Many Americans are far from feeling “whatever” about the skyrocketing cost of premiums and notices of cancelled insurance plans, but to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, holding the President accountable is just that — “whatever.”
The HHS Secretary, while testifying before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said she took full responsibility for the failed rollout of Obamacare’s exchanges, but Rep. Greg Harper (R-Miss.) believed the blame should be placed elsewhere. When questioning Sebelius, Harper asked who, ultimately, was to be held accountable, but the Secretary’s answer was far from noble.
“But who is ultimately responsible?” Harper said. “It is the President, correct? The President is ultimately responsible for the rollout, ultimately?”
Sebelius attempted to say HHS was to be held accountable, but the Mississippi Republican continued, asking if the buck stopped at the President, much like it would with the CEO of a company.
“It is the President’s ultimate responsibility, correct?” Harper asked.
“You clearly, uh, whatever,” Sebelius responded haphazardly.
But to Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, “whatever” only demonstrates the administration’s lackluster attitude toward accountability.
“The answer to Obama being responsible for this train wreck isn’t ‘whatever’ and Americans should be appalled by that attitude,” Priebus said in a statement. “At the end of the day the buck stops with President Obama – millions of Americans continue to struggle with the consequences of government-run healthcare including skyrocketing costs, losing healthcare plans and website glitches. It’s time we start getting answers.”
Check out Sebelius’s response below.
