While the headlines are coming fast and furious, actual changes to Obamacare will come slower — much slower. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan is pushing back on the idea that there’s a six-month timeline for replacement.
It could be longer. Much longer. And that’s just the time it will take to pass the law. Or is it … laws? Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) told CNN that replacement will be piecemeal, not comprehensive.
One day after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer warned Trump wanted to “Make America Sick Again,” Trump attacked Sen. Schumer and Obamacare on Twitter, calling on Republicans and Democrat to “get together and come up with a healthcare plan that really works.” Thirteen Senate Democrats, calling themselves moderates, put out a release Thursday saying they’re ready to “discuss improvements” and asked their GOP colleagues “why the rush?”
Later, Ryan made one priority clear — Congress will defund Planned Parenthood.
Not all resistance to repealing Obamacare may be coming from the left, by the way. Sen. Rand Paul, who was the only Republican to vote against the Senate GOP’s budget resolution Wednesday over concerns it would raise the deficit, met with 25 House Republicans today to urge them to do the same.
Over here at CNN, we’ve had this burning question: Why do so many people hate Obamacare? We went looking for some answers.
The Obamacare fight continues Friday. Obama, in between packing his bags, will do a livestream with Vox to discuss his signature health care law.
And if it sounds like Obamacare changes are coming a bit slower than expected, his Infrastructure plan seems to be on an even slower track…if it happens at all.
The same may be true on the trade front. Speaker Ryan told radio host Hugh Hewitt “we’re not going to be raising tariffs,” drawing cheers from The Club of Growth.
Trump team’s response? Spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters, “the way Mr. Trump looks at this is if American companies stay in the United States and continue to hire American workers and grow our manufacturing base, then there is no tariff, there is no tax.” Then, Trump aimed a tweet at Toyota’s plan to build a plant in Mexico.