Trumpcare 2.0 dead-on-arrival as Tea Party blocks Pence intervention

This week, Vice President Mike Pence hatched a plan to fix Obamcare with legislation that would allow states to opt-out of the law entirely. The tea party members of Congress, who are members of the so-called Freedom Caucus, have killed the new proposal, however.

In a report from The Guardian, Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY) confessed that he feels like the conservative members keep moving the goal posts on Republicans attempting to pass a bill.

“We built them a bridge,” said Collins. “All they have to do is walk across.” He added, simply: “The problem is with Freedom Caucus.”

But Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) disagreed, saying that his caucus has voted over and over again to repeal Obamacare and that is all they are interested in doing. According to him, the Republicans like Pence and President Donald Trump who say that they want to keep parts of Obamacare have “not only moved the goalposts, they’ve taken out the stadium, chopped ‘em up and burned them."

Former House Speaker John Boehner laughed off the idea that the GOP would be capable of doing anything to get rid of Obamacare.

“Republicans never ever agree on health care,” he said in Nov. 2016. “Most of the framework of the Affordable Care Act ... that’s going to be there."

Wednesday, right-wing groups attacked the moderate wing of the GOP for what they claim derailed the repeal of Obamacare.

“We’re looking at ways to get our message out,” vice president of Heritage Action, Dan Holler told The Guardian. It was a hint that the political group might be running attack ads against moderate Republicans he believes are the "obvious hurdle."

David McIntosh president of Club for Growth called them the "left wing" of the GOP, saying that they weren't willing to compromise or keep their pledge to their voters to repeal Obamacare.

Collins called it nothing more than a fundraising ploy but moderates have refused to pass a bill that removes protections for those with pre-existing conditions and removes maternity care, mental health and substance abuse treatment.

Trump's administration told Republicans that they would like the bill by the end of the week.

Mark Meadows (R-NC), who chairs the Freedom Caucus, claimed that he was still hopeful a bill could come to the House floor.

“I am still optimistic that everybody is working in good faith and hopefully it will happen this week.” However, he remarked: “It’s important to set realistic expectations that passing a bill between now and Friday is still a Herculean task.”