In the debate over repealing and replacing Obamacare, Republican leadership complains that conservatives have been moving the goal post. And Mark Meadows says they’re right.
“Well we have,” the Freedom Caucus chairman admits with a sigh during a sit-down interview with the Washington Examiner. “We’ve moved it much closer. All they have to do is kick a little chip shot through the goal posts….”
This comes after weeks of intense negotiation with leadership and the White House on the best way to overhaul Obamacare. But Meadows says his group of three dozen conservatives aren’t asking for one thing before demanding another. Instead, he insists that the Freedom Caucus is conceding.
The group has abandoned their demand for a clean repeal. They’re not asking Speaker Ryan to clear the slate and start over. Just eliminating the Obamacare mandates for coverage of Essential Health Benefits and the price controls known as “Community Rating,” Meadows said “would bring the vast majority of the Freedom Caucus to a yes.”
Before it went down in flames, the American Health Care Act only eliminated two of Obamacare’s 12 mandates, specifically the individual and employer mandates. If Ryan can kick two more mandates, then he can get the win.
That can’t be that hard Meadows said, considering Republicans campaigned on getting rid of Obamacare completely. “In the end,” he said, “the request is pretty simple, just two more of the 12 Obamacare mandates.”
Philip Wegmann is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
