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Report: Secret Recording Of GOP Meeting Reveals Concern Over How To Repeal Obamacare

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com)   The Washington Post on Friday reported that they received a secret,  taped recording of GOP officials in a closed-door meeting Thursday apparently worried about how to repeal Obamacare.

The report suggests that while lawmakers are publicly sounding gung ho about ending President Obama's signature legislation, they have doubts whether they really should.

Lawmakers reportedly grapple on the tape on everything from how to keep people from losing coverage or how to protect those who might up paying more. They even expressed concern over their campaign pledge to defund Planned Parenthood and what the political ramifications of that might be.

Freshman Rep. John Faso (R-N.Y.), warned strongly against using the repeal of the ACA to also defund Planned Parenthood.

"We are just walking into a gigantic political trap if we go down this path of sticking Planned Parenthood in the health insurance bill. If you want to do it somewhere else, I have no problem, but I think we are creating a political minefield for ourselves — House and Senate."

The closed-door meeting was held at a retreat in Philadelphia and  included members of the house and senate, the Post reported.

The paper quoted California Congressman Tom McClintock expressing concern over whether "Trumpcare" will tie all Republicans to a replacement measure with a 2018 election looming.

"We'd better be sure that we're prepared to live with the market we've created" with repeal, said Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.). "That's going to be called Trumpcare. Republicans will own that lock, stock and barrel, and we'll be judged in the election less than two years away."

The Post said they received the recordings from an anonymous email address.

Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) warned  that the estimated budget savings from repealing Obamacare — which Republicans say could approach a half-trillion dollars — would be needed to fund the costs of setting up a replacement. "This is going to be what we'll need to be able to move to that transition," Portman was quoted as saying.

The Post report said, "The concerns of rank-and-file lawmakers appeared to be at odds with key congressional leaders and Andrew Bremberg, a top domestic policy adviser to Trump, who have laid out plans to repeal the ACA."

 

 

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