Conservatives push to fuck you over...

Conservatives push to repeal Obamacare mandate in tax package

By PAUL DEMKO

Conservatives are attempting to revive efforts to gut Obamacare’s individual mandate as part of the Republican overhaul of the tax code.

Despite a public push last week by Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) to include repeal of the mandate in the tax package, tax bill writers didn't include that in the measure released Thursday. But POLITICO Playbook reports there may be new momentum for adding the repeal into the bill.

Cotton and Johnson have been joined by conservative stalwarts like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-N.C.).

President Donald Trump also indicated his approval of using the tax vehicle to scrap the mandate this week.

“Wouldn't it be great to Repeal the very unfair and unpopular Individual Mandate in ObamaCare and use those savings for further Tax Cuts,” he wrote on Twitter Wednesday.

But there are formidable political obstacles. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), chair of the Finance Committee, has expressed skepticism about muddying tax reform by pulling in the toxic politics of Obamacare.

Similarly, House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady poured cold water on the idea earlier this week.

“What I don’t want to do is to add things that could again kill tax reform like healthcare died over there,” Brady said in an interview with conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt.

Repealing the tax penalty for failing to obtain insurance is potentially attractive because it would save nearly $400 billion in spending on Obamacare tax credits over a decade. It’s also consistently polled as the most unpopular provision of Obamacare.

But CBO estimates that 15 million more individuals would be uninsured in 2026 if the mandate is repealed.