kteachums]

17. Defeat anything with Obama's name on it!

Did they offer anything during the healthcare legislation? They were the party of "no"! So, does it surprise you? It is the Republican answer for everything these days. Do you hear Mitt Romney coming up with any answers? They have only one agenda and that is to defeat our President. If the money contributions coming in defeat him, we are in big trouble. They have no agenda. They call it the economy but, do you hear any plans? There are none. If they can't defeat him they will try to impeach him by spreading lies and gossip. If they can't do that they have idiots that will hold (NRA) guns and take him out! They want the power to feed their rich souls!

I trust none of them!

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. Wallace actually said "universal coverage"???

Whoa.

That's the significance of this conversation. McConnell's remarks are rather expected.

[Suji to Seoul]

19. Quote: "We’re not going to turn the American health care system into a Western European system."

Listen, you chinless freak, I lived in socialized medicine in South Korea. Best care I had EVER. And it was dirt cheap.

I lived under capitalistic medicine in Communist China. Worst care I ever had. And in Chinese money standards, very expensive.

Fuck off, Mitch Mcdickless.

[Flatulo]

37. Interesting - China has no public health care system?

What the hell are they doing with the trillions of $$$ were sending them for shoddy products?

[Suji to Seoul]

44. Mostly, public works projects like the high speed rail system and subway systems

or worthless face projects like parks, gardens and statues of famous Chinese people of yesteryear.

There are also huge amounts of urban development with new offices, reworking the antiquated road system, new apartment complexes, etc. however the countryside is still forgotten, even outside of my major city of Nanjing.

However, most of it ends up in the pockets of the leaders of 共产党. Translate that into English and you'll know what I mean.

[Flatulo]

48. Interesting - I've never been there. Really doesn't sound very nice, frankly.

Reminds me of what the States went through when we transitioned from an agrarian to an industrial society. They called that the 'Gilded Age' here.

[Suji to Seoul]

49. ding. ding. ding. We have a winner. China's doing that now, with all the problems we had.

Complied by years of out-dated traditions and customs they refuse to give up for modernity.

[Flatulo]

56. I'd heard they had a very dynamic anti-corruption system; a 9mm round right behind the ear.

Still, I guess if you know the right people, anything is possible.

Imagine a kleptocracy 10x larger than ours in the States and that's the picture I get of modern china.

I must say though, even though my engineering job was outsourced there three times, and I always had to train my replacements, I found the Chinese people, at least the engineers, to be extremely nice people. The last time, they expressed a great deal of regret that I was going to be laid-off and gave me some rather expensive gifts. I still keep in touch with the engineers there via LinkedIn.

You can't blame the people there for our outsourcing problem; they're just trying to get a better life too.

[wordpix]

47. I lived in Canada, had a baby there in the '80's ---GREAT health care

Not only did we get great health care for our tax dollars, we also got subsidized child care based on our income ---- there is also subsidized college for citizens, too. When you pay into the Canadian system, it's called "social insurance" and not just health insurance.

And don't let anyone tell you it's "free," because it's not. Canadians pay heavy sales taxes on everything but groceries, and that pays for the insurance. When I was there, the province I lived in billed quarterly for social insurance based on our family's income.

[riderinthestorm]

20. They've got nothing. Pound that message home. They have NOTHING to replace this with nt

[Gidney N Cloyd]

21. Is Chris's dad haunting him like Marley's ghost now?

[elleng]

27. Something like that.

I don't watch, but what I read suggests his basic intellect and history won't allow him to continue his right-wing shilling any longer. He knows its dishonest.

[Third Doctor]

22. they simply don't care

I have discussed this with more than one RWer and the fact that a lot of working people are uninsured, through no fault of their own, does not concern them at all. They think that people should just go find a better job or go back to school as if that's such a easy option these days. I see a lot of cruelty and selfishness in that way of thinking.

[Ruby the Liberal]

23. Gotta love the argument for 'tort reform' to "fix" everything

while still allowing medical bankruptcy as the legal, leading cause of all bankruptcies across the nation.

[bupkus]

24. No Republican can answer how they'll provide health insurance for Americans

Because it's not their intent to provide Americans with health insurance. It isn't even on their radar or else they would have done something about it when they had a majority. But they didn't. Because they really don't care about health care.

The Republican Party is just one big death panel.

[elleng]

25. He's right IF 'improving the American health care system' means

making INSURANCE irrelevant/unnecessary. How do we do that???

MEDICARE FOR ALL!!!

[liberal N proud]

29. The only reason they are against it is because it is Obama.

[pinto]

30. Facts *are* secondary to them. Regardless of the issue, they go for contentless knee jerk soundbites

[DallasNE]

31. GOP Caught Flatfooted --- AGAIN

Just like with immigration, the Republicans have been caught flatfooted on a central issue of our time. So once again they have been caught looking backwards rather than forward and now are scrambling for answers. And this raises the question; if Republicans are caught flatfooted on such basic items as immigration and universal coverage for health insurace, what other things will they be caught flatfooted on. Syria and Iran come to mind. And what about the Ryan budget. Do the Republicans have the answer on anything or is it just that if Obama is for something their knee-jerk response is to be against it -- and that is the hole they have dug for themself. It is a hollowed-out policy that leaves them flatfooted any time someone lifts up a sheet and starts to ask questions on how something might or might not work. Romney apparently thought he could ride that horse all of the way through the election and it is not working very well right now. Romney can run but he cannot hide.

[JDPriestly]

32. Face it. Republicans care about markets and money, not about people.

They are in it for the game, not out of compassion.

[benld74]

33. PAY NO ATTENTION to the MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN!!!!

[Stuart G]

34. He said, farther into the interview:

something to this effect:

"Put the uninsured into a high risk pool that states run." (I read this at another source)

But that high risk insurance pool, is very expensive, and the uninsured really cannoat afford it. So he is really saying, "We don't have anything for the poor uninsured, too bad"

[kestrel91316]

35. They have NO plans for the 99% to get any medical care whatsoever,

let alone get medical insurance. They want the 99% either dead or literally enslaved because of medical debt. Remember, they are all dominionists at heart, and debt slavery is at the heart of their plans.

[Skittles]

42. CORRECT

[drm604]

36. What bizzaro world is this?

Fox News putting McConnell's feet to the fire? Asking him how Republicans plan to provide universal care (as if!)?

What planet did I wake up on?

[Skittles]

43. Mr. Wallace is channelling his late father

yes INDEED

[Scairp]

38. In other words they don't give a shit

They would not change a thing. They have no plan that involves the government getting involved in providing health insurance to almost everyone in this country.

[Quantess]

39. Hey, Mitch McConnell---

You have a tortoise shell to protect you, but the rest of us don't!

He has no compassion for people who aren't turtles.

[sakabatou]

40. They got nothing because they don't give a shit.

As McConnell said himself, "The Uninsured are not a priority."

[and-justice-for-all]

41. Its easy, THEY DO NOT GIVE A SHIT

and have no interest whatsoever in filling that hole if they had to opportunity to repeal it.

[jmowreader]

45. McConnell didn't give the real answer because it would be political suicide

The real answer isn't "I'll get to it," the real answer is "We won't."

Republicans like things just the way they are. They think 30 million people not having health insurance is okay because there are charities, there are church-run clinics, there are emergency rooms that have to treat anyone who walks through the door, and if all else fails you can hold bake sales and dances to raise money for people's medical care. (This is no shit. We typically run three "Joe Jones is holding a party to raise money for his cancer treatment, and here's where it is" stories a week.)

The ACA changes that equation--and they don't like it.

[olegramps]

50. That slack jawed a$$hole makes me want to vomit. I can't stand watching him.

[Thinkingabout]

51. With Romney care, every repub should know the answer.

They don't want a Democrat to have accomplished what they dont know how to do

[mother earth]

52. McConnell & the GOP care only for themselves...they've proven beyond a shadow of a doubt

that this country can rot until the election, because it serves their greedy purpose. The GOP can continue to rot, they will reap what they have sowed....and Obama better deliver on hope and change this go around. There is no other way than to rebuild here at home. We have witnessed "capitalism" or "corporatism" at its best and it's corrupt to the bone. Change is in the air and it's inevitable.

[muntrv]

53. Mitch: "Don't get sick! If you do, die quickly!"

[olegramps]

54. Democrats should say it isn't Obamacare, but we were forced to compromise and get Romneycare.

Mandates have been the response of Republicans to every attempt to pass a national health care plan. I don't understand why Democrats when confronted on national media programs don't say, bull crap, this is Romneycare. we wanted single payer, but had to seattle for second rate Romneycare that protected the health insurance industry.

[Historic NY]

55. McConnell wants to put the "fun" back in funeral....

buy stock.

[BREMPRO]

57. this is a loser argument... they have NOTHING TO OFFER on health care but delay and deflection...

a clear majority of Americans, particularly the key independents, may not like everything in ACA, but DO NOT want to go through weary endless re-litigation of health care in an extended wasteful debate where all the republicans offer is the same old crap they dished out during the debate on ACA.. the fact that many of the ideas are republican ideas and they agree with many of the provisions such as keeping children on to 26 and no pre-existing conditions cuts into any argument for "starting from scratch" . they have nothing! It doesn't work without the mandate, just like the MA plan Romney created and defended on record. They are caught in a bedazzled web of their own making.. the spider will eat them whole for breakfast!