Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

onehandle

(51,122 posts)
Mon Jun 8, 2015, 08:42 PM Jun 2015

Republican senator criticizes Obamacare on the grounds that Obamacare subsidies are awesome

Source: Vox

The Supreme Court will rule later this month on whether Obamacare's insurance subsidies are legal. Sen. John Thune (R-SD) weighed in on the case on Twitter Monday: 'Six million people risk losing their health care subsidies, yet @POTUS continues to deny that Obamacare is bad for the American people.'

Those 6 million people getting subsidies that Thune mentions? They're getting that financial help because Obamacare is the law. Before the Affordable Care Act, the subsidies didn't exist. But then the drafters of Obamacare decided it was a good idea to help low- and middle-income Americans purchase individual market plans, and made that part of the health law. These are not just health-care subsidies. These are Obamacare subsidies. And Thune is literally criticizing Obamacare by saying that its insurance subsidies are a great program, one that Americans should worry about losing.

At least one other Republican legislator recognized the absurdity of this critique, Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI):Senator, I support repealing #Obamacare, but subsidies exist only b/c of Obamacare. Your criticism makes no sense.

There is, of course, a solution in sight if Thune and his colleagues want to keep these subsidies around: they could pass a one-sentence fix to Obamacare — the type that the president suggested earlier Monday. But Republicans, Thune included, have made it clear that they won't support that legislation — and thus a ruling against Obamacare would mean the subsidies disappearing.

Read more: http://www.vox.com/2015/6/8/8748335/thune-obamacare-subsidies

1 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Republican senator criticizes Obamacare on the grounds that Obamacare subsidies are awesome (Original Post) onehandle Jun 2015 OP
The GRAND OL' PARTY Plucketeer Jun 2015 #1
Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Republican senator critic...