President-elect Donald Trump told Republicans in a series of tweets Wednesday morning to “be careful!” and make sure that Democrats take ownership of any failures of the Affordable Care Act, as the GOP takes its first steps towards repealing the healthcare law.
“Republicans must be careful in that the Dems own the failed ObamaCare disaster,” Trump tweeted, apparently warning Republicans to avoid acting in undue haste that might lead to poor optics. “Dems are to blame for the mess. It will fall of its own weight – be careful!”
Republicans must be careful in that the Dems own the failed ObamaCare disaster, with its poor coverage and massive premium increases……
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2017
like the 116% hike in Arizona. Also, deductibles are so high that it is practically useless. Don’t let the Schumer clowns out of this web…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2017
massive increases of ObamaCare will take place this year and Dems are to blame for the mess. It will fall of its own weight – be careful!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2017
House Republicans on Tuesday introduced and approved new chamber rules that included a special glide path for their efforts to dismantle Obamacare. Senate Budget Committee Chairman Mike Enzi (R-WY) also introduced a budget resolution to kick-start the budget reconciliation process Republican lawmakers will likely use to scrap major parts of the bill and avoid a Democratic filibuster.
Trump similarly chided Republicans via Twitter on Tuesday after members of Congress approved a rules change in a closed-door meeting that would have gutted an independent House ethics watchdog (an outpouring of constituent anger led to a swift reversal of that rules change). While he didn’t appear to take issue with the House GOP’s position on the watchdog, which he described as “unfair” in the tweets, Trump wrote that “weakening” the Office of Congressional Ethics shouldn’t be as big of a priority for the incoming Congress as an issue like healthcare.