President Trump Pushes GOP to Quash Obamacare, 'Be the Party of Great Healthcare'

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump is calling on Republicans to quash the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. 

"We are going to be the party of great healthcare and the Democrats have let you down," Trump said.

The first indication came Monday when the Justice Department agreed the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional and should be "thrown out." 

"Obamacare doesn't work, it's too expensive and you take a look at everything with deductibles it's a disaster, it's a disaster for people," said Trump. 

"I think what the President is doing is actually wise which is focusing Republicans' attention because if it does happen and Republicans aren't ready with anything, that's when they are in trouble," said former US Senator Rick Santorum. 

Other Americans could also in trouble in that case, including the nearly 13 million people covered under Obamacare's Medicaid Expansion and 52 million people with pre-existing conditions. 
 
The president says the move does not mean Republicans want to take away people's healthcare, adding that the "repeal and replace" plan would send grants to states for them to run their own healthcare insurance programs. 

"We have a plan that would lower healthcare costs, improve people's choices and make sure we take care of the most vulnerable among us - people with pre-existing conditions," said Heritage Foundation's Marie Fishpaw. 

On the other side of the aisle, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said, "Protecting and strengthening healthcare is why Democrats are here on day one."

Democrats made healthcare a prime campaign issue during the midterms and just introduced a new bill to strengthen the ACA. 

It would make more middle-class people eligible for subsidies and help lower income recipients already in the system. 

That bill should make it through the House but not the Republican-controlled Senate.