Democrats declare victory in health care fight
WASHINGTON — Democrats declared victory for Americans on Friday following the collapse of a Republican plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and they expressed hope that they could work with the GOP to improve President Obama’s signature law.
But they also took swipes at Republicans for the way they handled a bill they said would cost more and provide less coverage while providing tax breaks for the wealthy.
During a news conference, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., cast doubt on House Speaker Paul Ryan’s assertion that he canceled Friday’s vote because it looked like the bill would be narrowly defeated.
“We had a big, long list of no's that we were seeing,” she said, smiling. “I don’t know how close it would be. But let’s not lose anymore face for them. They’ve lost enough today.”
Republicans say they are now moving on from health care. Pelosi said they lost on this issue because of their own actions, but also because Americans weighed in.
“Our phone lines were all deluged,” she said.
Democrats called on the Trump administration and Republicans to work with them to improve the Affordable Care Act.
“That law needs nurturing, not neglect,” said Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley of New York.
Pelosi highlighted areas where Democrats could work with Republicans, including a plan to allow Medicare — the biggest purchaser of prescription drugs — to negotiate lower prescription drug prices, which Trump has said he supports.
“We have a responsibility to find common ground,” she said. But she added, Republicans can’t be motivated by “spite.”
Asked whether they thought health care would be abandoned so quickly, Pelosi said she thought Republicans “might have accomplished something in the first couple of months” in the Trump administration. She noted that Obama passed the economic stimulus package a month after he was sworn into office.
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Earlier Friday, Democrats were all ready to vote against the bill, saying it would strip coverage from 24 million Americans, increase costs and impose an “age tax” on those ages 50-64 who will pay more. And they targeted an amendment to strip minimum insurance coverage standards as a backroom deal making a bad bill worse.
“We see bills periodically that are bad policy but the bill that would have been on the floor today for a vote was just plain heartless and we’re so glad that we didn’t vote on that legislation today,” said Democratic Caucus Vice Chairwoman Linda Sanchez, of California.
Americans disapproved 56%-17%, with 26% undecided, of the Republican plan, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released Thursday. Support among Republicans was only 41%-24%.
Rep. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, noted that 15 Republicans in some of the most competitive districts voted in favor of the bill in committees.
“Their constituents deserve answers as to why they were voting yes on this bill, which was horrible then and is horrible today,” he said. “And we’ll continue to take this fight to the American people.”
On Twitter, the Democrats could be somewhat less restrained.