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CNN Host Calls Out Cardin for Dems Not Offering Alternatives to GOP Health Care Plan

April 27, 2017

CNN host Chris Cuomo called out Sen. Ben Cardin (D., Md.) and his fellow Democratic lawmakers on Thursday for not proposing alternatives to the Republican proposed health care plan or addressing the issues of the Affordable Care Act.

"Democrats should come out with ideas to help those people in those places where the premiums have them upside down, the deductibility is too high in terms of what they're paying, and they only have one choice. A Democratic plan to fix the ACA, because we haven't heard one," Cuomo said.

Cardin pushed back, insisting that Democrats have been offering suggestions for a "long period of time" but Republicans have been resisting them.

"Democrats are anxious to work to improve the Affordable Care Act," Cardin said.

Cuomo asked Cardin why Democrats were not coming onto his show or standing at the podium to address the concerns of Obamacare.

"I don't see Democrats seizing that opportunity by coming out and saying, 'Look, here's how we can address peoples' needs and keep what still works in this thing.' I haven't seen it. Can you name–what's that proposal called? Where is it?" Cuomo asked.

Cardin acknowledged that Cuomo had a fair point, but dodged his question by blaming Republicans for not working with Democrats.

"Democrats are anxious and we've made suggestions and we have bills that we filed that will improve the Affordable Care Act," Cardin said. "We recognize it was not perfect. No bill of that magnitude has ever been passed by Congress without improving it. We need to improve it and we've made suggestions to improve it."

"But at this point the Republicans are solely working within their own conference. We need to break through that, we need bipartisan proposals," he continued. "I'm all for that."