Donald Trump on Wednesday called for a quick and nearly simultaneous repeal and replacement of Obamacare — a task that’s technically almost impossible.
Republicans can repeal much of the law on a party line vote under fast-track budget rules. But replacement require at least a handful of Senate Democrats to help dismantle President Barack Obama’s historic achievement that’s covering 20 million Americans. And the Republicans have to agree among themselves on a specific detailed bill, an agreement that has so far been elusive.
Republican leadership aides were quick to say after Trump’s news conference that they’re all on the same page, even though they had earlier planned for a swift vote on repeal (although delayed until sometime in the future) and then an extended debate over the replacement.
But a quick repeal and replace of Obamacare on the scale the president-elect outlined is complex and arduous — and politically rife for accusations that Republicans are recklessly repealing a law with scant time for debate.
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