Cruz hits The Donald on 'TrumpCare'

Politico ^ | February 1, 2016 | Dan Diamond with Joanne Kenen

[Cincinatus' Wife]

CRUZ HITS TRUMP ON HEALTH CARE - AND HE'S KIND OF RIGHT - Locked in a close battle in Iowa, Ted Cruz is turning to health care in an attempt to separate himself from rival Donald Trump. A brutal ad airing in Iowa links "HillaryCare" and "ObamaCare" with "TrumpCare" - and uses Trump's own words against him.

"Everybody's got to be covered, this is an un-Republican thing for me to say," the ad quotes Trump saying on 60 Minutes last fall. "[And] the government's gonna pay for it."

Cruz pushed this message further on several Sunday shows. "A vote for Donald Trump is a vote for ObamaCare," Cruz claimed on Meet The Press. "Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have the identical position on health care. Which is they want to put the government in charge of you and your doctor. Now my views are polar opposites."

- TrumpCare remains vaguely defined. Trump called Cruz a "total liar" and declared, "I am so against Obamacare." But the thing is, Trump has repeatedly reiterated his commitment to some form of universal coverage - just as Cruz suggests. However, we still don't know any specifics of a Trump health plan, or how he'd pay for it.

Pressed again on Sunday, he still refused to offer details. "We'll work something out," Trump said on ABC's This Week. "Nobody knows health care better than Donald Trump."

[catfish1957]

It's like the twilight zone. 6 years ago, FR was ablaze in outrage with Obamacare.

Now ironically 6 years later here government managed health care is okay because their pseudo-conservative candidate says it's alright.

Absolutely mind blowing.

[RightLady]

Gee, I never knew how liberal FR was. You sound like Hillary.

[Trumpinator]

So that means you will vote Bloomberg if/when he runs? He has many very successful businesses, he has accumulated wealth that is magnitudes greater than Trump so he is obviously a better businessman, he has the executive experience you seek as both an executive in the private sector and in the public sector (as a Republican).

------

Trump is competent and a conservative hence your point is moot.

[Trumpinator]

I trust Trump. You seem not to trust your candidate.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Breitbart: During his "60 Minutes" interview Sunday, Republican presidential front-runner appeared to come out in favor of a form of single payer health insurance for the uninsured (although he does says he's going to "take care of everybody") and openly called for raising taxes on the wealthy.

Donald Trump: Obamacare's going to be repealed and replaced. Obamacare is a disaster if you look at what's going on with premiums where they're up 40, 50, 55 percent.

Scott Pelley: How do you fix it?

Donald Trump: There's many different ways, by the way. Everybody's got to be covered. This is an un-Republican thing for me to say because a lot of times they say, "No, no, the lower 25 percent that can't afford private. But-"

Scott Pelley: Universal health care.

Donald Trump: I am going to take care of everybody. I don't care if it costs me votes or not. Everybody's going to be taken care of much better than they're taken care of now.

Scott Pelley: The uninsured person is going to be taken care of. How? How?

Donald Trump: They're going to be taken care of. I would make a deal with existing hospitals to take care of people. And, you know what, if this is probably-

Scott Pelley: Make a deal? Who pays for it?

Donald Trump: - the government's gonna pay for it. But we're going to save so much money on the other side. But for the most it's going to be a private plan and people are going to be able to go out and negotiate great plans with lots of different competition with lots of competitors with great companies and they can have their doctors, they can have plans, they can have everything.".... Trump was equally forthcoming about his plans to raise taxes on the wealthy:

[catfish1957]

Trump is competent and a conservative hence your point is moot.

Be honest....did you say that with a straight face?

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

They are going to be taken care of much better than they are now.

But don’t worry, the “government” will pay for it, not the taxpayers. And the government can afford it, since the debt is only 19trillion dollars.

It will be great!! Really!!

[odawg]

“What does that even mean? “Nobody knows health care better than Donald Trump.”

That means, if he did not explain it there at that particular instance, but I have seen him explain it many other times, is that in his businesses he has to negotiate health care for his employees, and he delineates the constrictions he has to operate under.

It is not possible in a few second sound bites to explain something as convoluted and elaborate as health care. Peoples’ eyes would gaze over.

[Rusty0604]

Apparently that’s all Trump worshipers need to hear.

[Trumpinator]

Gee, I never knew how liberal FR was. You sound like Hillary.

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Actually, like Hillary, your candidates have always worked for the govt. Cruz is a life long govt employee - like Hillary.

[GeaugaRepublican]

The fact that they aren’t tells me the country is screwed. Agree.

We have a chance to nominate a conservative who isn’t afraid to take on the GOPe..Disagree, you will have no chance to elect Cruz. Zip, zero, nada.

I wouldn’t have believed it was possible six months ago.... You may be surprised but you are naive to think that someone in the system will fix the system. Explain to me why you think that’s going to work. The rest of us here, know better, which is why we see Trump as the only solution.

[dem bums]

I trust Trump. You seem not to trust your candidate.

You trust Trump without knowing his plan? You assume that I don't trust my candidate, because I want to hear what the candidates propose (beyond "we'll work something out")?

Wow.

[Trumpinator]

Presidential candidates talk about laws as if they can initiate legislation. It’s a shell game designed to blow smoke up a constituency’s rear. Trump is the end of all that.

[Trumpinator]

Presidential candidates talk about laws as if they can initiate legislation. It’s a shell game designed to blow smoke up a constituency’s rear. Trump is the end of all that.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

You know, I'd find it a bit easier to understand -- if not accept -- if some of those people would say "look, it sounds really bad, and honestly, I don't like it. I think Trump's really wrong on this, but I think he's right enough on other issues that I'm going to continue supporting him."

I could at least respect that even if I didn't agree.

But what we get is this cult-like denial that there's anything to be concerned about at all. Along with attacks on Cruz, which are actually beside the point. Trump's statements shouldn't be any less bothersome even if Cruz is a complete moron.

[KansasGirl]

Trump is no conservative.

[Trumpinator]

Cruz = lifelong govt employee. How is that for limited govt!

[DoodleDawg]

That means, if he did not explain it there at that particular instance, but I have seen him explain it many other times, is that in his businesses he has to negotiate health care for his employees, and he delineates the constrictions he has to operate under.

I would be willing to bet that a corporation the size of the Trump Organization self insures and just contracts with a company like Aetna or Cigna to manage the claims.

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

Trump is going to fix the system with more ethanol subsidies and government run health care.

Thanks for making my point.

We are screwed.

[Trumpinator]

Who is? To me a conservative who works in the public sector all his life is a hypocrite.