S4 E3: Obamacare, Neil Gorsuch & Immigration: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Summary

In this episode of 'Last Week Tonight,' John Oliver discusses President Trump's immigration policies, including increased deportations and the hiring of more officers, which raises concerns among immigrant communities. The show also addresses the Trump administration's reversal of federal guidance on transgender bathroom use in schools, highlighting the potential impact on students. Oliver critiques the Republican Party's approach to healthcare, emphasizing the flaws in their proposed replacements for Obamacare, such as insufficient subsidies and the potential for millions to lose coverage. The episode concludes with a satirical look at Neil Gorsuch's Supreme Court nomination and a humorous segment on choosing a lobster to represent him on the show's 'court.'

Takeaways

• 😀 The show humorously addresses the juxtaposition of President Trump's visit to the Museum of African-American history and culture with his administration's aggressive immigration policies.
• 🚔 Trump's new immigration plan expands ICE agents' authority, potentially leading to increased deportations and causing anxiety among immigrant communities.
• 👮‍♂️ The plan to hire 15,000 new border patrol and immigration officers faces challenges due to difficulties in finding qualified applicants, with around 2,000 vacancies currently.
• 👎 The president's use of the term 'military operation' to describe immigration enforcement is criticized for its casualness and the serious implications it carries.
• 🏫 The Trump administration's withdrawal of federal guidance on transgender bathroom use in schools has caused uncertainty and concern among students and educators.
• 🚼 The script satirically points out the irony in Trump's alleged behavior towards women and teenagers, contrasting it with the fears about predators in restrooms.
• 📉 The segment on Obamacare discusses the Republican's struggle to repeal and replace it, highlighting the potential impact on millions who gained coverage under the act.
• 🐐 A metaphorical 'goat' in a house is used to represent the perceived negative effects of Obamacare, with Republicans now tasked with 'removing the goat'.
• 🤔 The script highlights the shift in public opinion on Obamacare, from initial fear to resistance against its repeal, as constituents express reliance on its coverage.
• 👨‍⚖️ The nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court is discussed, with emphasis on the controversy surrounding the seat and the use of a lobster to symbolize the nomination's peculiarity.

Q & A

What was the main topic discussed in the segment about President Trump's immigration policy?

The main topic discussed was the Trump Administration's aggressive plan to crack down on illegal immigration, which included potentially increasing deportations and hiring more border patrol and immigration officers.

What was the humorous comparison made by the host regarding the difficulty of filling immigration agent positions?

The host humorously compared the difficulty of filling immigration agent positions to being the hardest job to fill, right after being the personal assistant to Mariah Carey, with an exaggerated demand for a limo for her dog and mirrors that make her look like it's 1997.

How did the host describe President Trump's use of the term 'military operation' in relation to immigration?

The host described President Trump's use of the term 'military operation' as a casual way to mention the deployment of the armed forces, and criticized the lack of precision in language when used by the commander-in-chief.

What was the issue with the Trump Administration's withdrawal of Federal guidance on transgender bathroom use?

The issue was that the withdrawal of guidance left schools and students facing uncertainty regarding the rights of transgender students to use bathrooms consistent with their gender identity.

What was the host's satirical suggestion to protect women from predators, in reference to Trump's alleged behavior?

The host satirically suggested launching a military operation to ban the president himself from women's rooms nationwide, referencing Trump's own alleged behavior of barging in on women and teenagers changing in his pageants.

What was the main point of discussion regarding the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) in the script?

The main point of discussion was the potential repeal of Obamacare by the Republicans and the need for them to present a viable replacement plan that addresses the flaws in the current system without leaving many people uninsured.

What was the host's critique of the term 'refundable tax credits' as it was proposed by Republicans for healthcare?

The host critiqued the term 'refundable tax credits' by pointing out that it might provide free money to help pay premiums, but the credits could be too small for those who need them most, and that it might disproportionately benefit the wealthy like Bill Gates.

What was the host's view on Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) as proposed by Republicans?

The host viewed HSAs as beneficial for rich people but inadequate for those who are too poor to save or who might exceed their savings due to serious illness, leading to insufficient coverage.

What was the proposed Republican solution for funding Medicaid, and how did the host critique it?

The proposed solution was to use block grants to fund Medicaid, which the host critiqued as a way to shift costs from the government to the people and potentially leave many without coverage if the block grant doesn't keep pace with rising costs.

What was the host's take on high-risk pools as a solution for covering people with pre-existing conditions?

The host criticized high-risk pools as an expensive solution that could leave the sickest and most expensive patients without adequate coverage if the government does not subsidize them properly.

What was the host's commentary on the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court?

The host commented that Gorsuch's nomination was a historical aberration due to the fact that the previous nominee, Merrick Garland, did not receive a hearing, and humorously suggested that instead of a dog for Gorsuch, he should receive a lobster to symbolize the inappropriateness of his placement on the court.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Trump's Immigration Policies and Transgender Bathroom Guidelines

The paragraph discusses President Trump's visit to the Museum of African-American history and culture, where he promised to unite the country, juxtaposed with his administration's aggressive crackdown on illegal immigration, potentially leading to increased deportations. It highlights the fear this instilled in immigrant communities. Additionally, it touches on Trump's withdrawal of federal guidance on transgender bathroom use in public schools, causing uncertainty for students. The script criticizes Trump's flippant use of terms like 'military operation' and 'bad dudes', and satirizes his administration's handling of these issues with the help of actress Melissa McCarthy's comedic skit.

05:02

🏥 The Debate Over the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)

This section delves into the contentious nature of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. It outlines the Republican Party's long-standing opposition to the ACA, with members vowing to repeal it. The script contrasts past fears of the ACA with current realities, where some constituents are concerned about losing their healthcare coverage. It highlights the ACA's impact on insuring millions of Americans and criticizes Republicans for not having a viable replacement plan, suggesting that their proposed solutions might shift costs from the government to individuals and potentially reduce coverage.

10:03

👶 The Impact of Obamacare on Pre-existing Conditions and Young Adults

The paragraph focuses on the benefits of Obamacare, particularly in covering individuals with pre-existing conditions and allowing young adults to stay on their parents' insurance until the age of 26. It provides a personal anecdote of a baby denied coverage due to being deemed 'too fat', illustrating the inhumanity of denying healthcare based on such criteria. The script emphasizes the importance of the ACA's protections in ensuring access to healthcare for those who need it most.

15:04

🤔 Critique of Republican Healthcare Proposals

This section scrutinizes the Republican Party's proposed healthcare solutions, including refundable tax credits, health savings accounts (HSAs), and block grants for Medicaid. It points out potential flaws in these proposals, such as tax credits being based on age rather than income, HSAs favoring the wealthy, and block grants potentially leaving many without coverage as costs rise. The script also addresses the absence of a replacement for the individual mandate, which is crucial for maintaining a balanced healthcare market.

20:07

🦞 Neil Gorsuch's Supreme Court Nomination and Lobsters in the Court

The final paragraph shifts focus to the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, following the controversial denial of a hearing for President Obama's nominee, Merrick Garland. It touches on the political debate surrounding the nomination and the public's mixed reactions. In a humorous twist, the script announces that instead of a dog for Gorsuch, as was done for Garland, Gorsuch will be assigned a lobster to symbolize the 'historical aberration' of his nomination. The audience is invited to choose from three lobsters, each with a quirky name and characteristic, to represent Gorsuch on the show's mock Supreme Court.

Keywords

💡Obamacare

Obamacare, officially known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), is a significant healthcare reform law in the United States. It was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010 with the aim of providing affordable health insurance to millions of uninsured Americans. In the script, it is discussed as a target for repeal by the Trump administration, highlighting the ongoing political debate over its merits and drawbacks. The video discusses both the positive aspects of the law, such as covering pre-existing conditions, and the criticisms, including high premiums and the individual mandate.

💡Transgender bathroom use

This concept refers to the debate over which public restrooms transgender individuals should be allowed to use, based on their gender identity. The script mentions the Trump administration's withdrawal of federal guidance on this issue, which had previously allowed transgender students to use bathrooms consistent with their gender identity. The video critiques this reversal as potentially harmful and rooted in unfounded fears.

💡Immigration

Immigration is a central theme in the script, particularly focusing on the Trump administration's policies. It discusses the administration's plans for aggressive crackdowns on illegal immigration, which includes increased deportations and expanded authority for ICE agents. The script satirically criticizes these measures, suggesting they contribute to fear within immigrant communities.

💡Individual mandate

The individual mandate is a provision of the Affordable Care Act that requires most individuals to have health insurance or pay a penalty. In the script, it is highlighted as a contentious aspect of Obamacare, with Republicans and some members of the public opposing it as an infringement on personal freedom. The video suggests that removing the mandate could destabilize the health insurance market by potentially reducing the number of healthy individuals who are insured.

💡Tax credits

Tax credits, as mentioned in the script, are a proposed mechanism by the Republicans for helping individuals pay for health insurance. They are described as 'refundable,' meaning that even those who owe no tax can receive the benefit. The video critiques the proposal, suggesting that the credits may be too small to be effective and may disproportionately benefit wealthier individuals over those who need assistance the most.

💡Health savings accounts (HSAs)

Health savings accounts are tax-advantaged financial accounts used to save for medical expenses. The script discusses them as a preferred solution by Republicans for managing healthcare costs. However, the video argues that HSAs may be more beneficial for wealthier individuals who can afford to save, rather than those who are struggling financially and need more immediate assistance with healthcare costs.

💡Block grants

Block grants are a form of financial aid from the federal government to state governments. In the context of the script, they are discussed as a proposal by Paul Ryan to fund Medicaid, which would involve giving states a fixed amount of money rather than a percentage of their costs. The video suggests that this could lead to inadequate funding and potentially leave many without necessary healthcare coverage.

💡High-risk pools

High-risk pools are insurance pools for individuals with pre-existing conditions who may not qualify for standard insurance. The script discusses them as a proposed alternative to the protections offered by the ACA. However, the video points out that these pools could be very expensive and may not be adequately funded, potentially leaving many without affordable coverage.

💡Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the federal judiciary and has significant power, including the ability to interpret the Constitution and federal laws. The script discusses the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to fill a vacancy, highlighting the political controversy surrounding the nomination process and the potential impact of his appointment on the Court's decisions.

💡Military operation

The term 'military operation' is used in the script to satirically criticize President Trump's language when discussing immigration enforcement. The video suggests that using such terms casually can have serious implications and contribute to an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, particularly among immigrant communities.

Highlights

President Trump's visit to the Museum of African-American history and culture and his promise to unite a divided country.

Trump Administration's plans to aggressively crack down on illegal immigration, potentially increasing deportations.

Critique of the new immigration plan that gives ICE agents greater latitude and includes hiring 15,000 new officers.

Humorous comment on the difficulty of filling immigration agent positions, comparing it to the job of a personal assistant to Mariah Carey.

President Trump's controversial statement referring to the immigration operation as a 'military operation'.

Melissa McCarthy's comedic take on Trump's 'military operation' comment, suggesting it was used as an adjective.

Trump Administration's withdrawal of Federal guidance on transgender bathroom use in public schools.

Criticism of the Trump Administration's actions, suggesting it's causing subsets of Americans to be concerned about their safety.

Satirical take on anti-transgender bathroom bills being rooted in sexual fearmongering.

John Oliver's suggestion to launch a military operation to ban the president from women's rooms as a protective measure.

Discussion on the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and the Republican efforts to repeal and replace it.

Misleading claims about Obamacare, including the false 'death panel' accusation.

Analysis of Obamacare's impact on the uninsured rate and the benefits it provided to millions of Americans.

Critique of the Republican's lack of a concrete plan to replace Obamacare, despite their promises.

John Oliver's take on the proposed refundable tax credits and their potential shortcomings.

Discussion on Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and their benefits primarily for the wealthy.

Critique of the proposed block grants for Medicaid and the potential for millions to lose coverage.

Analysis of high-risk pools as a proposed solution for people with pre-existing conditions and the associated costs.

John Oliver's commentary on the absence of a replacement for the individual mandate in Republican plans.

Trump's promise of 'universal healthcare' and the challenges Republicans face in delivering on such a promise.

Introduction of Neil Gorsuch as Trump's Supreme Court nominee and the controversy surrounding his appointment.

Satirical segment on choosing a lobster to represent Neil Gorsuch on the show's all-dog Supreme Court.

Transcripts

[Music]

what welcome welcome welcome to Last

Week Tonight and Oliva thank you so much

for joining us and un unfortunately we

must begin again with President Trump

two words that continue to sound

unnatural together like warus porn or

Tilda Swinton now on Tuesday Trump

visited the Museum of African-American

history and culture promising to unite a

divided country and if you didn't hear

about that it's probably because it

happened on the very same day he did

this the Trum Administration this

morning laying out plans to aggressively

crack down on illegal immigration

potentially sparking a steep increase in

deportations and stoking fears among

immigrant communities okay so that's

upsetting even by Donald Trump's

standards because normally when he wants

to terrify an immigrant he just texts

Melania coming home early feeling horny

now now this this new plan gives ice

agents much greater latitude in who they

can pursue and Deport and it includes

hiring 15 ,000 new border patrol and

immigration officers which might

actually be difficult as they've already

had so much trouble finding qualified

applicants there are currently around

2,000 vacancies it seems immigration

agen is the hardest job to fill right

after personal assistant to mariia KY I

want a limo for my dog and mirrors that

make me look like it's 1997 go get me

them now many people were alarmed by the

new guidelines and it frankly didn't

help when the president seemed to

escalate the stakes out of nowhere we're

getting really bad dudes out of this

country and at a rate that nobody's ever

seen before and they're the bad ones and

it's a military operation okay okay

first please stop using the phrase Bad

Dudes please I understand that you're

trying to wean yourself off bad ombres

but it still feels like a lateral move

but more importantly what was that you

said about a military operation that is

a casual way to mention that you've

deployed the armed forces and luckily

for everyone emmy-winning actress

Melissa McCarthy was on hand to set the

record straight with the world's least

convincing

explanation the president was using that

as an adjective it's happening with

Precision okay Mel but presidents really

need to be precise with language when

you're the commander-in-chief the term

military operation has consequences it's

not just a meaningless word you can

throw around like consultant or

SuperFood but please pleas please please

don't think that Trump just went after

immigrants this week because he targeted

children too schools and students are

facing uncertainty today after the Trump

Administration withdrew Federal guidance

on transgender bathroom use in public

schools yes it seems one by one Trump is

delivering on his promise to make entire

subsets of the American citizenry

concerned about their safety and

well-being again # motat

Saba but this is tus in so many ways the

guidelines had already been suspended

last summer and there's a Supreme Court

case that may settle many of these

issues on top of which all the

guidelines recommended was that students

be called by their preferred name and

pronoun be allowed to use the restrooms

and locker rooms consistent with their

gender identity and regardless of gender

be able to wear a tux a prom or a dress

in yearbook photos which is a good rule

if the government wants to address an

actual problem with yearbooks maybe ban

quotes by Dave Matthews oh really Dylan

you've got so much to say evidence is

sacking up to the

contrary and look as we've discussed

before on this show anti-transgender

rules like bathroom bills are almost

always rooted in deep sexual

fearmongering the idea that they would

provide cover for predators to sneak

into ladyes locker rooms despite the

fact there is virtually no evidence of

that happening what there are reports of

are of trump himself barging in on women

and teenagers who competed in his

pageants while they check changed

something that in characteristic style

he has both denied and been recorded on

tape bragging about I'll go backstage

before a show and everyone's getting

dressed and ready and everything else

and you know no men are anywhere and I'm

allowed to go in because I'm the owner

of the pageant and therefore I'm

inspecting it you know they're standing

there with no is everybody okay and you

see these incredible looking women and

so I sort of get away with things like

that yeah you do seem to sort of get

away with it which is exactly why if we

really want to protect women from

predators let's stop wasting our time

with pointless vindictive bathroom laws

and instead launch a military operation

to ban the president himself from

women's rooms

Nationwide and now this and now some

random thoughts from WCBS 2

meteorologist John Elliot so I'm told

that if the light would hit him just

right Thomas Jefferson had red hair so

there's your first redheaded president

hey you know what our Buddy Joe iavelli

ran in the New York City marathon he

didn't break any records but you know he

ran he finished so way to go that is

great that's Julie's husband one two

three four four tattoos in the studio

and there's only two people here h no no

I'm kidding kid do you have a tattoo you

know I'd love to do a duet with John

lithco terrific singer I love iced tea

in the commercial where they iced tea no

it's lemonade I love clip on ties

remember clip on ties when you were a

kid I love that I uh posted a picture of

my mom on Facebook this week 600 likes

ban does anybody wear ban roll on

anymore with pizza it's all a function

of geometry and the thickness and then

the angle and then when you fold it so

yeah there's really an art to that Jerry

Maguire or Weekend at Bernie's I can't

decide moving on our main story tonight

is the Affordable Care Act also known as

Obamacare or in emails from your uncle

as forward forward forward the communist

takeover of American values for years

now Obamacare has been the bane of

Republicans existence if Obamacare is

ever implemented and enforced we will

never recover from it this bill is an

affront on the moral morality of the

provision of American healthc care

ObamaCare is the worst piece of

legislation ever yes the worst piece of

legislation ever so good news Fugitive

Slave Act you're finally off the hook

but now with with Republicans

controlling both the White House and

Congress they've gone from talking about

repealing Obamacare to potentially being

able to do it already the House and

Senate have passed budget resolutions to

start the process and at least one

member is positively giddy about it a

little over six years ago I lived in a

pretty decent house and one day I heard

a knock on the door and before I knew it

my colleagues from the other side of the

aisle had let a goat loose in my house

now for six years that goat has been

messing in and destroying my house I

want to renovate my house but before I

can I have to get the goat out of the

house before it does any more damage it

makes no sense to start fixing up my

house until we get the goat out voting

for the fiscal year 17 budget resolution

gets this goat out of my house that's is

so specific there is just no way that

goat incident didn't actually happen I

bet he brings it up all the time Mr

Speaker NAFTA is like when you half

asleep one morning you put your arm

around what you think is your wife but

lo and behold it that goat again and you

wonder why is it weing my wife's perfume

get this goat out of my house

y'all and yet all week long Republicans

will be dealing with an unexpected

problem constituents at Town Halls

Furious that Obamacare might be taken

away I could tell you three members of

my family included me that would be dead

dead and homeless if it was not for ACA

yes apparently that annoying Obamacare

goat in the house turned out to be a

licensed physician who's been saving

lives and a lot of people do not want

her to go anywhere and yes I said her oh

I'm sorry you assumed that goat doctor

was a man what the is wrong with

you # lady goats can be doctors #

feminism and look that tone is actually

a big shift because if you remember

eight years ago people absolutely

terrified about what Obamacare might

mean this is the stepping stone for for

takeover like communist like Hitler did

in Germany Obama's a Marxist socialist

no don't do this to us get dirty thieves

you want to kill my grandparents you

come through me first look relax

President Obama did not want to kill

that guy's grandparents and if he did he

wouldn't have used health insurance he'd

have just ordered a drone strike and

then declared them enemy combatants that

was his style so tonight let's look at

Obamacare what it does what needs fixing

and how Republicans plan to replace it

and before we start it's worth

remembering just how bad things were

before it was passed nearly 49 million

Americans had no coverage and if you

buying for yourself insurers could deny

anyone they considered too risky some

denied entire professions like air

traffic controllers taxi cab drivers and

scuba divers and this baby was denied

coverage at Just 4 months old for an

unexpected pre-existing condition his

parents decided to apply for individual

health coverage for Alex but they were

turned down not because of his age but

because he was too fat am I supposed to

put my child on a diet put him on a

treadmill of course not he's an infant

look yes I I understand that you're

upset but think about it he's never

going to lose the weight with that

attitude but the point here is Obamacare

was an attempt to solve those problems

it made it illegal to deny people cover

because of pre-existing conditions uh it

let people stay on their parents' plans

until age 26 it made preventive

screenings free for everyone and

creative marketplaces where people could

shop for insurance with potential

subsidies and between all that and

Medicaid expansion more than 20 million

people gained coverage putting our

uninsured rate at a historic low and yet

and yet for many people like this woman

whose treatment for breast cancer was

covered under Obamacare the law was just

always too closely associated with the

man responsible for it I absolutely

detest hearing the words

Obamacare yeah detest it it just should

have been

given a more proper name why be named

after our president okay well to be

clear it did have a proper name it was

the patient protection and Affordable

Care Act but that does go to show you it

matters what people call something would

Emma Stone be as popular if her real

name was blump sharts cracker no no so

it's that's that's why it's good that

she changed it and some of the early

accusations held against Obamacare still

linger just this month a republican

official Bill Akin in Florida threw out

this classic at a town hall here's the

problems I have with the Affordable

Health Care Act number one there is a

provision in there that anyone over the

age of

74 has to go before what is effectively

a death panel yes they do yes they do

it's in there folks you're

[Applause]

wrong okay children all right

[Applause]

children it is a death panel who here

has read the affordable health care plan

I seriously doubt that what the are

you talking about the motion of death

panels isn't just a lie it's politifax

2009 lie of the year

which is impressive considering that in

2009 America was also repeatedly told

Jason morz was the next big thing we

will Li to in a big way there and look

Obamacare is not perfect it had and has

serious flaws the healthcare.gov website

was broken on day one and the president

famously made a very misleading promise

if you like your doctor you will be able

to keep your doctor period if you like

your healthc care plan you'll be able to

keep your healthcare plan period the

truth is no one can promise that

insurers drop policies and doctors

change networks all the time that is as

empty a promise as a father telling his

daughter I will always keep you safe

period really Dad what about bees what

about angry swarms of bees be honest and

say I'll try to keep you safe but these

bees are not

around and there have been practical

problems too some plans have deductible

so high they're essentially unusable and

in many places premiums have increased

sharply and some insurers have dropped

out although that was partly thanks to

Republicans gutting a program in the

original bill that helped protect

insurers from unexpected losses and that

has been something of a pattern here

Republicans have happily complained

about the flaws in the law taken no

responsibility for fixing them and in

fact have often undermined the whole

thing but that time is now over it is

their turn to present a plan and the

clock is ticking insurance companies are

deciding right now whether to even offer

Obamacare plans next year but before you

panic there are ads on TV right now

suggesting that Republicans have been

working on something pretty

special Imagine A New Path forward

health insurance that provides more

choices and better care at lower costs

House Republicans have a plan to get

there without disrupting existing

coverage giving your family the health

care it deserves well that sounds nice

but it is a little worrying that that ad

is literally encouraging you to imagine

a better healthc care plan close your

eyes dream of A Better Way Forward now

open your eyes and tell us what you came

up with cuz we've got

nothing and and if you think I'm killing

there that ad ends with learn more at a

better Healthcare plan.com but if you go

there this is the entire website a

single page with just two sentences of

text and the ad again and if you

click on the ad it'll send you back to

the website and so on and so on and so

on until you don't even want healthcare

because you're begging for the sweet

relief of death every time you get near

something resembling a republican plan

it seems to just recede into the

distance in January Trump said he was

working on one and that it was very much

formulated down to the final strokes but

watch what happened when Tom Price his

secretary of Health and Human Services

was asked about it at his confirmation

hearing president Trump said he's

working with you in a replacement plan

for the ACA um which is nearly finished

and will be revealed after your

confirmation is that

true it's true that he said that

yes it's funny because the president

lies to us all the time with no

repercussions that's that I see what the

joke we're laughing at is oh

dear if you need any more proof of how

unprepared Republicans are right now let

me show you one of the draft bills they

circulated it is just seven pages long

and it ends abruptly with the word

placeholder and one member of Congress

actually tried to spin that as a

positive this placeholder provides the

clearest signal yet that we're working

with patients and Healthcare groups to

draft language that balances important

health status protections with necessary

risk mitigation tools oh please if your

spouse gave you a birthday card that

said placeholder that would not be a

signal they're working on the best

language to express their feelings for

you it would signal they forgot your

birthday because they're Sharon

from the office and deep down I think

you actually know

that the best sense we currently have of

what Republicans want to do is from

previous plans from both price and Paul

Ryan and from these talking points that

Ryan gave out ahead of the Congressional

recess you are going to be hearing a few

phrases from this a lot in the coming

months so let's take a moment to

understand what they actually mean and

let's start with the big one on which

Ryan has been talking up a great deal

what we believe is the right way to go

which is what our plan is are refundable

tax credits for people to go be able to

buy affordable coverage yes refundable

tax credits basically free money to help

pay your premiums which is a little

surprising coming from Paul Ryan a man

who probably tips waiters by writing on

the check find a job the market has

deemed has more value but but you should

know this document suggests tax credits

would be based on age not income mean

meaning theoretically 61-year-old

billionaire Bill Gates would get a

bigger subsidy than a 27-year-old making

minimum wage and Gates clearly does not

need that money he'll just blow it on

more $10 haircuts and Orthopedic

sweaters but the real risk here is

subsidies ending up too small for those

who need them the most Tom Price once

proposed a credit of $1,200 to people

aged uh 18 to 35 and $3,000 to people 50

and up which is roughly a third to the

cost of the most Bare Bones plans on the

market today a tax credit that small

helps cover your health insurance the

way a thong covers your dad's ass it

doesn't and there's something that is

fundamentally wrong about that now now

the next big term in here is health

savings accounts or hsas tax-free

accounts where you can save money to pay

for health care costs Republicans love

these things in your experience why do

these savings account why why are you

pushing so hard for them why do you

think they're effective because you're

spending your own money as opposed to

someone else's it's like when my

daughter goes to the mall with my credit

card or when I go to the mall with my

credit card our purchases come back

quite

different okay setting aside that

Healthcare is nothing like shopping at

the mall shouldn't you come back with

different purchases than your daughter

regardless of whose credit card you have

if you came back from the mall with a

tongue ring a bottle of manic IC hair

dye and a Yas Queen crop top it would

raise a lot of questions having nothing

to do with Healthcare now the key

problem with hsas should be obvious here

they're great for rich people they're

basically a tax shelter but if you're

too poor to save or you get sick enough

to blow through what you've saved you're

not going to be covered and you have

that thong problem again and people seem

to understand that just listen to the

reaction when Joanie erns tried bringing

them up at a town hall that health

savings accounts it is a it is an

IDE that is an appropriate reaction when

your problem is I don't have enough

money and the proposed solution is well

if you ever do he's a very fancy piggy

bank so so let's move on to another key

idea block grants a phrase perfectly

designed to bore you cuz it combines

block the most nothing shape with Grant

your co-worker nothing

boyfriend I don't believe we've met yes

we have six times I'm

Grant Paul Ryan wants to use block

grants to fund Medicaid which largely

provides healthc care to the poorest

Americans basically he wants to stop

guaranteeing to pay each state a

percentage of their Medicaid costs and

instead just send them a fixed block of

money but if costs start to rise and the

block grant doesn't keep Pace guess what

it's that thong thong th thong thong

thong and and you should know a few

years ago Ryan proposed a block grant

program that a study estimated could

kick as many as 20 and a half million

people off Medicaid over a decade that's

a kind of evil so chillingly Bol you

just don't see it coming it's like if

you found out that Grant was a serial

killer I kill in plain sight for none

can remember my face I am Grant we've

now met seven times

but now let's move on to the final big

talking point here and I'll let Paul

Ryan explain we believe that state

high-risk pools are a smarter way of

guaranteeing coverage for people with

pre-existing conditions yes highrisk

pools now they may sound like something

you find at Jeremy piven's house but

what they actually do is isolate the

sickest people in their own insurance

group now in theory this brings everyone

else's insurance rates down but there is

an obvious problem here again those

pools are going to be incredibly

expensive which is fine if the

government subsidizes them properly but

if it doesn't that's right it's thong a

clock everybody because 3 years ago a

study estimated that adequately funding

high-risk pools just to maintain

Obamacare levels of coverage would cost

around $178 billion a year guess how

much Tom Price set aside 3 billion over3

years that is 1

178 of what is needed imagine imagine

you asked for

£178 of grade a premium hunk but instead

of Chris Evans someone brought you six

of his severed toes well Tom Price's

plan is six severed hunk toes so so

those are the four big bullet points but

perhaps the most revealing thing about

this document is not what's inside it

but what is not in there because there

is no replacement for the individual

mandate obamacare's requirement that you

have insurance or pay a penalty and it

is the thing that people hate the most

the individual mandate is

unconstitutional we got to get rid of

the individual mandate I believe that is

a freedom killing part of the Affordable

Care Act out the gate that should be

repealed get rid of the individual

mandate who's got two thumbs and hates

the individual mandate this

guy but but the Mandate keeps younger

healthier people in the system which is

crucial to lower the cost for everyone

else and to keep in popular Provisions

like among other things not punishing

fat babies the the Republican solution

is to make it really painful for you to

get insurance again if you drop it at

any point for any reason they use the

positive sounding term continuous

coverage incentive but it has to involve

some kind of penalty maybe a higher

premium or even denial of coverage and

they are not keen to talk about details

there remember the placeholder from

earlier that was in place of an

explanation of the continuous coverage

in incentive basically this is a subject

so toxic they'd rather just go abruptly

silent much like when you're a white

person singing karaoke and you realize

uhoh we have an nword coming

up so Republicans are in a real bind

here they need a plan and soon and what

price and Ryan have given them so far

seems to shift cost from the government

to the people and from the healthy to

the sick and fewer people are going to

be covered so good luck fixing that

Republicans oh and there's actually one

more problem here because you remember

how much you gave President Obama

for saying you can keep your doctor uh

let me remind you what Donald Trump has

promised that you are going to do

everybody's got to be covered this is an

unrean thing for me to say because a lot

of times they say no no the lower 25%

they can't afford private but Universal

healthare I am going to take care of

everybody I don't care if it cost me

votes or not everybody's going to be

taken care of much better than they're

taking care of now who pays for

the government's going to pay for it but

we're going to save so much money on the

other side but for the most part 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 their plans they can have

everything they can have everything

period so anything short of that is a

disaster and insurers are going to need

an answer soon Republicans so Tick Tock

cuz you don't get to place

told your way out of this one again and

now

this and now WCBS 2 meteorologist John

Elliot dropped some famous names how

weird my nephew will Carr hangs around

with John grisham's kid now fun little

fact my beloved late father's first

cousin growing up they were buddies

they're cousins he was a close friend of

Ronald Reagan's fun fact Bridget moan

watches Channel 2 she's probably

watching right now sweet as they come uh

and we appreciate her tuning in I love

Madam Secretary it's a great show I met

Tim Daly at an auto show Once El Richie

is just a nice guy he's been in here

he's a nice guy I just like the Payton

Manning commercials he just seems like

such a nice guy I actually met Norman

Lear in the cafeteria downstairs here

nicest guy ever and here at the CBS

broadcast Center we have pictures around

the building of some of the great Norman

Le hits it was a very nice moment nice

guy he had a salad

and finally tonight a few words about

the Supreme Court America's most

respected adult assisted living

community now as as you probably know

there is currently a vacancy following

the death last February of anonin Scalia

and just a few weeks ago president Trump

announced his nominee in a prime time

reveal president Trump unveiling judge

deal Gorsuch as his nominee to the

Supreme Court yes Neil Gorsuch a man so

blandly handsome it feels like saw him

on page 14 of any JC Penny's catalog or

as second lead and an erectile

dysfunction ad he is he is aggressively

Caucasian he's like a white Tim Kane but

but there is there is a lot for

Democrats to be annoyed about here not

only is Gorsuch extremely conservative

Republicans basically stole this seat

because Meritt Garland who Obama

nominated 11 months ago wasn't even

given a hearing so the debate now is

whether to Philip user Gorsuch or

confirm a man whose place on the Supreme

Court will always have an asterisk on it

which actually puts our show in a tricky

position as well as you may know we have

an allog Supreme Court to reenact oral

arguments since cameras are not allowed

in the courtroom when Meritt Garland was

nominated we held a vote to choose his

dog and you the people chose Molly sadly

Molly never got to serve she's on a farm

up state with a lot of grass and toys to

play with not unlike the actual Merit

Garland so technically we should be

finding a dog for Gorsuch now but we're

not going to do that instead to reflect

the fact that gorsuch's nomination is a

historical aberration he will be getting

an animal that will constantly remind us

that it has no place in that spot on a

dog Court what I'm saying is Gorsuch is

getting a lobster that's right we're

going paus and Claws up in this piece

but we still need your help to pick a

lobster gorsage so tonight we are asking

you to advise and consent on the choice

between these three glorious Lobster

justices all of whom like Neil Gorsuch

himself have absolutely no business

being

here first up there is Cindy clawford a

strict constructionist who believes that

life begins at the piercing of the

abdomen with the first pair of pleopods

in the middle there's Pinchers Von

Shellington III a staunch opponent of

judicial activism who pairs beautifully

with a light taragan cream sauce and

finally there's Mike his teeth are

actually a gastric Mill located in his

stomach and he's just a Lobster

so Choose Wisely America because this is

a lifetime appointment and lobsters can

apparently live to be up to 100 years

old who knew so visit our Twitter feed

and choose Cindy clawford pinches or

Mike or tweet your thoughts using the

ashcor and order thank you so much for

joining us we will see you next week

good night

w

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