search
Sections List
American Journal News

Pence: Millions losing health insurance is "the very essence of living in a free society"

Mike Pence has a seriously disturbing view of freedom. Sitting down for a prime-time interview with Fox News host and favorite of neo-Nazis Tucker Carlson, Pence offered an offensive take on the devastating result of the health care repeal bill that he, Donald Trump, and congressional Republicans are insistently pushing and which would cause millions of […]

By Oliver Willis - July 26, 2017
Share
Screen Shot 2017-07-26 at 5.55.25 PM

Sitting down for a prime-time interview with Fox News host and favorite of neo-Nazis Tucker Carlson, Pence offered an offensive take on the devastating result of the health care repeal bill that he, Donald Trump, and congressional Republicans are insistently pushing and which would cause millions of Americans to lose their health insurance.

Carlson asked Pence if the repeal effort would be “worth it” if the outcome led to “millions fewer Americans” having health insurance.

In response, Pence said “the very essence of living in a free society is people get to make their own decisions,” accepting the destructive results of the legislation as the price of doing business — and enacting the tax cuts for the wealthy tucked inside the bill.

CARLSON: But if after a year or two of giving people more choices, millions fewer Americans had health insurance, would that be worth it?

PENCE: Well, it’s — it’s — the very essence of living in a free society is people get to make their own decisions. But the president and I truly believe that if you lower the cost of health insurance, if you give Americans more choices in health insurance, that more Americans will choose, more employers will choose, to have and offer health insurance to their employees and have health insurance for their families.

The Republican bill cuts over $770 billion from Medicaid, and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score for the bill has forecast that over 20 million Americans would have their health insurance stripped from them. Pence has publicly embraced the bill, and even expressed that he was proud of it.

He has also voiced a preference for the version of the Republican repeal plan that the CBO found would throw 32 million people off their health insurance plans.

Pence has been out working the conservative media circuit in defense of the legislation, while also reassuring conservatives that he is not connected to the Trump administration’s Russia scandal (not true).

Instead of working for a plan that would help people needing insurance, as Obamacare did, Pence is employing doublespeak and Orwellian language to spin a horror show as the upside of a free society.


Read More
Ohio doctors fear effects of emergency abortion care case set to go before U.S. Supreme Court

Ohio doctors fear effects of emergency abortion care case set to go before U.S. Supreme Court

By Susan Tebben, Ohio Capital Journal - April 23, 2024
House GOP votes to end flu, whooping cough vaccine rules for foster and adoptive families

House GOP votes to end flu, whooping cough vaccine rules for foster and adoptive families

By Anita Wadhwani, Tennessee Lookout - March 26, 2024
U.S. House Speaker Johnson says IVF should be protected — just not by Congress

U.S. House Speaker Johnson says IVF should be protected — just not by Congress

By Jennifer Shutt, States Newsroom - March 14, 2024
Idaho bill banning public funds for gender-affirming care goes to Senate

Idaho bill banning public funds for gender-affirming care goes to Senate

By Mia Maldonado, Idaho Capital Sun - March 14, 2024
Alabama passed a new IVF law. But questions remain.

Alabama passed a new IVF law. But questions remain.

By Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector - March 11, 2024
Abortion care and transgender health care are ‘parallel struggles’ in 2024 legislation

Abortion care and transgender health care are ‘parallel struggles’ in 2024 legislation

By Danielle J. Brown, Maryland Matters - February 16, 2024
AJ News
Latest
GOP Rep. Zach Nunn suggests laws against hate crime aren’t needed

GOP Rep. Zach Nunn suggests laws against hate crime aren’t needed

By Jesse Valentine - April 15, 2024
GOP Senate candidate Hung Cao blames racial equity for Baltimore bridge tragedy

GOP Senate candidate Hung Cao blames racial equity for Baltimore bridge tragedy

By Jesse Valentine - March 29, 2024
GOP Rep. Jennifer Kiggans donates thousands to far-right extremists

GOP Rep. Jennifer Kiggans donates thousands to far-right extremists

By Jesse Valentine - March 08, 2024
Ohio senate candidate Bernie Moreno: “Absolute pro-life no exceptions.”

Ohio senate candidate Bernie Moreno: “Absolute pro-life no exceptions.”

By Jesse Valentine - March 07, 2024
Anti-China Republicans pocket thousands from Chinese owned conglomerate

Anti-China Republicans pocket thousands from Chinese owned conglomerate

By Jesse Valentine - March 04, 2024
Republican Eric Hovde makes inconsistent statements about family history

Republican Eric Hovde makes inconsistent statements about family history

By Jesse Valentine - February 26, 2024
Republican David McCormick invests millions in website that platforms Holocaust denial

Republican David McCormick invests millions in website that platforms Holocaust denial

By Jesse Valentine - February 09, 2024
Lawmakers will again take up bills expanding, tightening gun laws

Lawmakers will again take up bills expanding, tightening gun laws

By Annmarie Timmins, New Hampshire Bulletin - January 31, 2024
UAW delivers rousing presidential endorsement for Biden over ‘scab’ Trump

UAW delivers rousing presidential endorsement for Biden over ‘scab’ Trump

By Ashley Murray, States Newsroom - January 24, 2024
Republicans Sam Brown and Jeff Gunter sling mud in Nevada senate primary

Republicans Sam Brown and Jeff Gunter sling mud in Nevada senate primary

By Jesse Valentine - January 17, 2024
A Young Texas Woman Almost Died Due To The Texas Abortion Bans – Now She’s Battling To Save Other Women

A Young Texas Woman Almost Died Due To The Texas Abortion Bans – Now She’s Battling To Save Other Women

By Bonnie Fuller - January 10, 2024
Health care legislation preview: Maryland advocates want to focus on access, patients in 2024 session

Health care legislation preview: Maryland advocates want to focus on access, patients in 2024 session

By Danielle J. Brown, Maryland Matters - January 08, 2024
How GOP senate hopefuls try to excuse the  January 6 insurrection

How GOP senate hopefuls try to excuse the  January 6 insurrection

By Jesse Valentine - January 05, 2024
NH lawmakers will be taking up major voting bills this year. Here are some to watch for.

NH lawmakers will be taking up major voting bills this year. Here are some to watch for.

By Ethan DeWitt, New Hampshire Bulletin - January 04, 2024
Republican US Senate candidates want to make Trump’s tax cuts permanent 

Republican US Senate candidates want to make Trump’s tax cuts permanent 

By Jesse Valentine - December 22, 2023
Rand Paul went all in on the Kentucky governor’s race. It didn’t work.

Rand Paul went all in on the Kentucky governor’s race. It didn’t work.

By - December 15, 2023
Texas governor and attorney general do little to curb state’s chemical plant crisis

Texas governor and attorney general do little to curb state’s chemical plant crisis

By Jesse Valentine - December 08, 2023
Likely GOP Senate candidate Eric Hovde proposed tax hike for poorer workers and retirees

Likely GOP Senate candidate Eric Hovde proposed tax hike for poorer workers and retirees

By Jesse Valentine - December 07, 2023
Whitmer signs specific criminal penalties for assaulting health care workers into law

Whitmer signs specific criminal penalties for assaulting health care workers into law

By Anna Liz Nichols, Michigan Advance - December 06, 2023
105 Republicans voted to expel Santos for things Trump has also done

105 Republicans voted to expel Santos for things Trump has also done

By Jesse Valentine - December 05, 2023
For Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, another Trump term is another chance to kill Obamacare

For Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, another Trump term is another chance to kill Obamacare

By Jesse Valentine - December 04, 2023
Florida Sen. Rick Scott backs Donald Trump in revived push to repeal Obamacare

Florida Sen. Rick Scott backs Donald Trump in revived push to repeal Obamacare

By Jesse Valentine - November 30, 2023
Tate Reeves took donations from power company that hiked customer rates

Tate Reeves took donations from power company that hiked customer rates

By Jesse Valentine - November 06, 2023
Daniel Cameron ran on depoliticizing the Kentucky AG’s office. He made it more political.

Daniel Cameron ran on depoliticizing the Kentucky AG’s office. He made it more political.

By Jesse Valentine - November 03, 2023
Republican operatives sound every alarm on current trajectory of 2023 governor’s race

Republican operatives sound every alarm on current trajectory of 2023 governor’s race

By Adam Ganucheau, Mississippi Today - October 24, 2023
 Direct mailers distort California Democrat Will Rollins’ record 

 Direct mailers distort California Democrat Will Rollins’ record 

By Jesse Valentine - April 25, 2024
More than half of Republican Jay Ashcroft’s funding comes from outside Missouri

More than half of Republican Jay Ashcroft’s funding comes from outside Missouri

By Jesse Valentine - April 25, 2024
Assisted living home lawsuit, citations add to controversy over Hovde’s nursing home remarks

Assisted living home lawsuit, citations add to controversy over Hovde’s nursing home remarks

By Erik Gunn, Wisconsin Examiner - April 24, 2024
Ohio doctors fear effects of emergency abortion care case set to go before U.S. Supreme Court

Ohio doctors fear effects of emergency abortion care case set to go before U.S. Supreme Court

By Susan Tebben, Ohio Capital Journal - April 23, 2024
President Biden visits Prince William park to talk solar, youth involvement on Earth Day

President Biden visits Prince William park to talk solar, youth involvement on Earth Day

By Charlie Paullin, Virginia Mercury - April 23, 2024
Biden on abortion rights: President expects to give speech Tuesday on new Florida 6-week ban

Biden on abortion rights: President expects to give speech Tuesday on new Florida 6-week ban

By Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix - April 22, 2024