Schumer: Health Care Repeal "Not Going to Work"

(CBS)  Sen. Charles Schumer called Republicans' plan to repeal health care reform a "rush" effort that "is not going to work" - and argued that Congress should be working together to improve existing health care reform rather than attempting to repeal it.

On CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday, Schumer, a New York Democrat, applauded Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for "wisely" saying he would not bring the repeal bill to the floor.

But he added that if the repeal measure did come up, Democrats would force a vote on every individual provision in the health care bill - including those provisions which many Americans (and some Republicans) have publicly supported.

"Mitch McConnell has the right to offer an amendment," Schumer said of the Senate Minority Leader, who has vowed to force a vote on the repeal. "If he does, if the Republicans offer an amendment on the floor, then we will require them to vote on the individual protections in the bill that are very popular, and that even some of the new Republican House Members have said they support.

"Are Republicans going to vote 'no' on a provision to maintain the donut hole benefits so that seniors pay less for prescription drugs? Are they going to vote against the ability of 21- to 26-year-olds to stay on their parents' health care? Are they going to vote to repeal … the free check-ups that seniors on Medicare get which save billions of dollars in prevention?" Schumer asked CBS' Bob Schieffer.

"Their repeal bill is going to be so full of holes it looks like Swiss cheese," Schumer said. "At the end of the day their effort to repeal is not going to work at all."

Schumer also criticized a recent proposal by the Republican Study Committee to reduce federal spending by $2.5 trillion over the next 10 years, largely by cutting or eliminating funding for more than 100 government entities. The proposal did not include any cuts to defense spending.

Schumer argued that excluding the military from possible budget cuts seemed "a little political."

"The proposal that the Republican study committee made focuses on only one part of the budget," Schumer said. "Because they have to get all their reductions out of that one part, they do things that most Americans wouldn't want - such as cut cancer research. But, for instance, they leave the military totally out."

"I'm for a strong military," Schumer continued. "I've always supported it. But everyone knows there's waste and inefficiency in the military budget. Defense Secretary Gates has proposed cutting $150 billion out of it.

"And if you want to be fair, if you want to convince people that you're really for cutting, you have to cut the waste across the board."

[cbs4111]

Schumer is a slow learner. It's apparent that he didn't pay any attention at all to the message that Americans delivered last Nov. 2.

The national debt is growing like a drunken college kid's credit card bills - Obama has already borrowed over a trillion dollars from the Chinese and other foreign governments - money that Americans have to pay back, WITH INTEREST. It's very clear - if the Democrat-controlled Senate doesn't support the repeal of this wasteful bill, Schumer and his party will be completely swept out in the next election. It's already far past the time when the Democrat's orgy of wasteful Government spending simply must come to a close.

[Freddie6]

Who would believe or otherwise trust anything the sheister from NY says about ANYTHING?????

[Birdman04]

In my humble opinion if a frog had wings it wouldn't bump it's ass when it jumped. Actually that is a fact. But only "if".

[forsanity1]

Hahaha.... priceless.

[Birdman04]

Sure it does. We were talking about opinions and facts. Both of them are mentioned in my comment.

[noloyalisti]

That is definitely the way to describe this: the health insurance company mafia.

I don't know what is more evil and ridiculous: the people who kill people by denying care of the people who want to stay with that kind of awful American "health" system.

[ehurst17]

I really don't understand why we pay for the low income people who don't look for a job but just want the money they get and then pay for something they don't need. So we really need the laws to be stricter on people who have medicade then have a health care bill to raise our bills.

[slechner1]

you're assuming that someone that meets the medicaid income requirment doesn't have a job. however, there are plenty of jobs that pay that low and don't offer health insurance. in addition, they can also meet a disability requirement to qualify for medicaid and are, possibly, unable to work.

[ehurst17]

Well maybe if Obama and the democracts tried to hear the peoples side we all MIGHT agree but I agree with the republicans on their side. They want this and that but we can not afford paying for health care.

[forsanity1]

The people's side? You do know that Americans with liberal and progressive ideology are people, don't you?

I guess you haven't been reading the CURRENT opinion polling data that says the majority of the American people do not want the Affordable Care Act repealed, they understand that we can not afford -- as a country -- to allow our citizens to face health crises without the ability to afford care.

[slechner1]

we can't afford to keep the status quo either.

[noloyalisti]

The Bushoccio Crime Family ADDED $5 TRILLION to the debt. All of a sudden the Government of Pigs Party of death and taxes is worried. Now they want to add even more to the deficit by repealing health care and killing Grandma. The Republican Health Insurance Corporation wants to go back to running their Death Panels for maximum profits.

[FrankTrades]

Eventually it will work.

[doctor_know]

Health care reform.... I hope so too.

[ehurst17]

I hope so too....if not Obama is going to have alot of the country mad at him even me and he hopefully won't be president for the second term.

[troutfishyman]

Once again, the GOP wastes time and taxpayer dollars with their little theater act.

[slechner1]

@ReConUSMC: Do you have any references to support your numbers?

[forsanity1]

Of course ReCon doesn't have any more facts than he or she has spelling ability...

...just read the part about abortions and death panels and KNOW you are dealing with someone who doesn't use facts, truth or even reality in forming opinions.

But I bet this impostor does listen to Fox News and the like. Yes impostor! The United States Marine Corps requires at least a high school [equivalency] education to become a member. This would include the ability to read and write the English language.

get behind me...

[SandmanUSMC]

Republicans are so in bed with the insurance companies it's ridiculous. They gradually turned our health care system into a pathetic joke that has bankrupted family after family...and allowed people to die.

I am licking my chops to see the lousy proposal offered by the Republicans this time. Will it be another 3 page proposal with no beef? I wouldn't doubt it. What a joke.