Politicians may be open to dismantling the ACA if Trump does one simple little thing to the Act.
When the Obamacare statute was first passed, it contained an amendment sponsored by Louisiana Senator David Vitter (R-LA) explicitly applying the requirements of ObamaCare to members of Congress. The president signed the bill.
But members and their staff were appalled as they came to realize the consequences of this bill. At present, members and senior staff get health insurance through the federal government and get a subsidy for three-quarters of the premiums.
But under ObamaCare, they would have to pay full freight for the premiums. ObamaCare subsidies are restricted to those earning less than 400% of the poverty level — about $80,000 a year. Since Congressmen and Senators make $174,000 and senior staff make close to that, they could not get the subsidy, making them pay upwards of $10,000 to $15,000 more out of pocket than they do now.
The Democrats in Congress wanted to amend the statute to strip out the Vitter Amendment. But Republicans refused. So the Dems went to President Obama who prevailed on the Office of Personnel Management in the White House to declare that Congressmen and Senators and senior staff were entitled to exemptions from the requirement to buy Obamacare policies since they were a “small business.” This ludicrous interpretation of the statue has kept them from sharing the pain of their fellow citizens since then.
President Trump should, at once, instruct the Office of Personnel Management to reverse its finding that Congress is to be treated as a small business and make its members subject to the requirements and rigors of Obamacare.
That’s one way — and a very good one — to get it repealed quickly.
ht/ Silence Do Good
Won’t happen. They want to keep it intact.
Congress could be improved by making them subject to the same statutes they impose upon their bosses. Put them back into social security, apply the burdens of the unaffordable unhealthy care debacle, reduce their retirement, and raise the ceiling for being vested, impose the same penalties for insider trading that I would receive, and generally just hold them accountable for their misdeeds. I oppose term limit legislation, but do not know how the voters continue to send the same wheezy tired asshats back every term,until they get caught in some real kimchi.
Do federal judges get the same subsidized health care as Congress? If so, who’s going to bring this to court? They’d all have to recuse themselves, right?
And I highly doubt that black block, pussy hat riot and the basement brigade will take to the streets in defense of subsidies for 1% Congress. This would be a good hornet’s nest for President Trump to poke.
Congress has a long history of exempting themselves from legislation and laws they impose upon the unwashed masses.
They act as elite over-seers rather than servants of the people.
Congress must adhere to the laws they impose and yes, term limits must become law.
All the above ^^^
I’d like to add settling refugees in their districts, preferably mandatory 5 mi radius of their estates. Would this punish their constituents? Yes. Prob solved, no need for term limit legislation that’ll never pass.
I’m talking to you AZ, SC, WI and KY. Oh, and NB too, Sasse the Ass needs to shut his arrogant pie hole.
” Since Congressmen and Senators make $174,000″
They sure are good money managers then since most of them are millionaires.
I would LOVE to see the Vitter Amendment enforced as-is without the current bureaucratic monkey business.
There is nothing that pisses me off more than lawmakers exempting themselves from the crappy laws they impose on us mundanes. To be sure, there are objectively more serious flaws and abuses going on, but this one issue evokes a visceral reaction of repugnance in me. And the dems and reps are equally arrogant about doing it.
I’ve heard this plan floated throughout various media outlets, it seems to be getting some visibility.
Good leverage for Trump when dealing with Congress: Make it painful to be a Congress Critter by requiring them to live under the same laws as the rest of America (except the Clintons, of course. They have their own laws).
@Alan – all the people who are so hot to have have Trump’s tax returns released, I’d love to see THEIRS.
how come the two houses and the president combined can’t get rid of a bill that the democrats only deemed to have passed in committee?
it never passed by vote.
what happened to all the bills the republicans passed that barock vetoed?
how come they can’t pass those same bills now and have trump sign them to get rid of the ACA?
seems to me we got played by the establishment for 6 years if they can’t get rid of it now.
Are you kidding! The entire flaming beast would unite against him in unrighteous indignation and he would be impeached in a heartbeat with no dissenting votes!
They should be all for this.
After all, they’ll save $2500/year in premiums.
Right???
This should have been his first act as President