After Politico started reporting in September that the then-secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) tom price had been flying private jets at the tax payer's expense, Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) said about Price that "there could not be a clearer statement of the Trump administration's priorities."

The senator was at the same time referring to another issue that paralleled those report. Price had been publicly declaring that he would be making cuts to the Department and to health care programs, and therefore showing the administration's hypocrisy.

Price's resignation sets up conditions for Trump to 'surrender' over battle to repeal

Price resigned from the Trump administration a week ago, after Republicans had made a final attempt this year to repeal Obamacare -- otherwise referred to as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) -- which they again, failed to do.

That failure forced Trump to suggest that he might make some bipartisan effort to work with Democrats on health care reform. And because Democrats have stayed united in rejecting any repeal efforts and would rather fix the current Health Care Law, it would suggest to many that the President might have finally been pushed to stop trying to repeal the law.

Democrats make their demands

While the President's declaration appears to be more of a tactic to spite Republicans for their failure, it does hint that Democrats could have more leverage.

Democrats are preparing to make their position on health care clear by holding out on Trump's nomination for HHS secretary. Their demands are that they will not contribute to confirming the new secretary if he wants to repeal the ACA.

But, with recent reports that the Trump administration has continued to sabotage the ACA, that working with Democrats will not include fixing the program.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer made a statement following Price's resignation that the next secretary they confirm should follow the law and not sabotage it as Price had. Under his lead, the Department had already cut funding to running ads to the ACA and the time for the enrollment period.

Republicans and the administration will not get another chance to repeal the law until January and given that fact, there is no indication of what the administration's next steps will be to provide a health care solution.

For the time being, the ACA will stabilize but with insurance providers increasing the cost of premiums.

The fight over ACA and cabinet nomination continues

The White House announced in Friday their intention to nominate Robert Weaver to lead the HHS. As a prediction of what might lie ahead, earlier in the year during the President's nomination for Supreme Court Justice, Neil Gorsuch, Democrats appeared to hold together to reject his nomination. This was in retaliation for Republicans refusing to help fill the seat last year.

This was because in early 2016, Anthony Scalia died unexpectedly and President Obama fulfilled his constitutional duty to nominate someone for the bench. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to hold hearings until a new president came into office.

Needless to say and as they came closer to Election Day, Republicans had no intention on allowing a President Hillary Clinton from filling the position.

Since entering the Oval Office, Trump has demanded that McConnell go "nuclear" and get rid of the filibuster rules that still give Democrats an advantage, especially in confirming the President's nominees. The President has been determined in pressuring Republicans to get rid of the filibuster, but McConnell has refused. In the battle over a confirmation for the HHS secretary Weaver, it's unknown how this fight over the ACA and a nomination will turn out.
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