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Pro-Trump Rep. Ripped for Praising Medicare and Medicaid While Decrying 'Socialist Healthcare Schemes'
One of the Republican party's defining positions is advocating for the restriction of healthcare access for working class people. The party has repeatedly demonstrated this with its fervent opposition to the Affordable Care Act, known colloquially as "Obamacare," and right-wing lawmakers' attempts to repeal it. Republican Governors across a vast array of states repeatedly refuse to accept Medicare expansion.
This opposition to accessible healthcare has grown increasingly emphatic as more and more Democrats embrace policies like Medicare for All and a public healthcare option.
But on Friday, far-right Congresswoman Elise Stefanik of New York celebrated the anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid, but the tweet was panned for a dizzying contradiction.
Today’s Anniversary of Medicare & Medicaid reminds us to reflect on the critical role these programs have played to… https://t.co/IfTQCBMPSK— Elise Stefanik (@Elise Stefanik) 1627655199.0
In the same tweet, Stefanik heaped praise upon Medicare and Medicaid, while condemning "Socialist healthcare schemes."
These so-called schemes presumably include the expansion of Medicare to all Americans—a position Stefanik has repeatedly decried, especially when smearing her 2020 opponent, Tedra Cobb's, position on the initiative.
But Medicare and Medicaid are Democratic Socialist policies. Its passage in 1965—the very event Stefanik was celebrating—was slammed by Republicans at the time as "socialized medicine."
Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, a staunch advocate for Medicare for All, mocked Stefanik on Twitter.
Totally agree. In fact, to further protect Medicare from socialism, let’s strengthen it to include dental, vision,… https://t.co/sSe70Kwmaj— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1627660840.0
People were amazed at Stefanik's glib contradiction.
This tweet belongs in the Museam of GOP hypocrisy https://t.co/Nb0w0x1Pgi— Molly Jong-Fast (@Molly Jong-Fast) 1627663494.0
Where the new GOP Conference Chair succinctly argues that GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTHCARE is CRITICAL to protecting famil… https://t.co/qvVcVMX4G8— Jonathan Allen (@Jonathan Allen) 1627660651.0
"We must protect government run healthcare by rejecting government run healthcare." Beyond parody. https://t.co/7x2wiDlviB— Qasim Rashid, Esq. (@Qasim Rashid, Esq.) 1627663842.0
who do you think, uhh, funds Medicare and Medicaid? https://t.co/vzIvJ0a7Dk— Public Citizen (@Public Citizen) 1627659731.0
Incredible. When I first saw screencaps of this circulating I thought it had to be parody, there was no way this wa… https://t.co/Q508vjjwNx— Matthew Chapman (@Matthew Chapman) 1627663426.0
People were divided on whether Stefanik was ignorant or being deliberately deceptive.
She’s not stupid, she graduated from Harvard. She is just a manipulative, power-hungry, asshat. https://t.co/61IXRjYoyG— Jennifer Taub (@Jennifer Taub) 1627664861.0
New rule: Individuals this breathtakingly stupid must not be allowed to hold public office. https://t.co/3yDmmK2b0h— Feodor Chin 💙🇺🇸❄️ (@Feodor Chin 💙🇺🇸❄️) 1627665119.0
The worst part about this self-contradictory, cognitive dissonance whiplash-inducing self-own of a tweet is that El… https://t.co/MwLesAZws3— Ahmed Baba (@Ahmed Baba) 1627658495.0
Stefanik hasn't elaborated on the mind-numbing statement.