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Obama Breaks His Silence Before 'Trumpcare' Vote

"America is stronger because of the Affordable Care Act."
Drew Schwartz
Brooklyn, US

Former president Barack Obama stepped in to defend the Affordable Care Act on Thursday, just hours before a Republican-dominated House prepares to vote to repeal and replace his signature healthcare law with the American Health Care Act (AHCA).

According to the Hill, Obama released a lengthy statement Thursday touting Obamacare's achievements. Rather than bash the GOP's repeal efforts directly, Obama stressed that the fight between replacing Obamacare or upholding it cuts to the core of "the character of our country."

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"Thanks to this law, more than twenty million Americans have gained the security and peace of mind of health insurance. Thanks to this law, more than ninety percent of Americans are insured—the highest rate in our history," Obama wrote. "So the reality is clear: America is stronger because of the Affordable Care Act."

After leaving office, Obama decided to take some well deserved R&R and said he'd stay out of the political arena to give Trump "an opportunity to put forward his platform and his arguments without somebody popping off in every instance." That only lasted about ten days into Trump's presidency, though, when Obama commented on the protests against the new administration's controversial travel ban. Since then, the former president has stayed relatively quiet and steered clear of the ongoing healthcare debate.

"If Republicans are serious about lowering costs while expanding coverage to those who need it, and if they're prepared to work with Democrats and objective evaluators in finding solutions that accomplish those goals—that's something we all should welcome," Obama added. "But we should start from the baseline that any changes will make our healthcare system better, not worse for hardworking Americans."

By the end of the day Thursday, the House is expected to vote on the AHCA. The bill has faced ardent criticism from politicians on both sides of the aisle, and as of Wednesday, more than 25 Republicans were reportedly ready to vote against it.

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