Will repealing Obamacare be Trump's death wish?

[Joe Biden is your president. Deal with it.]

?

[Xing]

It'll make him even more polarizing than he already is. Probably not a great long-term strategy, especially if people end up losing their health care, as a result.

[Confused Democrat]

It depends on wether Republicans just repeal or repeal/replace.

[Ljube]

He said he'd replace it with something great.

So, just repealing it is unlikely.

[SCNCmod]

Dems would be smart to Push 4 a Public Option ... as the debate for what a replacement should look like.   The Public Option as a way to provide competition for Private Insurance Companies.. is a Simple & Logical policy for the public to grasp.  (But Republicans in the position of refuting the Public Option ... and then explaining a complex replacement option)

[Shadows]

What can he replace? The only option which will increase coverage & sharply reduce costs is a Single Payer. He could introduce a public option. But we know they don't want government in this.

Pre-existing conditions, 26 year & female no extra charge would require significant government funding.

They are stuck in a trap - If the repeal only without replacement & throw 20M people, bankrupt people with pre-existing conditions, charge more for women, they are in trouble. They will lose a large number of their own voters dependent on health insurance.

Good luck replacing!

[5280]

The country was running fine without Obamacare in the past, he can repeal it and we will keep on churning along.

[Stranger in a strange land]

An interesting question is if Trump proposes Single-Payer as a replacement for Obamacare (which he's supported in the past) how many GOP congresscritters will go along with it?

[Mr. Morden]

It sounds like it's not even clear that a repeal vote will be able to pass the Senate:

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/01/the-plan-to-repeal-obamacare-might-be-collapsing-already.html

[Crumpets]

I seriously doubt he repeals Obamacare. He'll pass some completely symbolic measure and call it a win.

[Virginiá]

If millions of people lose their insurance as a result of something a Republican-controlled Congress does under a Republican presidency, with the public knowing full well that Republicans have wanted to repeal it since it was first passed, then yes, the blame is largely going to fall on the GOP and there will be a backlash, particularly in states that expanded Medicaid services.

They can try and blame it on Obama, and maybe to a degree they can shift some of it, but thinking Republicans are going to get away with this unscathed is very wishful thinking and giving them way too much credit. They are the ones making this decision, not Obama or Hillary or anyone else.

This is the sucky part about holding the White House, and even more so the entire federal govt - when bad stuff happens, you are responsible. People will look to the top for answers or to assign blame.

[JA]

The country was running fine without Obamacare in the past, he can repeal it and we will keep on churning along.

Tell that to all the people who were (and millions still are) uninsured, denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions (wtf is the point of health insurance if it refuses those who most need it?), and had to declare bankruptcy because they had a serious illness. That sounds just fine if you're a healthy, wealthy, young person with no empathy for the plight of others.

[RINO Tom]

An interesting question is if Trump proposes Single-Payer as a replacement for Obamacare (which he's supported in the past) how many GOP congresscritters will go along with it?

SO few.

[Gass3268]

The country was running fine without Obamacare in the past, he can repeal it and we will keep on churning along.

It won't work that way even if they wanted it too, we are to far past that point.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

The country was running fine without Obamacare in the past, he can repeal it and we will keep on churning along.

#Analysis

[krazen1211]

2010: Obamacare will be popular!
2012: Obamacare will be popular!
2014: Obamacare will be popular!
2016: Obamacare will be popular!
2018: Obamacare will be popular!


If someone does math, someone might point out that a couple million out of 320 million is not that many, and the former group is mostly leftist unsuccessful people or nonvoters.

[BoAtlantis]

Not really, for two reasons.

It's not what you do that gets you the votes. It's how voters perceive you. He will work with congress to get something passed and be perceived as getting work done when Obama couldn't. He'll take credit for it.

The ones who are most adversely affected by Obamacare repeal, the ones with preexisting condition, for example, are less likely to vote. Poorer and disadvantaged people are the least likely to vote.

[Crumpets]

2010: Obamacare will be popular!
2012: Obamacare will be popular!
2014: Obamacare will be popular!
2016: Obamacare will be popular!
2018: Obamacare will be popular!


If someone does math, someone might point out that a couple million out of 320 million is not that many, and the former group is mostly leftist unsuccessful people or nonvoters.

Do you know what's even more unpopular than Obamacare? Repealing Obamacare.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2014/09/09/even-in-romney-states-more-want-to-keep-obamacare-than-repeal-it/?utm_term=.48e5bce647db

[krazen1211]

2010: Obamacare will be popular!
2012: Obamacare will be popular!
2014: Obamacare will be popular!
2016: Obamacare will be popular!
2018: Obamacare will be popular!


If someone does math, someone might point out that a couple million out of 320 million is not that many, and the former group is mostly leftist unsuccessful people or nonvoters.

Do you know what's even more unpopular than Obamacare? Repealing Obamacare.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2014/09/09/even-in-romney-states-more-want-to-keep-obamacare-than-repeal-it/?utm_term=.48e5bce647db

Who believes these junk polls?

[BoAtlantis]

2010: Obamacare will be popular!
2012: Obamacare will be popular!
2014: Obamacare will be popular!
2016: Obamacare will be popular!
2018: Obamacare will be popular!


If someone does math, someone might point out that a couple million out of 320 million is not that many, and the former group is mostly leftist unsuccessful people or nonvoters.

Do you know what's even more unpopular than Obamacare? Repealing Obamacare.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2014/09/09/even-in-romney-states-more-want-to-keep-obamacare-than-repeal-it/?utm_term=.48e5bce647db

The only unpopular part is the mandate.

People don't embrace it but they probably hate the uncertainty of having no better alternatives.

[Free Bird]

He's consistently said repeal and replace, so I think we'll be fine

[Person Man]

As much as some on the left would like to think so the fact is repealing and NOT replacing Obamacare will have virtually no effect on the GOP. Think about what the GOP have gotten away with for the last 3 decades:

1) Massive deficits under Reagan
2) Iran-Contra
3) S&L scandal
4) Impeaching Clinton over nothing
5) The 2000 election
6) The failed Iraq War and the consequences of it that are still wreaking havoc today (refugee crisis)
7) K street and Abramoff Scandals
More massive deficits under Bush
9) Hell the entire Bush presidency itself
10) Complete implosion of the economy in 2008
11) Obama obstruction in Congress
12) Obstructing SCOTUS replacement
13) Their entire conduct in the 2016 election

Despite all those things, the GOP keeps on winning so lets face it...the GOP knows their locked in no matter what they do.

I've given up on this idea that sooner or later their really "gonna goof this time"

So this might actually encourage them even more?

[HagridOfTheDeep]

He's consistently said repeal and replace, so I think we'll be fine

Yes, because if there's one thing Donald Trump is, it's "consistent."

[Virginiá]

I've given up on this idea that sooner or later their really "gonna goof this time"

Some of those things you mentioned, like the war(s), Bush himself, recession, etc, did have major effects on GOP power. Not every scandal or event is going to hurt a party in terms of elections. It's more nuanced than that. Events that have real impacts on peoples lives, such as losing healthcare and facing all sorts of higher premiums is going to stir a lot of folks up, especially when there is a clear cause (Republicans). There is a big difference between things that actually effect people's finances/health/well-being/etc, and things like the Supreme Court, which most people haven't a clue about and only vaguely care to boot.

Trump/Republicans aren't invincible, and I think you'll see that clearly enough over the next 4 years.

[SCNCmod]

Trump is just going to rename it Trump-Care ... tell is voters it is now Great & a Huge success... And his supporters will swear what he says is True (since 60% Plus of America's support almost every part of ObamaCare- except the name).

....If Repub do actually repeal- I think Dems would be smart to fight for a Public Option to offer competition to private insurers.  By now, many people think this is a sensible thing to do (and give Republicans a chance to try to explain their complicated new policy design)