GOP’s ‘Repeal and replace’ slogan has no grounding in reality
AJC editors and columnists just finished a pretty wide-ranging 80-minute interview with Sen. Saxby Chambliss and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and I took the opportunity to ask a question that had been nagging at me for a while.
Both men stressed that on health care, “repeal and replace” would remain the GOP message into the fall elections. However, both also acknowledged that they would like to retain some aspects of the Democrats’ plan, such as coverage of pre-existing conditions.
I’ve seen that goal expressed repeatedly by Republicans, but I’ve never seen an explanation of how they would accomplish it. Hated as it is, the “pre-existing condition” exclusion often serves a legitimate purpose. Insurance companies use it to discourage “free riders” who would otherwise choose to go without coverage for years, buying a policy only when they come down with a serious illness or injury.
If you somehow tell companies they can no longer deny coverage of pre-existing conditions, you need to provide them another way to eliminate free riders. Under the new law, individual mandates are that tool. As long as everyone is required to have coverage, nobody can game the system and there’s no longer any justification to deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions.
So if the GOP plan is going to ensure that pre-existing conditions are covered, as Chambliss and McConnell suggested, how would they do it without individual mandates? What mechanism would they use?
Chambliss and McConnell had no answer. Literally.
After Chambliss fumbled an initial response, McConnell broke in with a long and familiar condemnation of the Democratic plan, including its failure to include tort reform. After a few minutes, I interrupted and brought him back to the question: OK, but how are the Republicans going to cover pre-existing conditions?
“The premiums are going up either way,” he said.
OK, I responded, a little stunned. That doesn’t explain how the Republicans intend to cover pre-existing conditions.
“The premiums are going up either way,” he repeated.
That was that. We moved on, and I still don’t have my answer.
Actually, I guess I do. Republicans clearly understand that the American people want the problem of pre-existing conditions to be solved; it’s also pretty clear that they have no idea how to achieve that goal. In fact, while they campaign on “repeal and replace,” they intend to keep that whole “replace” thing as vague and ill-defined as possible. In response to another question, McConnell said explicitly that the Republicans would not be drafting a specific plan on how they intend to replace ObamaCare. Instead, he said, individual GOP candidates would each be offering their own ideas of what a good replacement might look like.
Those ideas will no doubt include pledges to address pre-existing conditions, even if they don’t have the vaguest idea how.
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472 comments Add your comment
Ira in East Lake
April 6th, 2010
4:21 pm
I’m just shocked they didn’t revert to intoning the ability of the free market to make everything better.
What boobs.
Southern Comfort
April 6th, 2010
4:22 pm
Did you expect anything different or even a concrete plan?
Jay
April 6th, 2010
4:23 pm
I expected SOMETHING.
TaxPayer
April 6th, 2010
4:26 pm
Typical Republicans. They do well as long as they are not forced to deal with reality. I’m surprised that they did not answer with something like “Drill Baby Drill” or “Death Camps” or even toggle between the two.
larry
April 6th, 2010
4:27 pm
Wasnt individual mandates orginally a Republican idea? I believe they thought that up back in ‘93 when President Clinton was trying to get his health care reform plan passed. And now they are against something they were for. Why am i not suprised.
Southern Comfort
April 6th, 2010
4:27 pm
Jay,
If you were dealing with policy advisors or think-tank people, you should have expected an answer. With a politician, just be glad that you left with your wallet intact. I don’t think any of them could give you directions from the Capitol to National airport.
Matilda
April 6th, 2010
4:28 pm
Informative piece, Mr. B! I like it when reporters ask direct questions of our representatives. I noticed a similar dynamic from Rep. Tom Price (R-6th) at his health care town hall meeting last September. A constituent relayed the story of her family’s struggle to care for her daughter, who was refused insurance from birth due to a congential condition. They’ll never be able to save, retire, move, or know any of the rewards of a hard-working multiple-income family, as it’s all they could ever do to barely keep up with her medical needs. >>> How would Rep. Price address the needs of families like hers? Rep. Price regurgitated a party-sanctioned talking point about “government takeover,” then moved quickly to the next person in line. He demonstrated no concern and no intent whatsoever to address the troubles such families. Fortunately for Dr. Price, I believe “Bring Back Pre-existing Conditions!” will fit nicely on a bumper sticker, should he face a real challenger in this year’s election.
theyeshaveit
April 6th, 2010
4:29 pm
They do not have the vaguest idea how, because that, and indeed health care itself, are not the priority. We would do well to recall that prior to any vote on health care reform, Boehner had announced that defeating Obama on HCR would be his Waterloo. Well, that did not happen. Republicans are praying for repeal and replace to score political points. It is not about health care, not about adherence to the Constitution, or any of the other “reasons” they might pull out of their – ahem- hats. It is all about defeating Obama. Always has been. Always will.
GoingBroke
April 6th, 2010
4:29 pm
LOL @ Jay.. Why expect anything.. there is a big difference between running on a platform and actually running on a plan.. could have been worse..
Pres Obama.. minus teleprompter.. 17 minute / 2500 word answer to a woman that asked a question about taxes.. I like the term that the reporter used to describe the audience.. “dazed and confused” at the end..
Bosch
April 6th, 2010
4:30 pm
I’m sure it will be like the Jedi performing mind tricks on the weak-minded. The GOP will say something along the lines, “Instead of what is in the current health care bill, we will assure that all pre-existing conditions are covered and that no one will ever be able to be dropped from their policy due to illness.”
The people will go Hooray!!!! Not realizing that it’s already in there and the GOP will look like heroes – cause the attention span of the average American (and quite frankly, I’m beginning to think the intelligence of) is severely lacking.
jconservative
April 6th, 2010
4:30 pm
I would think that the pre-existing condition part of the new law would remain on the books. A mandate on insurance companies is one way, a government program is another and the mandate on individuals as we will now be doing is the other. A mandate on private business is very unrepublican and is, in effect a tax. Will Republicans go for a government program? Maybe, Medicare Part D was a Republican idea and is now law.
This is why politics is fascinating.
TaxPayer
April 6th, 2010
4:30 pm
I expected SOMETHING.
Well, there you go! Why did you expect something!
joe matarotz
April 6th, 2010
4:31 pm
Jay, you were talking to politicians. They all gave up a long time ago on ‘dazzling them with brilliance’. All that is left is plan B, ‘baffling them with…’ It’s great to see our government at work.
theyeshaveit
April 6th, 2010
4:32 pm
larry said, “Wasnt individual mandates orginally a Republican idea? I believe they thought that up back in ‘93 when President Clinton was trying to get his health care reform plan passed. And now they are against something they were for. Why am i not suprised.”
Romney gave his state mandates. But, oh, he is still against HCR because he says it was not done at the state level. Oh, right.
josef nix
April 6th, 2010
4:32 pm
JAY
Surely you’re not that naive. You knew going in you wouldn’t get a straight answer. These are politicians.
Southern Comfort
April 6th, 2010
4:34 pm
I hate to say it Jay, but you would have been better off asking that question to a pair of donkeys. That way, there would have been no pretenses of you asking a serious question to a pair of jacka$$es who didn’t have a clue about what you were asking.
Jackie
April 6th, 2010
4:37 pm
Frank Luntz survey talking points. The words mean nothing because they have basis in fact.
getalife
April 6th, 2010
4:37 pm
The rnc drama is too much for me.
I ate too much popcorn.
retiredds
April 6th, 2010
4:38 pm
Jay, just like McCain being a “maverick”, and Romney being against health care reform, and “Mission Accomplished” and “deficits don’t matter”, etc., etd. the “Repeal and Replace” is a nice slogan for the party of no. What they are really saying is let’s repeal this thing and then not replace. McConnell and Saxby couldn’t answer your question because they don’t have a clue. Let’s not forget they are the “just trust us” crowd. As in the past their slogans are just that, meaningless and designed to deceive.
Midori
April 6th, 2010
4:39 pm
thank you, Jay, for asking the questions on nearly everyone’s mind…..
GoingBroke
April 6th, 2010
4:39 pm
Jay.. did they take off their coats and roll up their sleeves so they could be like the “working man”?
Hillbilly Deluxe
April 6th, 2010
4:42 pm
“The premiums are going up either way,”
Well, he was at least telling the truth there.
We need to send out a prayer for those people up in W VA.
theyeshaveit
April 6th, 2010
4:44 pm
retiredds said, “Jay, just like McCain being a “maverick”, and Romney being against health care reform, and “Mission Accomplished” and “deficits don’t matter”, etc., etd. the “Repeal and Replace” is a nice slogan for the party of no. What they are really saying is let’s repeal this thing and then not replace. McConnell and Saxby couldn’t answer your question because they don’t have a clue. Let’s not forget they are the “just trust us” crowd. As in the past their slogans are just that, meaningless and designed to deceive.”
Real answers are not in their playbook. The drone of party ideology like Tinnitus in the ear is all we can expect from them.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: Impeach Drunken Fool obozo! Just sayin...
April 6th, 2010
4:44 pm
I know, but the dummycrats are gonna get it grounded right up their keisters, just sayin….
Obama Can’t Name A White Sox Player
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2010/04/06/obama_cant_name_a_white_sox_player.html
What a stooge, fake person, clown, Comunisky Field my…..
RW-(the original)
April 6th, 2010
4:44 pm
Look who’s the newest birther.
MICHELLE OBAMA: Surrounding HIV testing which is still plaguing so many of our communities, which you all know a lot of that is due to homophobia. Barack has led by example. When we took our trip to Africa and visited his home country in Kenya, we took a public HIV test.
RB from Gwinnett
April 6th, 2010
4:45 pm
If only you would ask such relevant questions of Obama….
DoggoneGA
April 6th, 2010
4:45 pm
“the “Repeal and Replace” is a nice slogan for the party of no”
That’s absolutely correct. They have a SLOGAN, they don’t NEED a plan. They have a SLOGAN, and that’s all they need.
theyeshaveit
April 6th, 2010
4:47 pm
Whiner, can you for once try to get on topic instead of spitting your typical drivel?
GoingBroke
April 6th, 2010
4:50 pm
theyeshaveit
April 6th, 2010
4:47 pm
“Whiner, can you for once try to get on topic instead of spitting your typical drivel?”
Drivel being.. Obama is lost and clueless without a teleprompter?
josef nix
April 6th, 2010
4:50 pm
RW–
Ooooh! So he isn’t from illegally occupied Hawaii?
theyeshaveit
April 6th, 2010
4:50 pm
RW, we are talking about the Republicans inability to discuss their ideas on the replace portion of their repeal and replace motto. Can you handle it? Get on topic why don’t you?
DoggoneGA
April 6th, 2010
4:50 pm
“can you for once try to get on topic ”
What?! And lose his cushy job? Not a chance.
@@
April 6th, 2010
4:53 pm
Instead, he said, individual GOP candidates would each be offering their own ideas of what a good replacement might look like.
That’s what the American people wanted from the get-go….everyone’s thoughts but Obama and the dems saw it differently.
I find no fault in giving the people what they asked for. It’s all about the collective.
GoingBroke
April 6th, 2010
4:54 pm
The republicans can’t formulate their ideas and the democrats have no idea what they just passed.. nor do they have a clue as to how much it will cost. They are so confused that they use the New York Times as a source to explain parts of the health care plan they just passed.. (whitehouse.gov)
So.. is it better to be clueless or clueless and do damage?
Southern Comfort
April 6th, 2010
4:54 pm
We can’t all be on topic. Somebody has to be the ODD man/woman out!!
Paul
April 6th, 2010
4:55 pm
Not often you get to see such an opportunity for advantage squandered that badly. As I’ve said, their consultants get paid way too much.
Hopefully your fellow journalists will keep pressing the question. Who knows? Someone might just get a coherent answer.
You’re fortunate there were no cameras. When Sen McConnell began filibustering with a nonanswer you did what a journalist was supposed to do – respectfully guide him back on course. If there’d have been cameras present, you would have been excoriated for rude and demanding behavior, as was Brett Baier in his interview with Pres Obama.
Good work.
Midori
April 6th, 2010
4:56 pm
Hi Paul
Paul
April 6th, 2010
4:57 pm
RW-(the original)
Good thing his dad wasn’t German and Michelle didn’t say “the Fatherland.” Or English and didn’t say “the Motherland.”
It’s just an expression -
theyeshaveit
April 6th, 2010
4:59 pm
GoingBroke, I will take a man who, originally from Hawaii, is a graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, and former the president of the Harvard Law Review to your intellectual model, Sarah Palin. The very day Palin mentioned the words teleprompter she was writing the answer to a question that had not been asked yet on the palm of her hand. Ugh. I thought only grammar school kids did that. And how was it that she which question was coming up? But we digress. The topic is Repeal and Replace, I believe. Or do you wish to be as evasive as the folks that Jay interviewed?
RW-(the original)
April 6th, 2010
5:01 pm
RW, we are talking about the Republicans inability to discuss their ideas on the replace portion of their repeal and replace motto. Can you handle it? Get on topic why don’t you?
Actually you seem to be more interested in playing blog nanny. To each his own I guess. As for the topic it wouldn’t have mattered a bit what they said in response to Jay B’s question. We still would have been treated to a biased critique.
GoingBroke
April 6th, 2010
5:02 pm
Paul
April 6th, 2010
4:57 pm
Being of Irish heritage.. does that mean I should start calling Ireland my home?
For some people.. they still want to strive to come into this county legally and become an American.. for some Americans.. they want to become something they are not..
Bosch
April 6th, 2010
5:03 pm
“We need to send out a prayer for those people up in W VA.”
For real. That was hard news to wake up to this morning.
Mr. Snarky
April 6th, 2010
5:03 pm
As usual, the republicans are all hat and no cattle. They tell their constituency what they think they want to hear with no actual plans to accomplish anything. Attempts to repeal will be just as effective as Bush’s attempt to reform Social Security…because most people like Social Security. What a couple of wastes of space!
Bosch
April 6th, 2010
5:04 pm
“We still would have been treated to a biased critique.”
Maybe so, but it would been nice if they’d at least attempted to answer the question so he could have at least attempted some of his “bias.”
Nice twist job there.
TaxPayer
April 6th, 2010
5:05 pm
The three Rs.
Repeal and Replace the Republicans.
Paul
April 6th, 2010
5:05 pm
Hi Midori!!!
Bosch
April 6th, 2010
5:06 pm
Hi Midori!
Hi Paul – where you been lately?
GoingBroke
April 6th, 2010
5:07 pm
Mr. Snarky
April 6th, 2010
5:03 pm
“Attempts to repeal will be just as effective as Bush’s attempt to reform Social Security…because most people like Social Security. What a couple of wastes of space!”
Yeah.. and can you believe the suckers that still think there is money in SS?
@@
April 6th, 2010
5:07 pm
Geez! this is so unbecoming. All the leftists who jump to jay’s defense.
I thought chivalry was reserved for women?
jay, what color panties do you wear?
eddy
April 6th, 2010
5:08 pm
They should have an answer but then again they are politicians!! I would also ask you to convene John Lewis and Hank Johnson to give specifics, as in details not concepts, as to what is actually and factually contained in the Obamacare bill. The sound of silence would be deafening. None of them know..not even Obama but then again let’s get caught up in details.
But then again, some of your regular posters could probably fill in the blanks with all of the “feel good” stuff but nothing substantive.