Mike Pence vs. the House Freedom Caucus? – Washington Examiner

When Paul Ryan wanted to spend more money, his budget got blown up. When John Boehner tried the same thing earlier on, an axe suddenly came down on his head. And now that Obamacare repeal is on the table, Vice President Mike Pence must succeed where those House speakers failed.

Specifically, Pence must win over the combative and determined House Freedom Caucus. Nothing less than the entire White House healthcare agenda rests on his ability to woo 40 of the most conservative representatives in the 435-member House. Already, though, it's been tough going.

In a closed-door meeting on the Hill this morning, Pence warned Republicans not to mount a revolt against a recently released Obamacare repeal package. A few hours later, members of the Freedom Caucus gathered for a press conference in front of the Capitol to give their answer.

"Our goal is real simple," Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, told a gaggle of reporters, "bring down the cost of insurance for working and middle-class families across the country." Without addressing Pence by name, Jordan dismissed the vice president, describing the American Healthcare Act as "Obamacare in a different form."

Specifically, the feathers of the fiscal hawks have been ruffled by the news Republican leadership planned to install a new system of refundable tax credits and keep Obamacare's Medicaid expansion in place until 2020. Long story short: The Freedom Caucus won't listen.

That's not exactly a surprising development. Both Jordan and Rep. Dave Brat, R-Va., told the Washington Examiner that leadership's repeal bill was a non-starter. "It doesn't matter who comes to us and asks us to go along with this devastating program," Brat said late Monday night. "The answer will be no." That's a bitter and personal bummer for everyone involved.

Last September, after Ryan told House Republicans to go their own way, Freedom Caucus members went out campaigning for the Trump-Pence ticket. When the nominee was behind by double digits, Brat and Jordan were climbing onstage next to the vice president in Ohio and Virginia. Ever since Trump won that election, though, the conservative faction has been losing influence.

Like a cheap date, the White House has taken a shine to leadership and left behind the Freedom Caucus. Sure, Trump elevated an original member of the Freedom Caucus, South Carolina Rep. Mick Mulvaney, to head up his Budget Office. Other than personnel changes, though, the administration hasn't followed the group's lead on policy. Soon things will get even more awkward.

Tomorrow, Jordan plans to head to the House floor and introduce a 2015 bill that thoroughly guts Obamacare. But when he dredges up the pastjust three House Republicans voted against the bill before Obama vetoed itthere won't be any going back.

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Just like they bucked Boehner and Ryan before, the Freedom Caucus will be revolting against the White House. And right now, there doesn't seem like there's anything Pence can do about it.

Philip Wegmann is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.

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Mike Pence vs. the House Freedom Caucus? - Washington Examiner