Earlier this week, House republicans finally introduced their health care alternative to the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare. In response, some congressional Republicans opposed the bill, which didn't go over well with Donald Trump.
Trump on health care
Known as the American Health Care Act, Republicans now have actual text to back up their desire to replace Obamacare. For the better for of the last decade, Republicans, conservatives, and most members of the right-wing media have made attacking former President Barack Obama's landmark piece of legislation their number one priority.
Though Obamacare was not the preferred health care alternative that most liberals wanted, many thought it was the first step to a more universal single-payer system that is in place in most developed nations. Following the election of Donald Trump, and with complete control of Congress, it was only a matter of time before a repeal and replace got started. Despite this, as reported by the Washington Examiner on March 10, the former host of "The Apprentice" has a message to those Republicans who are not supporting the new health care law.
Trump threatens GOP: Back health bill or get primaried https://t.co/CJ0cO4s7df pic.twitter.com/MJawzQxM69
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) March 10, 2017
According to sources close to the Washington Examiner, Donald Trump reportedly issued a threat to Republicans if they don't back the health care bill, warning them they he could push to primary them in the next mid-term elections.
"The president will respond as circumstances dictate," one Republican congressman said of the meeting. Not stopping there, the congressman said that the president has "unique capacities" at his disposal, stating, "I wouldn't want to be the one he tests them out on."
Tracking where members of Congress stand on the Republican health care bill: https://t.co/gvWE4A6BDF pic.twitter.com/36edgFy4Y6
— NPR (@NPR) March 10, 2017
Bully pulpit
Republican insiders have also noted that Donald Trump could "make an example" of those who resit his demand on health care, in an attempt to "send a message." Rep.
Mark Meadows of North Carolina was named as one of the most likely options to be hit by Trump's threat, who spoke on the record about the ramifications in opposing the president. "The president has a very powerful bully pulpit and a very powerful tweet," Meadows said, before admitting, "I would never want to take on the president in either of those realms."
