Obama Urges Democrats to Save His Landmark Healthcare Law 🏥

US President Barack Obama has urged fellow Democrats to preserve his legacy-defining healthcare law.

Republicans have launched their long-desired bid to scrap it in what Vice President-elect Mike Pence has called “the first order of business” of Donald Trump’s administration.




Obama huddled with Democrats on Wednesday to plan a defense of the Affordable Care Act https://t.co/KNvzKLbn3e— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 4, 2017






The process





The Senate has opened a debate on a resolution setting in motion the Republican drive to repeal the Democratic-backed 2010 Affordable Care Act, known as “Obamacare”.

This has helped more than 20 million previously uninsured Americans obtain medical insurance.





What Obama is saying





He has gone to Capitol Hill to urge Democratic lawmakers to protect the measure.

Obamacare is considered his signature domestic policy achievement.

He hands the presidency over on January the 20th.

Obama “encouraged us to fight” Democratic Representative Elijah Cummings told reporters after the meeting with the president.

The Democrats have accused the Republicans of trying to rip the nation’s healthcare system apart, with no firm plan to replace it.

“The Republican plan to cut our healthcare would not make America great again,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters, quoting Donald Trump’s campaign slogan.

“It would make America sick again and lead to chaos instead of affordable care.”




Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says Republicans’ plan to overhaul Obamacare “would make American sick again” https://t.co/qMh4MG4kKS pic.twitter.com/SPevw2WcBa— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 4, 2017






What the Republicans are saying





The Republicans, who will control both chambers of Congress and the White House when Donald Trump takes office, have stepped up their rhetorical attack on Obamacare.

They say it is a government overreach.

Vice President-elect Mike Pence met Republican lawmakers to plot the path forward on scuttling the law.

Afterwards, they stepped up their rhetorical attack on the initiative.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said the law ruined the US healthcare system.

“The first order of business is to keep our promise to repeal Obamacare and replace it with the kind of healthcare reform that will lower the cost of health insurance without growing the size of government,” Pence said.





We're going to keep our promise to the American people. Our 1st order of business will be to repeal & replace Obamacare pic.twitter.com/62QQVfOhcv— Mike Pence (@mike_pence) January 4, 2017






Have the Republicans come up with an alternative?





Not yet.

Pence and Ryan offered few details on what a Republican-backed replacement for Obamacare would look like.

However, Ryan said lawmakers will take action that does not “pull the rug out from anybody.”





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The initiative helped people ob