GOP Struggles To Pass Unpopular Healthcare Bill | AM Joy

>>> WE'RE TURNING BACK THE TIDE OF ALL OF THE RULES AND
REGULATIONS THAT WERE PUT IN PLACE PREVIOUSLY THAT DECREASED
CHOICES, THAT INCREASED COSTS. ALL OF THOSE THINGS, IF YOU LOOK
AT IT IN ITS TOTALITY, AND NOBODY IS LOOKING AT IT IN ITS
TOTALITY, WE WILL BRING DOWN PREMIUMS, INCREASE COVERAGE AND
INCREASE CHOICES AND I BELIEVE WILL INCREASE THE QUALITY OF
CARE PROVIDED IN THIS NATION. >> REPUBLICAN OFFICIALS FLOODED
THE AIRWAVES THIS MORNING WITH BASICALLY THIS MESSAGE,
OBAMACARE MUST BE REPEALED, AND DON'T WORRY, THE GOP IS ON IT.
AFTER A WEEK IN WHICH SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL
HAD TO PULL HIS HEALTH CARE BILL, THEN SET A FRIDAY DEADLINE
FOR A REVISED BILL WHICH HAS NOW PASSED WITH NO COMPROMISE IN
SIGHT AND WHEN HE'S EVEN FACED CALLS FROM THE TWEETER IN CHIEF
TO ADOPT AN UNWORKABLE AND UNWISE REPEAL NOW AND REPLACE AT
SOME POINT LATER IN THE FUTURE STRATEGY, WHAT REPUBLICANS MIGHT
BE FEELING IS CLOSER TO WHAT McCONNELL TOLD REPORTERS ON
FRIDAY, QUOTE, IT'S NOT EASY MAKING AMERICA GREAT, IS IT?
FIRST, LET'S RE-ESTABLISH FOR THE PANEL HERE WHERE WE ARE IN
TERMS OF THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS' VIEWS ON THE HEALTH
CARE BILL. 45% OPPOSITE THE BILL IN THE
LATEST POLL. 40% SAID THEY DON'T KNOW ENOUGH
ABOUT THE BILL TO MAKE A DECISION.
12% SUPPORT THE BILL. WE'LL PUT THAT UP IN A MINUTE.
THAT IS JUST TO RE-ESTABLISH THE BASELINE -- THERE IT IS.
SO THAT IS WHERE WE ARE WITH THE BILL.
I'M GOING TO GO TO YOU FIRST ON THIS, PERRY BACON JR.
THIS IS THE LATEST SALES PITCH THAT'S BEING MADE FOR THE PEOPLE
WHOSE MARQUEE IS REPEAL OBAMACARE AND REPLACE IT WITH
TRUMPCARE. REPEAL OBAMACARE.
THIS IS WHAT WHITE HOUSE AIDE MARK SHORT HAS SAID, AND THIS IS
I THINK WHAT HE SAID ON FRIDAY, THAT REPEAL AND REPLACE CAN
ACTUALLY BE BIPARTISAN.
TAKE A LISTEN. >> IF THE REPLACEMENT PART OF
TOO DIFFICULT FOR REPUBLICANS TO COME TOGETHER, LET'S GO BACK AND
TAKE CARE OF THE FIRST STEP AND REPEAL.
EVEN THOSE 49, THERE'S ANOTHER MEMBER, TODD YOUNG FROM INDIANA,
WHO WHEN HE WAS IN THE HOUSE VOTED FOR THE BILL TOO.
SO YOU HAVE 50 MEMBERS ON RECORD HAVING VOTED FOR THAT RECENTLY,
SO THAT'S AN OPTION. AT THAT POINT IF YOU'VE REPEALED
IT, YOU CAN COME BACK WITH A REPLACEMENT EFFORT THAT COULD BE
MORE PARTISAN. >> PERRY, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE
TO YOU, THAT SOMEHOW DEMOCRATS WOULD GET ON BOARD WITH A FULL
REPEAL OF OBAMACARE FOLLOWED BY A REPLACEMENT DETERMINED BY THE
50 REPUBLICANS THAT CONTROL THE VOTES IN THE SENATE?
>> WHAT THEY'RE REALLY LAYING OUT IS YOU HAVE A REPEAL AND
THEN YOU BASICALLY HAVE LIKE A TICKING CLOCK WHERE IN TWO YEARS
OR IN ONE YEAR ALL OF OBAMACARE GOES AWAY.
IT'S BASICALLY SORT OF LIKE A DEBT CEILING THREAT.
AND THEN YOU BRING DEMOCRATS TO THE TABLE THAT WAY.
IT'S ODD BECAUSE IN DECEMBER PAUL RYAN PROPOSED THIS VERY
TACTIC AND DONALD TRUMP SAID NO, THAT'S A BAD IDEA.
THAT SEEMS UNPOPULAR, LET'S NOT DO IT THAT WAY.
IT WAS VERY ODD ON FRIDAY I THOUGHT FOR DONALD TRUMP TO SAY
NEVER MIND, LET'S TRY THIS REPEAL.
THIS REPEAL AND DELAY IDEA WILL BE EVEN MORE UNPOPULAR THAN THE
ACTUAL BILL. BUT YES, THAT'S WHAT THE IDEA IS
HERE. >> IT'S INTERESTING THAT THEY'RE
SELLING IT JAMAL BECAUSE McCONNELL SEEMED TO RULE OUT ON
FRIDAY THAT THAT WAS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
NOT ONLY WAS THAT NOT GOING TO HAPPEN BUT HE'S ALREADY RULED
OUT WORKING WITH DEMOCRATS IN BIPARTISANSHIP EXCEPT AS IN AN
EMERGENCY, LIKE PULL PIN IN CASE OF EMERGENCY MEASURE.
THIS IS MITCH McCONNELL BACK IN FEBRUARY ON WORKING WITH
DEMOCRATS AT THE TIME THAT THEY WERE IN FULL REPEAL MODE.
>> IT'S CLEAR THAT IN THE EARLY MONTHS IT'S GOING TO BE A
REPUBLICANS-ONLY EXERCISE. WE DON'T EXPECT ANY DEMOCRATIC
COOPERATION ON THE REPLACEMENT OF OBAMACARE.
WE DON'T EXPECT ANY DEMOCRATIC COOPERATION ON TAX REFORM.
EITHER REPUBLICANS WILL AGREE AND CHANGE THE STATUS QUO OR THE
MARKETS WILL CONTINUE TO COLLAPSE AND WE'LL HAVE TO SIT
DOWN WITH SENATOR SCHUMER. >> THE MARKETS ARE NOT IN
COLLAPSE. THE INDIVIDUAL MARKET IS HAVING
PROBLEMS IN ABOUT 38 COUNTIES BECAUSE REPUBLICANS WON'T
PROMISE TO FUND THE SUBSIDIES THAT PAY FOR PEOPLE'S INSURANCE.
REPUBLICANS ARE KILLING THE MARKET FOR INDIVIDUAL INSURANCE
BUYERS. THE MARKET IS NOT IN COLLAPSE,
REMEMBER THAT, VIEWERS, NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES
REPUBLICANS SAY THAT TO YOU. IS THAT A REALITY THAT
EVENTUALLY IF REPUBLICANS CONTINUE TO REFUSE TO FUND THE
MARKETS THEN THEYHEY REALLY WIL COLLAPSE BECAUSE OF WHAT
REPUBLICANS ARE DOING AND THEY'LL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO GO
TO DEMOCRATS AND SAY LET'S DO A BAILOUT OF THE INSURANCE
INDUSTRY? >> THEY'LL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO
GO TO DEMOCRATS BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY THE PRESIDENT AND
REPUBLICANS ARE IN CHARGE OF EVERYTHING IN WASHINGTON.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DON'T PAY A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THIS BUT
THEY KNOW WHO'S IN CHARGE. IF SOMETHING IS WRONG, YOU TEND
TO GO TO THE PERSON IN CHARGE TO FIX IT.
THE PROBLEM WITH WHAT McCONNELL'S APPROACH IS NOW OR
TRUMP'S APPROACH WHICH IS SAYING LET'S REPEAL IT NOW AND DEAL
WITH THE REPLACE LATER, IS THAT WHO TRUSTS THAT THAT WILL
HAPPEN. IT JUST WON'T HAPPEN.
>> NOBODY TRUSTS THAT WILL HAPPEN.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY BELIEVES IT.
THEY'LL BE HAPPY THEY REPEALED IT AND THAT WILL BE THE END OF
THE STORY. >> WE'LL ALL BE SITTING AROUND
FIGURING IT OUT. >> THE FREE MARKET WILL BE
WORKING AND THEY'LL BE CHOOSING TO BE UNINSURED, ACCORDING TO
REPUBLICANS.
TARA, TOM PRICE WHICH IS THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
SECRETARY WHICH IS ATTEMPTING TO SELL THIS IDEA THAT NOT HAVING
INSURANCE DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU DON'T GET HEALTH CARE, HE'S BEEN
FLOATING THESE VAGUE IDEAS FOR A LONG TIME, INCLUDING BACK WHEN
PRESIDENT OBAMA TALKED TO REPUBLICANS ABOUT WHAT HE WANTED
TO DO. THIS IS IN 2010.
THIS IS THE PRESIDENT GOING BEFORE REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS TO TALK ABOUT HEALTH CARE, AND TOM PRICE ASKED HIM A
QUESTION. TAKE A LOOK.
>> YOU CAN'T STRUCTURE A BILL WHERE SUDDENLY 30 MILLION PEOPLE
HAVE COVERAGE AND IT COSTS NOTHING.
>> I UNDERSTAND. WE'RE NOT DEBATING THIS BILL,
BUT WHAT SHOULD WE TELL OUR CONSTITUENTS WHO KNOW THAT WE'VE
OFFERED THESE SOLUTIONS AND YET HEAR FROM THE ADMINISTRATION
THAT WE HAVE OFFERED NOTHING? >> LET ME -- I'M USING THIS AS A
SPECIFIC EXAMPLE SO LET ME ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
YOU ASKED A QUESTION, I WANT TO ANSWER IT.
IT'S NOT ENOUGH IF YOU SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WE'VE OFFERED A
HEALTH CARE PLAN AND I LOOK UP, THIS IS JUST UNDER THE SECTION
THAT YOU JUST PROVIDED ME OR THE BOOK THAT YOU JUST PROVIDED ME,
SUMMARY OF GOP HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL.
THE GOP PLAN WILL LOWER HEALTH CARE PREMIUMS FOR AMERICAN
FAMILIES AND SMALL BUSINESSES, ADDRESSING AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE
PRIORITY FOR HEALTH REFORM. I MEAN, THAT'S AN IDEA THAT WE
ALL EMBRACE. BUT SPECIFICALLY, IT'S GOT TO
WORK. >> TARA, THEIR IDEA AT THE TIME
WAS LOWER PREMIUMS. >> RIGHT.
TA-DA. >> I MEAN, THE IDEA THAT THESE
TWO PARTIES WHO ARE AT THESE POLES BEING ABLE TO NEGOTIATE
ANYTHING, DO YOU THINK THAT'S REALISTIC?
>> FIRST LET ME POINT OUT SOMETHING VERY OBVIOUS HERE.
THAT BITE THAT YOU JUST PLAYED TELLS THE ENTIRE STORY.
WHY IS THERE NO BITE LIKE THAT NOW?
BECAUSE IT DOES NOT EXIST. BECAUSE DEMOCRATS HAVE NOT BEEN
INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS. THAT BITE SHOWS THAT PRESIDENT
OBAMA AND DEMOCRATS INCLUDED REPUBLICANS IN THE PROCESS.
REPUBLICANS OPTED TO INSTEAD ATTACK WHAT THE PRESIDENT WAS
TRYING TO DO AND ATTACK THE LEGISLATION AND SABOTAGE THE
LEGISLATION, BUT THEY HAD EVERY OPPORTUNITY.
AND GUESS WHAT, THAT BITE, THERE ARE TONS OF OTHER ONES JUST LIKE
THAT BECAUSE REPUBLICANS WERE INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS AND
CHOSE NOT TO PARTICIPATE. >> SO WAS THE PUBLIC.
I MEAN, TOWN HALL AFTER TOWN HALL, EVEN THE PRESIDENT HOLDING
TOWN HALLS, EXPLAINING THE HEALTH CARE BILL.
161 AMENDMENTS. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE ALL
REPUBLICAN AMENDMENTS BUT MORE THAN 100 INCLUDED IN A BILL BUT
THEN THOSE SAME REPUBLICANS WHO OFFERED THE AMENDMENTS DID NOT
VOTE FOR THE BILL. VAN, I WANT TO BRING YOU INTO
THIS DISCUSSION. ONE OF THE REASONS WE WANTED TO
TALK TO YOU AND PINCHED YOU FROM ""POLITICS NATION"" THIS MORNING
WAS THAT YOU WROTE A FASCINATING TAKE ON WHY IT'S SO HARD FOR
THIS COUNTRY TO COME TO AGREEMENT ON HAVING UNIVERSAL
HEALTH CARE AND IT IS A TAKE I HAD NOT HEARD ANYWHERE ELSE AND
EVEN THE LINK TO DR. KING'S FIGHTS FOR CIVIL RIGHTS.
CAN YOU SUMMARIZE THAT FOR US? >> YEAH.
SO WHAT I WROTE ABOUT THERE WAS HOW THE HISTORY OF HEALTH CARE
IN AMERICA IS INTRICATELY LINKED TO CIVIL RIGHTS.
SO THE REASON WHY OUR SYSTEM IS THE WAY IT IS, A PRIVATE-BASED
SYSTEM THAT DOESN'T COVER EVERYBODY AND ESPECIALLY AS THE
REST OF THE WORLD MOVES MORE AND MORE TOWARDS UNIVERSAL HEALTH
CARE, THINK ABOUT THE LAST CENTURY OF AMERICAN POLITICS.
THAT SYSTEM OF UNIVERSAL CARE REALLY HAS WORKED WITH, SAY, JIM
CROWE AMERICA. I THINK PUBLIC OFFICIALS SAY NO.
WHAT I WROTE ABOUT THERE WAS HOW THE VOICES FOR UNIVERSAL HEALTH
CARE LED TO MEDICARE AND MEDICAID, LED TO OBAMACARE
EVENTUALLY. THEY ALL CAME OUT OF THE CIVIL
RIGHTS MOVEMENT, THEY CAME OUT OF BLACK ACTIVISM AND
PROGRESSIVE ACTIVISM. SO YOU LOOK AT THE RESPONSE TO
OBAMACARE, YOU LOOK AT SORT OF THE OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS THE
RESPONSE AGAINST MEDICAID, THOSE HAVE ALL HAD SOME SORT OF RACIAL
COMPONENTS TO THEM. SO IT'S A PUSH AND PULL, A BACK
AND FORTH OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS.
>> AND IT IS FASCINATING, JAMAL, THAT YOU DID HAVE THIS -- RUSH
LIMBAUGH ORIGINALLY CALLING OBAMACARE REPARATIONS.
THERE'S BEEN A BARELY COATED RESISTANCE TO EXPANSION OF
MEDICAID THAT HAS EXACTLY WHAT VAN IS DISCUSSING, THAT KIND OF
TINGE TO IT. >> YOU THINK ABOUT THE SOUTH
AFTER THE DESEGREGATION OF SCHOOLS.
WHITE SOUTHERNERS WERE WILLING TO TAKE THEIR CHILDREN OUT OF
SCHOOL TO KEEP THEM FROM HAVING TO GO TO SCHOOL WITH BLACK
PEOPLE OR CREATE THESE ACADEMIES, SEPARATE SORT OF
ECONOMICALLY ADVANTAGED ACADEMIES FOR WHITE CHILDREN TO
GO TO. SO YOU SEE THIS DWERN ENS OF DO
WE TAKE CARE OF EVERYONE OR THOSE WHO ARE DISENFRANCHISED.
>> I WANT TO QUICKLY PLAY A CHANGE JUST IN ONE PERSON.
THIS IS MITCH McCONNELL BACK IN 1990, HIS RE-ELECTION AD TOUTING
THE NEED TO COVER ALL KENTUCKIENS WITH HEALTH CARE.
LISTEN. >> WHEN I WAS A CHILD AND MY DAD
WAS IN WORLD WAR II, I GOT POLIO.
I RECOVERED BUT MY FAMILY ALMOST WENT BROKE.
TODAY, TOO MANY FAMILIES CAN'T GET DECENT, AFFORDABLE HEALTH
CARE. THAT'S WHY I'VE INTRODUCED A
BILL TO MAKE SURE HEALTH CARE IS AVAILABLE TO ALL KENTUCKY
FAMILIES, HOLD DOWN SKYROCKETING COSTS AND PROVIDE LONG-TERM
CARE. >> THIS IS MITCH McCONNELL ON
FRIDAY SAYING THAT COVERAGE IS NOT CARE.
TAKE A LISTEN. >> COVERAGE IS NOT THE SAME AS
CARE. IF YOU THINK COVERAGE IS THE
MOST IMPORTANT THING, I CAN SEE WHY A SINGLE-PAYER SYSTEM WOULD
BE ATTRACTIVE TO YOU. BUT COVERAGE DOESN'T EQUAL CARE.
>> VAN, HOW DO YOU FRAME THAT CHANGE?
>> IT'S AN INTERESTING CHANGE. I THINK MOST PEOPLE ON HEALTH
POLICY WILL TELL YOU THE ONLY WAY TO GET PEOPLE CARE IS WITH
COVERAGE. IT SEEMS TO BE A PRETTY OBVIOUS
CONCLUSION THERE. BUT I THINK IT'S DIFFERENT WHEN
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE BEHOLDENED DIRECTLY TO THE
PEOPLE OF YOUR STATE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A STATE THAT
DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF THE SAME DEMOGRAPHIC CHALLENGES AS, SAY,
EXPANDING IN TEXAS. THINGS GOT A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS OR SO.
YEAH, IT'S JUST INTERESTING WATCHING THE FLIP-FLOP HERE.
>> DIFFERENT EXACTLY THE WAY YOU THINK.
PERRY BACON JR., KENTUCKY NATIVE ON THE PANEL AS FATE WOULD HAVE
IT. HOW DO YOU FRAME THAT CHANGE
JUST IN THE WAY MITCH McCONNELL AND THE WAY KENTUCKY HAS REACTED
TO THE IDEA OF UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE?
>> MY SENSE IS THAT IF YOU THINK ABOUT THIS IS A HEALTH CARE BILL
THAT WAS BASICALLY WRITTEN BY MITT ROMNEY, WAS EXPANDED BY
MITT ROMNEY NATIONALLY. SO REPUBLICANS ARE NOT REALLY
PASSING -- BECAUSE UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE BECAME A DEMOCRATIC
THING, OBAMACARE DID IT, NOW WE'RE SEEING BASICALLY A HEALTH
CARE BUT IT'S NOT REALLY A HEALTH CARE BILL.
IT'S REALLY A BILL THAT ROLLS BACK THE WELFARE STATE.
IT'S REALLY A BILL THAT HAS TAX CUTS.TS.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE PLANNED PARENTHOOD, IT'S A BILL TO
REALLY TRY TO CUT DOWN ON ABORTIONS.
THOSE ARE THE THREE IDEAS, ANTI-TAX, ANTI-ABORTION,
ANTI-WELFARE. THIS IS NOT A HEALTH CARE BILL.
IT ACHIEVES OTHER REPUBLICAN GOALS BUT NOT REALLY HEALTH
CARE. THAT'S WHY MITCH McCONNELL IS
ACCURATELY DOWNPLAYING THE HEALTH CARE ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE
BILL BECAUSE THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY.
>> JOY, THIS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER WHAT PERRY
JUST SAID. THE HEALTH CARE MARKETPLACE WAS
A CONSERVATIVE IDEA THAT STARTED IN THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION, MADE
ITS WAY TO MASSACHUSETTS AND REMEMBER NOBODY HAS A CARD THAT
SAYS OBAMACARE. THE HEALTH CARE MARKETPLACE
ADVISES PRIVATE INSURANCE FOR AMERICANS TO GET.
IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER. >> TARA, LAST WORD.
>> I THINK AN IMPORTANT POINT THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE AND I WANT
TO EMPHASIZE THAT, I SAY IT ALL THE TIME.
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY
OF HEALTH CARE THAT PEOPLE RECEIVE.
A LOT OF THAT WAS DONE THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH THAT
TOM PRICE NOW RUNS, BUT MUCH OF THAT WAS DONE THROUGH
REGULATION, THROUGH VARIOUS DIFFERENT REGULATORY PROCESSES.
AND SO I THINK THAT PEOPLE FORGET THAT, YES, THERE IS THIS
SIDE AND DESIGN TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE TO
PURCHASE CARE BUT THERE'S A WHOLE OTHER SIDE OF THE BILL
THAT IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES, WHICH IN THIS
COUNTRY, CONSIDERING THAT WE'RE A DEVELOPED NATION, WE DO NOT
HAVE THE BEST OUTCOMES. WE HAVE THE MOST INFANT
MORTALITY OF ANY DEVELOPED COUNTRY, SO THAT -- THE
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IS TARGETING THOSE THINGS AND DEMOCRATS NEED
TO CONTINUE TO ALSO EMPHASIZE THAT WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT IT.
THAT'S THE OTHER SIDE AND THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT SIDE.
>> AND IT'S EVEN HIGHER BEFORE WE HAD BROAD-BASED HEALTH CARE
LIKE MEDICARE AND MEDICAID, OUR INFANT

GOP Struggles To Pass Unpopular Healthcare Bill | AM Joy | MSNBC

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