Ohio Governor John Kasich recently got himself into a bit of a pickle. When speaking with the Associated Press, Kasich said that the repeal of "Obamacare" is "never going to happen."
He also said that the "political or ideological" opposition to the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare") - the Medicaid expansion in particular - doesn't "hold water against real flesh and blood, and real improvements in people's lives."
After likely receiving some backlash for his statements, Kasich went to the Washington Post to "clarify" his position, when he said:
"I don't back Obamacare. I never have. I want it to be repealed. If the House and the Senate [are Republican-controlled] and we have a Republican president, Obamacare will be repealed flat out. Flat out. And it will be replaced."
Okay, so Kasich went from saying the Affordable Care Act wasn't going to get repealed and that improving people's lives was of far greater importance than trying to repeal the healthcare law just for political reasons to he wants the ACA to be repealed and it will happen if the GOP has control of the House, the Senate, and the White House. Interesting...
Sadly, Kasich's dancing about the issue didn't stop there.
The Ohio Governor then spoke to Politico, where he said this:
"I have favored expanding Medicaid, but I don't really see expanding Medicaid as really connected to Obamacare. [If Republicans take the Senate,] you better believe they're going to repeal Obamacare and I agree with that. {But], there's got to be an accommodation [for Medicaid expansion]."
So, let's try to make sense of this and go about Kasich's statements chronologically:
1) ACA won't get repealed and people's lives are more important than partisan politics
2) He wants to repeal the ACA and it will happen if the GOP gets its way
3) The GOP will repeal the ACA if it gets its way, which he's in favor of, but he's also in favor of expanding Medicaid, which is a component of the ACA, but claims isn't.
Okay then... John Kasich sounds confused. Based on all of his dancing about the issue of "Obamacare," I could see him engage in the following discussion at some point in the future:
Reporter Jan Udintjusaythat: "So, what's your stance on the Affordable Care Act?"
John Kasich: "I want Obamacare to be fully repealed!"
Udintjusaythat: "What about the part where it gives the option of expanding Medicaid?"
Kasich: "I'm in favor of expanding Medicaid."
Udintjusaythat: "Does that mean you don't want the Affordable Care Act fully repealed?"
Kasich: "Yes, yes I do."
Udintjusaythat: "But you just said you were in favor of expanding Medicaid..."
Kasich: "That's correct."
Udintjusaythat: "So, how can you be in favor of fully repealing the healthcare law while also being strongly in favor of a central component of it?"
Kasich: "What component is that?"
Udintjusaythat: "Expanding Medicaid..."
Kasich: "Yes, I'm in favor of that."
Udintjusaythat: "So then, you're not in favor of fully repealing the Affordable Care Act?"
Kasich: "Yes, yes I am."
Udintjusaythat: "But, expanding Medicaid is a part of the Affordable Care Act. If you fully repeal the healthcare law, the expansion of Medicaid will go along with it."
Kasich: "No it won't. Expanding Medicaid does, but doesn't have anything to do with Obamacare."
Udintjusaythat: "It does."
Kasich: "Not completely"
Udintjusaythat: "So then, you're in favor of partially repealing the healthcare law, so you can maintain the bit about expanding Medicaid?"
Kasich: "No, I want a full repeal of Obamacare!"
Udintjusaythat: "Including the part where you can expand Medicaid?"
Kasich: "No, I want to expand Medicaid."
Udintjusaythat: "You're impossible!"
Kasich: "That's what my wife says a lot of times."
Udintjusaythat: "She's right!"
Kasich: "She is and she's not."
Udintjusaythat: "Ugh! I'm leaving!!"
http://twitchy.com/2014/10/20/gov-john-mr-medicaid-expansion-kasich-takes-pro-obamacare-rhetoric-a-step-further-clarifies/
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/21/1338199/-Republican-presidential-hopeful-accidentally-tells-truth-about-Obamacare-flip-flops-with-the-crazy
He also said that the "political or ideological" opposition to the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare") - the Medicaid expansion in particular - doesn't "hold water against real flesh and blood, and real improvements in people's lives."
After likely receiving some backlash for his statements, Kasich went to the Washington Post to "clarify" his position, when he said:
"I don't back Obamacare. I never have. I want it to be repealed. If the House and the Senate [are Republican-controlled] and we have a Republican president, Obamacare will be repealed flat out. Flat out. And it will be replaced."
Okay, so Kasich went from saying the Affordable Care Act wasn't going to get repealed and that improving people's lives was of far greater importance than trying to repeal the healthcare law just for political reasons to he wants the ACA to be repealed and it will happen if the GOP has control of the House, the Senate, and the White House. Interesting...
Sadly, Kasich's dancing about the issue didn't stop there.
The Ohio Governor then spoke to Politico, where he said this:
"I have favored expanding Medicaid, but I don't really see expanding Medicaid as really connected to Obamacare. [If Republicans take the Senate,] you better believe they're going to repeal Obamacare and I agree with that. {But], there's got to be an accommodation [for Medicaid expansion]."
So, let's try to make sense of this and go about Kasich's statements chronologically:
1) ACA won't get repealed and people's lives are more important than partisan politics
2) He wants to repeal the ACA and it will happen if the GOP gets its way
3) The GOP will repeal the ACA if it gets its way, which he's in favor of, but he's also in favor of expanding Medicaid, which is a component of the ACA, but claims isn't.
Okay then... John Kasich sounds confused. Based on all of his dancing about the issue of "Obamacare," I could see him engage in the following discussion at some point in the future:
Reporter Jan Udintjusaythat: "So, what's your stance on the Affordable Care Act?"
John Kasich: "I want Obamacare to be fully repealed!"
Udintjusaythat: "What about the part where it gives the option of expanding Medicaid?"
Kasich: "I'm in favor of expanding Medicaid."
Udintjusaythat: "Does that mean you don't want the Affordable Care Act fully repealed?"
Kasich: "Yes, yes I do."
Udintjusaythat: "But you just said you were in favor of expanding Medicaid..."
Kasich: "That's correct."
Udintjusaythat: "So, how can you be in favor of fully repealing the healthcare law while also being strongly in favor of a central component of it?"
Kasich: "What component is that?"
Udintjusaythat: "Expanding Medicaid..."
Kasich: "Yes, I'm in favor of that."
Udintjusaythat: "So then, you're not in favor of fully repealing the Affordable Care Act?"
Kasich: "Yes, yes I am."
Udintjusaythat: "But, expanding Medicaid is a part of the Affordable Care Act. If you fully repeal the healthcare law, the expansion of Medicaid will go along with it."
Kasich: "No it won't. Expanding Medicaid does, but doesn't have anything to do with Obamacare."
Udintjusaythat: "It does."
Kasich: "Not completely"
Udintjusaythat: "So then, you're in favor of partially repealing the healthcare law, so you can maintain the bit about expanding Medicaid?"
Kasich: "No, I want a full repeal of Obamacare!"
Udintjusaythat: "Including the part where you can expand Medicaid?"
Kasich: "No, I want to expand Medicaid."
Udintjusaythat: "You're impossible!"
Kasich: "That's what my wife says a lot of times."
Udintjusaythat: "She's right!"
Kasich: "She is and she's not."
Udintjusaythat: "Ugh! I'm leaving!!"
http://twitchy.com/2014/10/20/gov-john-mr-medicaid-expansion-kasich-takes-pro-obamacare-rhetoric-a-step-further-clarifies/
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/21/1338199/-Republican-presidential-hopeful-accidentally-tells-truth-about-Obamacare-flip-flops-with-the-crazy
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