House Speaker Paul Ryan is defending the Republican health care plan in face of growing opposition from some conservatives.
“The promise we made to the American people is we're going to repeal and replace Obamacare, and because we made that promise I am confident we're going to make good on the promise,” Ryan told reporters Wednesday.
“This is what good, conservative health care reform looks like. It is bold and it is long overdue.”
But some within the GOP could kill that promise. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul already said the bill is "dead on arrival."
Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz, chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, also was blasted for comments he made to CNN.
“Rather than getting that new iPhone that they just love and want to spend hundreds of dollars on that, maybe they should invest in their own health care. They've got to make those decisions themselves,” said Chaffetz.
Jim McGrath, staff writer under President George H.W. Bush, says Chaffetz could have chosen a better comparison.
“That just creates a false choice and frankly I don't think that's very helpful to the Republican job of selling some form of repeal and reform,” McGrath said.
Still, McGrath believes GOP leaders are on the right track.
“If you go with the Republican reforms you can have health care and you'll have a little bit of money leftover in your pocket to do with whatever you see fit, get another phone,” he said. “Its America, we still have freedom here.”