They hate it, they really hate it
by digby
The new Trumpcare isn’t any more popular than the old Trumpcare:
Less than a quarter of American voters surveyed in a new poll released Thursday by Quinnipiac University approve of the legislation passed last week by the House of Representatives to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
Fifty-six percent of those polled said they disapprove of the legislation, dubbed the American Health Care Act, while just 21 percent said they support it. The support for the legislation represents an improvement over the 17 percent who said they supported the iteration of the bill that failed to pass the House in March.
Overall 66 percent said they disapprove of President Donald Trump’s handling of healthcare, while 32 percent said they approve of it.
Forty-nine percent of respondents said the AHCA will hurt the nation, while 29 percent said it will help it and 13 percent said it will have no impact. Republican voters – 48 percent of whom supported the AHCA in the poll – were the only group with a positive view of the bill. Every other gender, party, age, educational and racial group opposed the legislation.
Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.), who helped revive efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, on Wednesday became the latest Republican lawmaker to face angry voters at a town hall, just days after he voted for a House bill that would make sweeping changes to the nation’s health care system.
Appearing at a crime victims center in a Democratic pocket of his New Jersey district, MacArthur fielded questions for nearly five hours from a loud and feisty crowd about his role in crafting the GOP health care bill and its effect on the insurance marketplace. A few constituents also demanded that he call for a special prosecutor to investigate whether President Donald Trump’s aides colluded with Russia during the presidential campaign.
Throughout, MacArthur defended the so-called American Health Care Act over boos and jeers from constituents, many of whom charged that the congressman would have blood on his hands if the bill becomes law. Several times during the event, MacArthur struggled to retain control of the room, getting shouted down even as he told the story of the 1996 death of his 11-year-old daughter, who was born with special needs.
“I’m asking you guys to have some respect,” he pleaded exasperatedly at one point.
“Can I be disrespectful on behalf of all the people you’re gonna kill?” responded one constituent who was angry over the health care vote.
Last month, MacArthur authored an amendment that helped bring a substantial number of House conservatives on board to the GOP health care bill, leading to its eventual passage last week. The provisions of the so-called MacArthur amendment would allow states to waive essential benefits such as maternity care and emergency room visits. It would also allow states to opt out of Obamacare’s community rating rules, which require that insurers charge the same price to consumers in a certain area regardless of gender or pre-existing condition.
“It was dead in the water until you revived it,” said Derek Reichenbecher, 38, who has a heart condition. “This is my life. Without health care coverage, I’m dead. I’m dead.”
The bill passed the House, 217 to 213, with all Democrats and 20 Republicans voting against it, and is now in the Senate’s hands.
In another exchange, MacArthur cast his role in helping craft the bill as not allowing perfect be the enemy of the good ― arguing that members of Congress don’t always “vote on the bill they wish was in front of them.” But the line failed to quell his constituents, who booed and shouted him down once more.
“You submitted it! You were an architect!” one person yelled, referring to his amendment.
[…]Outside the building, dozens of people gathered to protest MacArthur and the health care bill. They carried signs that read, “Killer Tom,” “Health care, not wealth care,” and “Stop Twitler now” ― a reference to the president and his active Twitter account. A group of demonstrators also held a “die-in” to protest the health care bill. They laid down on the ground and held up mock tombstones while someone dressed as the grim reaper stood over them.
These guys are in a world of hurt. But you know, you lie down with Trump/Pence/Ryan/McConnell — what do you expect?
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