Amid town hall protests, GOP lawmaker worries: 'I don't know if we're going to be able to repeal ObamaCare now'

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published 24 February 2017

Republican Rep. Mo Brooks (Ala.) is starting to doubt the GOP will actually repeal ObamaCare. After witnessing swaths of angry citizens protesting at town halls across the nation, Brooks admitted in a radio interview this week that "a significant number of congressman are being impacted ... and their spine is a little bit weak."

"I don't know if we're going to be able to repeal ObamaCare now because these folks who support ObamaCare are very active, they're putting pressure on congressmen, and there's not a countereffort to steel the spine of some of these congressmen in tossup districts around the country," Brooks told WBHP 800 Alabama radio's The Morning Show with Toni & Gary.

Brooks, who insists the "monstrosity" that is the Affordable Care Act "needs to be repealed and right now," bashed President Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) for wavering on a full repeal. The Alabama congressman noted Trump's previous indication of support for parts of ObamaCare, and argued that if aspects of the ACA were retained it would be "an amendment to ObamaCare," not the promised full repeal. "Remember when Donald Trump publicly stated during the campaign that he's going to make sure everybody has health insurance?" Brooks asked. "That's ObamaCare."