Ernst called Obamacare a “job killer” in Iowa that is “taking personal health decisions out of our hands and placing them with nameless, faceless bureaucrats in Washington, DC.” That is to some degree true, but what about the guy’s question? It was a reasonable concern; millions of people are now receiving subsidies to purchase health insurance. If Republicans repeal Obamacare, what happens to them?
The exchange was a vivid illustration of how Republicans have to think through their position on repealing Obamacare to include a transition from the situation that exists today — with exchanges and subsidies up and running — to a newer, hopefully better Republican-authored plan. How will that happen? Ernst offered the viewer nothing.
Next came Social Security. Ernst made a perfectly reasonable case for raising the eligibility age for younger Americans. Then Braley was asked about his proposal to raise the cap for Social Security taxes above today’s $117,000 annual income limit. “Won’t that be a drag on the economy?” the questioner asked.
Yes, it will, but of course Braley did not want to say that. So he first tried to deflect the question with a joke about the Orioles-Royals game, before offering an exceedingly feeble defense of raising the cap. But a moment later, when Ernst was asked whether she, too, would consider raising the cap, she said, “That is an option, and we need to sit down and discuss that, in a bipartisan manner.” Ernst gave away whatever advantage she held.
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