After weeks of negotiations to try to repeal Obamacare, the Republican-controlled Congress has pulled its controversial American Healthcare Act, presumably at the request of President Donald Trump.
It is being reported by media outlet CNN that Trump and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan spoke at 3 p.m. and the decision was made to pull the bill. It has been seven years and a day since Obamacare became law and changed the healthcare of the nation, allowing millions access to much-needed healthcare. The decision to pull the Republican bill is considered a personal and monumental setback to the conservative agenda of Trump and other Republicans. In the 2016 election, many Republicans gained much-needed votes and won their elections based on their promise to repeal Obamacare.
Today was supposed to be the day that Congress was going to take the dramatic vote on Obamacare; however, there were just not enough votes. President Trump started the mood for the day by tweeting this morning, “After seven horrible years of Obamacare (skyrocketing premiums & deductibles, bad healthcare), this is finally your chance for a great plan!”
But the plan was rife with issues that put an unjust burden on the poor and elderly who would have seen their premiums skyrocket. In addition, the plan would call for the elimination of mandatory coverage that exists currently under Obamacare. The Republican plan called for the elimination of mental health care coverage, guaranteed maternity leave, vital prescription drug coverage, and other drastic measures.
In the end, the President of the United States is being blamed for what is being called a monumental policy disaster in his first 100 days in office. This is following a series of promises Trump has made including an immigration travel ban, which was shut down by the courts, building a wall with Mexico, tax cuts, and tearing up the Iran nuclear missile agreement signed during the Obama administration. In the midst of all of this, the Trump administration is also dealing with an unfolding scandal involving Russian interference in the recent US presidential election and associates of Trump with questionable ties to known Russian operatives. President Trump, a man who delights in the “Art of the Deal” has failed in his first big test on major domestic policy.
