Recent polling shows that by a narrow margin, more Americans disapprove of the Affordable Care Act than approve of it, but on the fifth anniversary of its passage, President Obama is celebrating the success of the healthcare law, and scoffing at Republicans who "are basing their entire political agenda on repealing the law."
"This law is saving money for families and for businesses," Obama said. "This law is also saving lives. It's working, despite countless attempts to repeal, undermine, defund, and defame this law."
According to the president, the Republican agenda aims at kicking millions of families off their insurance plans, forcing families to pay more for their insurance, and making women pay more for their insurance than men, claims which leaders of the GOP say are completely inaccurate.
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) accused the president of breaking promises he made to the American people. Michael Short, spokesman for the Republican National Committee (RNC), said that despite Obama's attempt to "spin his unpopular health law... Americans are still being saddled with higher premiums, higher taxes, fewer work hours, and canceled plans."
President Obama also said that threats of "a serious alternative [to ObamaCare] from Republicans in Congress" have so far been empty — though now that the GOP controls both houses of Congress, several proposals to repeal the law have been introduced.