POTUS On Changing Obamacare

November 5th, 2014

During his press conference today, the President was asked about GOP efforts to repeal the Obamacare Medicaid Device tax:

QUESTION: Keystone XL pipeline, they will send you legislation on that. They will ask you to repeal the medical device tax as a part of a funding mechanism of the Affordable Care Act.

Obama: And let’s see — see — OK — medical device tax — you know, I’ve already answered the question. We are going to take a look at whatever ideas — let me take a look comprehensively at the ideas that they present. Let’s give them time to — to tell me. I’d rather hear it from them than from you.

Notice how he shifts from the “we” to the “me.” The President often shifts from the “I” to “We” when he wants to assign blame to someone else, but shifts back to “Me” when it is a decision he wants to make himself. An odd spot when he is speaking alongside McConnell and Boehner about working together.

The President said he was also open to making some changes to Obamacare:

So, you know, if in fact one of the items on Mitch McConnell’s agenda and John Boehner’s agenda is to make responsible changes to the Affordable Care Act to make it work better, I’m going to be very open and receptive to hearing those ideas.

Operative words being “responsible” and “make it work better.” I bet he will veto every single bill that impacts the ACA.