Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 8 May 2017

Democrats see opposition to GOP health bill as winning issue

By BILL BARROW miums, end federal pay-
STEVE PEOPLES ments for states to expand
Associated Press Medicaid for the poor and
ATLANTA (AP) — It’s disabled, and cut more
“Trumpcare” now, and Re- than $700 billion in taxes
publicans have to answer over 10 years.
for it. Act Blue, a clearinghouse
After dozens of symbolic political action commit-
votes, House Republicans tee that raises money for
finally pushed through a Democratic campaigns,
bill to gut Barack Obama’s has already helped raise
Affordable Care Act, with more than $2 million to fuel
President Donald Trump challenges against House
hailing the replacement Republicans who backed
as “a great plan” that has the GOP plan.
“really brought the Repub- Democrats also targeted
lican Party together.” Republican governors in
Democrats are giddy Democratic-leaning states,
about what could be se- including Maryland’s Larry
vere political consequenc- In this image from House Television, the final total on the vote on the Republicans health care bill Hogan, who did not take a
es for the GOP. is displayed at the Capitol in Washington on Thursday, May 4, 2017. It’s “Trumpcare” now, and Re- public position before the
publicans have to answer for it. After dozens of symbolic votes, House Republicans finally pushed
Even though the Senate through a bill to gut Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, with President Donald Trump hailing the House vote.
still has to act, Republicans replacement as “a great plan” that has “really brought the Republican Party together.” “Where is their promise that
now largely own a mea- (House Television via AP) no one is going to lose their
sure that would curtail, and insurance?” asked Con-
in some cases take away liberal group Indivisible. said he’s now more likely to showdown over a House necticut Gov. Dan Malloy,
completely, benefits Amer- “These Republicans voted challenge MacArthur next seat in the Atlanta suburbs. chairman of the Demo-
icans have embraced to take away peoples’ year. Kim raised more than Georgia Democrat Jon Os- cratic Governors Associa-
after seven years. Chief health care. This is going to $43,000 online over the last soff, who is trying to score tion.
among them: a guaran- come back to bite them.” week for a possible run. a special election upset in “They have no intention to
tee of paying the same Democrats are convinced “He owns every part of a traditionally conserva- honor what they ran on,”
amount for coverage re- the GOP repeal bill jeop- this,” Kim said of MacAr- tive House district, said he he declared. “It’s the sort
gardless of health history. ardizes the Republican thur. strongly opposes “discrimi- of things that cowards do,
Budget analysts estimate monopoly in Washing- Democrats need to flip 24 nation” over pre-existing and the Republicans in
24 million people would ton, starting with majority seats between now and conditions in response to Congress and in the state-
lose insurance over a de- control of the House, and the 2018 elections to take the vote. houses are cowards. ... It is
cade, 14 million in the first the party’s advantages in control of the House. Of Outside groups prepared remarkable, and we will be
year, and older Americans statehouses from Nevada the 217 Republicans who to launch an advertising reminding people of it.”
would face higher costs. to New Hampshire. backed the bill, 14 come campaign in the coming In Ohio, Democrats target-
The Senate, meanwhile, The potential fallout crystal- from districts carried by days to punish vulnerable ed Rep. Jim Renacci, who
will write its own health lized almost immediately. Democrat Hillary Clinton Republicans in key states. voted for the bill, as he
care bill, Majority Leader Fundraising surged na- last fall, and 24 serve in dis- The television and online runs for governor in a con-
Mitch McConnell said in tionwide as new recruits tricts where Trump did not blitz is expected to seize tested Republican primary
Louisville while attending stepped up to challenge win more than 50 percent on the more unpopular campaign. Outgoing Gov.
the Kentucky Derby. vulnerable Republicans of the vote. provisions in the GOP plan, John Kasich, a Republican,
No timetable will be an- who backed the plan. Republican Rep. Ileana which was opposed by the condemned the Republi-
nounced, McConnell said, Among the vulnerable: Ros-Lehtinen, who is not AARP, the American Medi- can measure as “woefully
and he added: “We don’t two-term Rep. Tom MacAr- seeking re-election next cal Association, which rep- short.”
anticipate any Democrat- thur, R-N.J., who helped year, warned that the bill resents doctors, and the Outside Washington, the
ic help at all, so it will be a revive the bill by authoring “has the potential to se- American Hospital Associa- Trump resistance mobi-
simple majority vote situa- a key amendment on pre- verely harm the health and tion. lized quickly. The first of the
tion.” existing conditions. lives of people in south Flor- The AARP warned that the grassroots protests were
In the House, 217 Republi- “We have an opportu- ida.” GOP plan institutes an “age held in House Speaker Paul
cans voted yes. nity to take down the per- Her open seat in Miami is tax” and jeopardizes cov- Ryan’s Wisconsin district
“Progressives are going to son who was the author considered a prime pick- erage for 25 million older hours after Thursday’s vote.
hang this around the necks of Trumpcare 2.0,” said up opportunity for Demo- Americans with pre-existing Democratic activists were
of every one of those Re- Democrat Andrew Kim, an crats. conditions. The bill would planning many more dem-
publicans,” said Angel Obama White House na- Next month, Democrats also roll back subsidies for onstrations for next week’s
Padilla, co-founder of the tional security adviser, who and Republicans face a individual insurance pre- congressional recess.q