Conservative Talk radio host Mark Levin debated Fox News host Eric Bolling on whether it would be better for the country and the president if the promised Obamacare repeal was postponed until after Republicans work on tax reform. The segment ran on The Specialists Friday.
"Do we see eye to eye on this?" Bolling asked.
"No." Levin answered curtly.
"Or do you want to see something passed, Obamacare repeal immediately?" Bolling continued.
"I'll tell you why I disagree with you," Levin replied. "First of all, why do we keep arguing about health care in the context of what the left argues. Let's say they repeal it. And they give them twelve months advance notice. What do you think's gonna happen? Insurance companies are gonna create policies for 20 million people."
"There'll be new insurance companies that are created," he explained. "You think they're gonna leave that money on the table? 20 million people are gonna be on the streets and die in this country? It'll never happen, we're a nation of entrepreneurs. That's number one."
"Number two," he continued. "Putting it off isn't gonna fix it. You think they're just going to easily be able to slash taxes? That's not gonna happen."
"So in other words we should spend a trillion dollars on infrastructure?" Levin added. "I oppose that too. So in other words, how about we take the agenda that conservatives claim they support, open up the health care system, explain to the American people we have to get rid of Obamacare and Obamacare lite or we're gonna have waiting periods, we're gonna have rationing, and people with pre-existing conditions and senior citizens, they're the ones who are gonna be hurt. I have happen to agree with Rand Paul."
"The answer is not more government." Levin responded to a later objection. "The answer to the American people is, 'do you like liberty? Do you like to be able to see a doctor you wanna see? Do you want to see more and different types of policies that aren't approved by the federal government?' We've gotten away in this country from what made us prosperous and great."
"Can, I'm sorry," Bolling interrupted. "Let's play politics for a second. We got the 2018 midterm elections looming large with the Democrats are saying, 'go ahead, repeal and replace, we hope you do 'cuz we're gonna tattoo you with this the way you did to us in 2010. Why would, why rushing through this with premiums rising through 2018 as the CBO says, why is that good thing politically?"
"I was part of the Tea Party," Levin explained. "In 2010, we took over the House, in 2014, we took over the Senate. It wasn't because we wanted to expand Medicaid. And it wasn't because we wanted to find new government-centralized programs in order to replace a government-centralized program. If they would get on message, push the Rand Paul idea, open up the economy, people would see what would happen as a result of it."
President Trump tweeted Friday that the Republicans should consider repealing Obamacare now, but postponing replacement for later.
The Republican health care bill has been stalled because of disagreements between those who want a true repeal and what many say is a faction that just wants to get something passed in order to celebrate a legislative victory. Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has been an outspoken critic of the bill, which he calls"Obamacare lite," and suggests instead more conservative solutions to the health care problem.
