Paul Ryan Falls Flat On His Face When Asked What Republicans Can Do To Stop Obamacare

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Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) delivered a new moment of Republican failure when he was asked on CBS’s Face The Nation what Republicans can do realistically to stop Obamacare.

Video:

Transcript via Face The Nation:

DICKERSON: And in another major ruling this — last week, the court upheld Obamacare.

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan has been a consistent critic of the Affordable Care Act. And he joins us now from Janesville, Wisconsin.

Mr. Ryan, is the president right? He says Obamacare is now the law of the land, and that’s that.

REP. PAUL RYAN (R), WISCONSIN: I don’t agree with that, John. I think this law is going to collapse under its own weight.

I’m as motivated as ever before to repeal and replace this law, and that’s what we’re working on. What I really worry about, John, with this ruling is the grave injustice it does to the rule of law. I mean, so much for calling balls and strikes. I think Justice Roberts is now counting foul balls as home runs.

And, look, I think that they have done a great disservice to the country, because they’re rewriting laws at the bench. We had three constructionists on the court, when we should have had five. And, so, yes, I’m very shocked at this ruling, but it does not deter us from actually delivering on what we really want, which is affordable care for everybody, and let people choose what they want to buy. And that’s not what this law does.

DICKERSON: But, as a practical matter, you’re going to work against it, but what can you do now?

RYAN: Well, as a practical matter, it means we need to win the 2016 election, and with a Republican president in 2017 replace this law with one that actually works, one that people actually like.

Notice the pause, stumble, and “well” before Ryan began his non-answer to the question. Paul Ryan’s unspoken answer was that Republicans can’t do anything to stop Obamacare while President Obama is in office. Republicans have to hope that they win the presidential election to fulfill their dream of taking access to healthcare away from millions of Americans.

During the interview, Ryan later repeated the meaningless gibberish that Republicans are working on their own health care plan that will replace Obamacare, but he debunked his own talking point one week ago when he admitted that Republicans have no plan of their own that can replace Obamacare.

John Boehner put Paul Ryan in charge of coming up with the Republican plan that will replace Obamacare, and since that time, the Congressman has done nothing but put his foot in his mouth when asked where is the Republican plan.

Rep. Ryan never answered the question because there is nothing that Republicans can do. Obama’s victory in the Supreme Court was crushing. The Affordable Care Act is growing in popularity by the month, and with President Obama planning to push to enroll even more Americans, Republicans are completely screwed.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association