President Donald Trump heaped vague praise on Republicans’ efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare on Thursday, saying the current version of the bill has “gotten really, really good.”
Trump was responding to a question from The Hill’s Jordan Fabian, who asked him about the health care effort during a joint White House press conference with Trump and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni.
“Some people on Capitol Hill believe you can get one of two things next week, a vote on health care or a vote on a government funding bill,” Fabian told Trump, before asking which of the two the President prioritized.
“I want to get both. Are you shocked to hear that?” Trump responded. “And we’re doing very well on health care. We’ll see what happens. But this is a great bill. This is a great plan, and this will be great health care. It’s evolving.”
Murmurs Thursday morning of a compromise bill between the Freedom Caucus and the Tuesday Group — the far-right and centrist House Republican groups, respectively — were tempered a few hours later.
“There is no legislative text and therefore no agreement to do a whip count on,” one senior Republican aide told TPM, noting that it wasn’t clear the compromise measure could pass the House.
“You know, there was never a give-up,” Trump continued, apparently referring to Republicans’ failed effort in late March to pass the American Health Care Act through the House.
“The press sort of reported there was like a give-up,” he said. “There’s no give-up. We started. Remember, it took Obamacare 17 months. I’ve really been negotiating this for two months, maybe even less than that, because we had a 30-day period where we did lots of other things, the first 30 days. But this has really been two months, and this is a continuation.”
“The plan gets better and better and better, and it’s gotten really, really good,” Trump continued. “And a lot of people are liking it a lot. We have a good chance of getting it soon, I’d like to say next week, but it will be — I believe we will get it, and whether it’s next week or shortly thereafter.”
Trump translation: I haven’t read it and have no idea what it contains, or if it even exists, but it’s great because that’s my go-to answer for everything I know nothing about but am supposed to promote.
This is exactly like hearing that the team has complete confidence in the manager. You know that the poor guy will be on the street by noon tomorrow. And so, this “new” alleged bill will be history very, very soon.
Well, if it’s anywhere as well thought out as the last one, no problem…
And after the joyous homecomings the Gooper Congressweasels encountered on recess, I’m sure they’ll be even happier to vote on something that will screw their constituents…
Ummmm, didn’t we hear this the last time around??
Look where that got you, Dumbo.
Anyone willing to bet this "new, improved " version ends up on the compost heap like the last one? What, no takers?? Gee, I’m so surprised…