In the wake of House Republicans passing the American Health Care Act on Thursday, the liberal Big Three networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) came out strong against it. Come Sunday morning, ABC was still railing against it. This time they openly asserted that the Republicans didn’t care about the people in their districts. “Republican lawmakers are hearing loud and clear from constituents who don't like some of the provisions of that new GOP health care bill,” declared reporter David Wright on Good Morning America.
“At town hall meetings and other forums, a lot of those constituents are saying they feel betrayed,” Wright continued to tout as he started his report with a clip of a woman shouting at Representative Tom Reed.
With an air of skepticism, he reported that “In upstate New York, Congressman Tom Reed reassured his constituents that people with pre-existing conditions needn’t worry about the Republican bill.” After admitting that they would still be covered he claimed “the bill includes a mechanism allowing insurance companies to raise rates on those patients. Possibly, even making their insurance unaffordable.”
That’s a bizarre complaint considering that many who are covered by ObamaCare can’t actually use their insurance to go to the doctor because their deductible is through the roof. That’s not to mention the families who can’t afford to pay ObamaCare’s skyrocketing premiums. What about them?
“Here in New Jersey, Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen switched his vote from ‘no’ to ‘yes’ just last week,” Wright reported after playing a clip of protesters chanting that the Congressman “had to go.” Frelinghuysen is on record saying that he was looking out for people with pre-existing conditions, but Wright tried to paint him as a hypocrite for voting for the bill.
He sat down with Edina Renfro-Michel, a woman who needs to take very expensive pills to keep her stage-4 breast cancer in remission. “Do you feel like your congressman sold you out,” he brazenly led her. “Yes, absolutely. I am -- I am furious,” she responded. But Wright never definitively said that Renfro-Michel would be losing her insurance if the GOP’s health care bill went into effect nor if she was benefitting from ObamaCare. That idea was only implied though the nature of the report.
In fact, it’s unlikely that she would lose her insurance and it’s unlikely that she was a supporter of her Republican congressman at all. You see, Renfro-Michel is an associate professor at Montclair State University, which means she gets her health insurance from her employer. That’s a major fact Wright omitted from his report.
In closing out his report, Wright took a shot at the President for staying in New Jersey and not Trump Tower for meetings in New York City. “Saying the reason that he's staying here and not in New York City is that it would be much more expense and disruptive to go there … But check out this picture. He's also taking time to lower his handicap,” he quipped as he showed a picture of Trump golfing. GMA co-host Paula Faris chided that “Yeah, a lot of that still on the taxpayers' dime.”
A criticism they didn’t care about for the last president.
Transcript below:
ABC
World News Tonight
May 7, 2017
8:05:56 AM EasternPAULA FARIS: This is a weekend of frustration and uncertainty in American politics, as well. With Republicans who voted to repeal and replace Obamacare facing fiery town halls like this.
DAN HARRIS: President Trump steadfastly stands by this new bill. Meanwhile, there's another story looming having to do with the investigations into possible connections between team Trump and Russia.
FARIS: David Wright is with the president in Bedminster, New Jersey this morning. Hi, David.
DAVID WRIGHT: Reporter: Hi, Paula. Hi, Dan. Republican lawmakers are hearing loud and clear from constituents who don't like some of the provisions of that new GOP health care bill. At town hall meetings and other forums, a lot of those constituents are saying they feel betrayed.
[Cuts to video]
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN 1: These are human beings! We have bodies, we have minds!
WRIGHT: In upstate New York, Congressman Tom Reed reassured his constituents that people with pre-existing conditions needn’t not worry about the Republican bill.
TOM REED: The bill protects the pre-existing conditions.
CROWD: No!
WRIGHT: In fact, the bill rolls back the Affordable Care Act's protections for patients with pre-existing conditions. Health insurers would have to cover them. But the bill includes a mechanism allowing insurance companies to raise rates on those patients. Possibly, even making their insurance unaffordable. In Idaho, Congressman Raul Labrador pushed back. At a constituent who told him without access to health care, people will die.
RAUL LABRADOR: That lie is so indefensible. Nobody dies because they don't have access to health care.
PROTESTERS: Hey, hey, ho, ho Frelinghuysen’s got to go!
WRIGHT: Here in New Jersey, Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen switched his vote from ‘no’ to ‘yes’ just last week.
RODNEY FRELINGHUYSEN: I support looking after pre-existing conditions.
EDINA RENFRO-MICHEL: He was holding my letter in his hand, yes, when he said that.
WRIGHT: Edina Renfro-Michel survived stage 4 breast cancer. Now in remission, thanks to these pills. So it's called ebrance?
MICHEL: Ibrance.
WRIGHT: They cost $11,000 a month. More than she earns. $500 a pill.
MICHEL: Yeah. But it's saving my life.
WRIGHT: Do you feel like your congressman sold you out?
MICHEL: Yes, absolutely. I am -- I am furious.
[Cuts back to live}
WRIGHT: Here in New Jersey, the President continues to be a little bit defensive about his decision to come to Bedminster. Saying the reason that he's staying here and not in New York City is that it would be much more expense and disruptive to go there. “Meetings!” But check out this picture. He's also taking time to lower his handicap. Dan, Paula?
FARIS: Yeah, a lot of that still on the taxpayers' dime.
