Not over Yet: GOP Optimistic After Health Care Defeat

Who’s to blame for last week’s health care bill debacle? CBN News Chief Political Correspondent David Brody shared this thoughts on the matter on The 700 Club.

WASHINGTON – GOP House members are going back to the drawing board to come up with a new health care plan after failing last week to take the first steps towards dismantling Obamacare.

In a crushing defeat Friday for House leadership, Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., was forced to cancel the highly anticipated vote on the American Health Care Act after not getting enough support from his Republican colleagues to pass the bill.

"Doing big things is hard. All of us, all of us—myself included—we will need time to reflect on how we got to this moment, what we could have done to do it better," the Wisconsin lawmaker told reporters Friday.

Early Signs of Trouble

There were signs of trouble even before the bill was released.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, like Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, expressed disappointment that the plan was crafted behind closed doors and not in a more inclusive discussion with a variety of GOP lawmakers.

"We have got to do something, but now instead of having listening sessions and then going behind closed doors and then saying, 'Here's the bill. We're not going to change anything. Take it or leave it,' this time I'd like to see us get together," he told CBN News.

"There's some great people within our Republican caucus, terrific, brilliant," he said. "We can come to an agreement."

Where the Bill Fell Short

Freedom Caucus members wanted to see a clean repeal of Obamacare and were concerned the new plan did not do enough to drive down the costs of premiums for the American people.

Gohmert told CBN News he thought the bill left Washington with too much power over the health care system.

"I don't think the cure for the disaster of Obamacare is more federal control, more power in the bureaucracy," the Texas lawmaker said.

Gohmert says he's ready to get to work with the GOP conference to craft a new health care plan.

"Health care is so personal. It's people's lives, and we've got to help," he said.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump took to Twitter over the weekend blaming the conservative group for saving Obamacare:

"Democrats are smiling in D.C. that the Freedom Caucus, with the help of Club for Growth and Heritage, have saved Planned Parenthood & Ocare!" he tweeted.

Democrats are smiling in D.C. that the Freedom Caucus, with the help of Club For Growth and Heritage, have saved Planned Parenthood & Ocare!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 26, 2017

It Ain't Over Yet

Democrats, like House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, are ecstatic that, for now, Obamacare remains the law of the land.  

But House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows, R-N.C., says this is just the negotiation process, and they are still committed to helping President Trump deliver on his promise of repealing and replacing Obamacare.

"I can tell you that conversations over the last 48 hours are really about how we come together in the Republican conference and try to get this over the finish line," Meadows told ABC's "This Week."

Meadows also disagreed with those questioning Ryan's leadership abilities.

"I can tell you there are no conversations going on right now with regards to replacing the speaker," he said. "It's all hands on deck with regards to Obamacare, tax reform, the border wall."

And Freedom Caucus Member Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., told CBN News that despite the setback, the Republicans aren't giving up.

"There are no permanent defeats in this life," Franks said. "We have to get back up and move forward. That's the history of the human condition."

"Congress Failed the President"

"And I'm convinced the president did not fail the country here," he added. "Unfortunately, the Congress failed the president, and I hope that somehow we go back and understand where we went wrong and how we do better this next time."

Many members of the House Freedom Caucus are vocal supporters of President Trump, who says he's learned a lot from the health care defeat, but is ready to move on and focus on the future.
 
"We all learned a lot," Trump said. "We learned a lot about loyalty. We learned a lot about the vote-getting process. We learned a lot about some very arcane rules in, obviously, both the Senate and the House."

"So it's been, certainly for me, it's been a very interesting experience," he continued. "But in the end, I think it's going to be an experience that leads to an even better health care plan."

Ryan says Republicans are going to move forward with the rest of their agenda, securing the border, rebuilding the military and tax reform.