A Florida GOP congressman on Tuesday admitted that it’s “absurd” that Republicans have repeatedly called for the repeal of Obamacare without proposing an alternative to reform the nation’s health care system.
A constituent confronted Rep. Dennis Ross (R-FL) in a Tuesday town hall recorded by Think Progress.
“You’ve attempted to repeal it approximately 50 times. Had zero votes on a replacement. So my question is, why do you think it is so good to deny seniors on Part D to make them pay more, about $4,000 more for medicine, and people with pre-existing conditions get denied insurance, have 26-year-olds have a harder time getting insurance because they can’t get on their parents’? Why do you think those are good ideas?” the constituent asked Ross.
“I don’t,” Ross responded. “And let me tell you, I think one of the most unfortunate things my party did the last three years was not offer an alternative to health care. I’ve always felt that way. I think it’s absurd when I tell people that this isn’t what you should do, but I don’t have an alternative for you.”
Ross went on to say that the GOP’s failure to propose an alternative to Obamacare could hurt them in the 2014 elections.
“I wish we had an alternative,” he said. “You know what’s unfortunate? Is for the next six months, we’re going to go into an election knowing that we’re not going to do anything to address health care because we’ve gone so far for the last three years saying ‘no,’ that we don’t have an alternative to say ‘yes’ to. And I think that the American public, when they go to vote, they’re going to look at credibility before they look at substance.”
House Republicans have yet to offer a comprehensive alternative to Obamacare, but Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) said in March that the GOP hopes to draw up a proposal and vote on an alternative in 2014.
Lately, some Republicans have argued that the party needs an alternative proposal to the health care law before they can repeal it.
Watch the video via Think Progress:
