OPINION | Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those held by Sarah Palin.
Tucker Carlson, in a special exclusive interview with Vice President Mike Pence, asked whether President Trump planned to use an administrative decree to rescind the exemption that members of Congress and their staff have for some of the Obamacare requirements.
The Vice President was initially timid about responding to the question, and instead pivoted to say that the President plans to fulfill the promise he and the rest of the party made to the American people to repeal Obamacare.
Carlson pushed, however, and Pence conceded that it would be up to Trump whether or not to deactivate the Congressional exemption.
Check it out (per Fox News):
Back in March, The Hill printed an opinion editorial that suggested President Trump’s use of the administrative decree might, for lack of a better way to say it, light a fire under Congressional butts to get the job done.
Check it out:
As he looks for a way forward on keeping his promise to repeal ObamaCare, President Trump needs to find a better way to incentivize individual members of Congress to work harder to come to agreement on a bill that actually keeps the promise he made, by repealing the core elements of ObamaCare. Fortunately, he has a card left to play, and it’s not just any card, it’s the Ace of Spades. He could, by unilateral action – simply signing a memorandum to the Director of the Office of Personnel Management – remove Congress’ illegal special exemption from the law, and make members of Congress and their staffs live under ObamaCare without benefit of the generous illegal taxpayer-financed subsidy each now receives.
The editorial goes on to say that Congress would’ve likely advised the President against such an action, saying it’s no way to begin the term and that it would start him off on the wrong foot with Congress.
How to counter that argument? Simple. Tweak the memo. He could send a memo now directing that the exemption be removed at a date certain in the near future – say, October 1, the start of the new fiscal year. That would create a legislative sword of Damocles hanging over members’ heads. The clock would be ticking, with a six-month countdown. And the onus would be on them – repeal ObamaCare within six months, or live under it the way the law says you were meant to, and pay the same prices average Americans are paying.
“Remove the illegal subsidy,” the editorial said, and “staff and spouses will start screaming bloody murder.”
Not a bad idea.
Maybe it’s time Congress had a little skin in the game.
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