House Speaker John Boehner took to national television to defend his role — and that of some of his fellow Republicans — in voting with Democrats on a tweak to Obamacare that was seen as a party betrayal by some conservatives. As part of his defense, he vowed Republicans on Capitol Hill under his leadership would continue to try and repeal Obamacare.
Conservatives around the nation, fueled in part by an outraged Drudge Report broadcast of the issue, expressed anger with Mr. Boehner over his support of a Democrat-inspired, so-called fix to Obamacare — in lieu of a steady mantra to outright repeal or defund the health care reform.
The vote was aimed at ensuring doctors wouldn’t face a massive cut in payments for Medicaid patients and included a measure that expands coverage options for small businesses.
Matt Drudge blasted the vote on his site, saying “Republicans expand[ed] Obamacare” in the lead headline. Mr. Boehner’s office, in response, went into defense mode and argued that they had really “chip[ped] away another piece” of the health care law, the Washington Examiner reported.
On Fox News on Monday, host Megyn Kelly brought up what she called this “weird online argument” and asked Mr. Boehner to address the accusation that they “broke the blockade” that was supposed to lead to an overturn — or at least, a significant weakening — of the law.
Mr. Boehner’s response: Republicans will “continue to work to try to repeal” Obamacare, but ultimately the GOP goals is to “protect the American people from the harmful effects of this law.”
Besides, the Republican Party has voted for eight or nine other so-called Obamacare tweaks in recent years, so the most recent vote wasn’t really out of line with past party actions, he said in a Mediaite report.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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