Prior to President Trump entering the Oval Office, Republicans have been unsuccessful in repealing and/or replacing Obamacare, otherwise known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA). At the very least, they've been able to sabotage the bill along the way as well as create a climate of uncertainty that makes insurance providers more reluctant to join. But even during Trump's presidency, Republicans still have not been able to get the votes they need to get rid of the health care law. That, however, hasn't stopped the Trump administration and his supporters on Capitol Hill from trying.

Blackburn slams Senate Republicans

On Monday, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) joined in with Trump to goad Republicans in the Senate to move on health care once again. This is despite the chance that the Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell doesn't seem to have it in him to keep trying anymore. While Rep Blackburn was on CNN's New Day last Monday, she said that the Senate needed to "show some spine." Her comment might have been triggered by President Trump's threat to block subsidies that go to insurance providers that are part of the ACA marketplace

With a series of failures by Senate Republicans, the President has held meetings at the White House with the Republican leaders demanding that they keep trying.

At the same time, the White House has also made calls to senators threatening to take away support for state projects which happened last week when Ryan Zinke called Alaskan senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan. On the last weekend of July, President Trump made his threat to subsidy payments official via Twitter.

Blackburn cheats for her town hall

During one meeting in July, President Trump "suggested" that the Senate not break for their August recess until they passed health care reform. The House left a week ahead of the Senate with many representatives returning to town halls. Rep. Blackburn posted a poll on social media claiming that 80 percent of her constituents voted to get rid of Obamacare.

during her town hall on July 28

Those numbers would certainly make an impact if it wasn't for the fact that Rep. Blackburn's "town hall" was via the telephone. There were many in the comment thread or the Facebook post who said they could not get on the conference call because they were rejected for not being Trump supporters. One other commenter even said that they received their call to join in when they were having dinner, unsolicited, wondering how a conference call was any better than having a live town hall with people asking questions.

Marsha Blackburn is one of the many Republican congresspeople who are reluctant to hold town halls due to the backlash they've experienced at previous events.

In February, she claimed that the people at her town hall were planted by Democrats and overall outsiders for the area she represents. Blackburn also went after Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) who has been promoting a new book that asks for Republicans to return to their values.

In general, the book takes a stand against President Trump's extremist brand of conservatism. On Thursday, Rep. Blackburn called out Republicans for a similar act of resistance saying that they had to come together to make Donald Trump the best president he can be. Rep. Blackburn's term ends in 2018 and her seat is currently being sought by former Amazing Race competitor Justin Kanew who is running for the Democratic Party.
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