GOP Should Ditch Campaign Pledge To Repeal Healthcare, Say House Dems

By Rachel Whitt 

House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (D-Conn.) and other Democrats urged Republicans on Wednesday to abandon their efforts to roll back the new healthcare law, arguing that fulfilling a campaign pledge is not a good enough reason for the GOP to repeal the law.

“[Healthcare reform] is not about campaign promises,” Larson said. “This is about real people, experiencing real problems…that we need to address.” 

Larson told reporters that today’s vote is merely symbolic and represents a waste of lawmakers’ time.

“Congress needs to address jobs,” he said.

Fellow Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.) agreed. “[The 2010 election] was about creating jobs, turning the economy around, and getting people back to work…not about satisfying a vanity for one side or the other’s extreme fringe.” 

Nevertheless, Republicans continued to debate the repeal bill on Wednesday afternoon. A final vote is set for early this evening.