By Elizabeth Vlock
Following a closed-door meeting between House Democrats, union representatives and officials from the Obama campaign, Representatives Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.) and Rob Andrews (D-N.J.) called on House Republicans to “move on” from their fixation with repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and instead focus on passing job creating legislation.
Appearing at a press conference, Andrews explained how the upcoming repeal vote will be the 31st attempt by House Republicans to repeal the ACA. Equating House Republicans to baseball players Andrews explained that “there’s a reason why none of the House Republicans are in Kansas City this week,” referencing the site of the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star Game explaining that “when you’re 0-30 you don’t make [All-Star] team.”
Andrews expressed his belief that the vote tomorrow will represent another “swing and a miss” by House Republicans seeking to repeal a law ruled Constitutional by the Supreme Court.
Andrews also called attention to his view that Republican attitudes toward universal coverage are inherently hypocritical. Andrews stressed that what he found most alarming is that “as [Republicans] repeal the rights of the American consumer, they’re keeping [healthcare benefits] for themselves.” Going further Andrews described the ramifications of the ACA being repealed in that “if [Republicans] ever succeed in repealing this bill their constituents will lose their right to be protected against discrimination because of a preexisting condition, but [Republicans will] keep that right for themselves.”
Both Representatives sidestepped inquiries concerning the discrepancy between the apparent desire from some Democratic lawmakers to extend the Bush Tax cuts for Americans making less than $1 million as opposed to President Obama’s plan to only extend tax cuts to those making $250,000 annually. Becerra described Obama’s tax plan as consistent with the campaign promises he made in 2008 and said that Obama is instead planning to
make sure that “the middle class is protected against a tax increase.”
Describing the closed-door meeting both had attended, Andrews said that there was “unanimity in the room” that middle class Americans deserve tax cuts.
