Conservative commentator Sarah Palin slammed the GOP health care replacement plan during a radio interview Saturday, but predicted that President Donald Trump would intervene and fix the plan.
Palin began the interview with Breitbart News Radio by saying that while many conservatives have dubbed the bill "Obamacare Lite" or "Obamacare 2.0," she believes it's "RINO-care," meaning that the bill is "Republican in name only."
"Remember this is government-controlled health care, the system that requires enrollment in an unaffordable, unsustainable, unwanted, unconstitutional continuation of government-run medicine, and even in this new quasi-reformed proposal, there is still an aspect of socialism," Palin said.
She added that she doesn't want to hear anything else from congressional Republican leaders about the bill until Americans know that Congress won't be except from the law.
"I am tempted to say not another word from our fearless leaders about this new form of Obamacare ... until we are definitively told that there is no provision whatsoever allowing Congress to exempt itself whatsoever with this law," the former Alaska governor said.
The health care replacement plan, dubbed, "The American Health Care Act of 2017, doesn't impose an individual mandate forcing every American to buy health insurance or face a government penalty. But it does allow health insurance companies to charge a 30 percent surcharge to anyone who lapses in coverage, something Palin said might as well be a mandate.
"This 30 percent additional fee will be collected by some in the private sector, which will mean politicians are allowed again to pick the winners and losers, and it makes you wonder who’s lobbying hardest for aspects of this new bill because obviously there are special interests involved," Palin explained. "Otherwise, certain private sector segments of our economy wouldn’t be rewarded as they will be with this fee, instead of going to the IRS going to private companies."
"It would be really helpful if every single one of these politicians would do like the NASCAR drivers do—and it’s been said before—but let them wear their sponsors plastered all over their three-piece suits when they show up so we know what side they’re on and who they’re actually doing their bidding for," the former Republican vice presidential nominee added.
During the rest of the interview, Palin went on to explain that she's thankful for congressmen like Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Rep. Dave Brat (R-Va.) and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who have all been outspoken about the plans shortcomings. Their chief criticisms are that the bill is too much like Obamacare and doesn't fulfill the GOP's promise to completely end government-run health care and replace Obamacare with a market-based solution.
Palin also said that she didn't disagree with every aspect of the bill, but suggested that Trump will need to step in and help amend the bill.
"He will step in and fix it," Palin said. "I have great faith that President Trump is one who will fulfill campaign promises."
"I have great faith that President Trump is one who will fulfill campaign promises," she added. "I’m sure that President Trump is going to do the right thing and listen to all sides, of course, but understand, especially, that as a businessman, he’s going to understand whether this makes sense in his vision of how to grow businesses and how to get government off our back and back on our side."
Listen to Palin's full interview below:
Chris Enloe
Staff Writer
