Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States on January 20th. Some of his administration nominees will have already begun the confirmation process in the Senate, and many will have their turn soon after.
Newly minted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has promised a struggle for Trump’s picks. The New York Democrat doesn’t have the votes to block any nominees (thank Harry Reid and his nuclear option), but Senate Democrats can drag out the process – potentially 30 hours of debate for each nominee. However much Democrats and liberals may hate all of Trump’s EPA-hating, regulation-busting administration hopefuls... there is one nominee in particular they would love to see fail the confirmation process: Georgia Congressman Tom Price.
Serving since 2005, Price has been in the House for over a decade. Before representing Georgia’s sixth congressional district, he ran an orthopedic clinic for 20 years – making him well versed in healthcare policy. Price currently serves as Chairman of the House Budget Committee and has been one of the sharpest critics of Obamacare. He is a proponent of conservative healthcare reform and has introduced legislation calling for the privatization of Medicare.
Donald Trump’s choice of Price to lead the Health and Human Services Department is a clear sign that the president-elect is serious about reforming Obamacare. Democrats, however, have promised to keep in place President Obama’s most cherished legislative achievement. Blocking Rep. Price from becoming Secretary of Health and Human Services would accomplish two things: protect Obama’s legacy and throw a huge wrench into the GOP’s “repeal and replace” efforts.
The now-retired Harry Reid has left a brutal legacy of his own that Democrats must wrestle with. When Democrats controlled the Senate, Reid enacted the “nuclear option,” allowing for only a simple majority to confirm most nominees. Now that Republicans are in power; Democrats should be regretting that move as Trump will be ushering in his White House hopefuls.
However, as Schumer mentioned in the above video, Democrats feel emboldened after successfully defeating GOP efforts to reform healthcare in 2005. In their minds – it failed then so it will fail now. They want to make an example out of Rep. Price and show conservatives that healthcare reform is not feasible.
They should realize though Donald Trump has completely changed the game… this will not prove to be a rerun of George W. Bush's failed efforts over a decade ago. Trump's mastery of the media should prove to upend the battle.
Coming from someone who resided in Price's district for years, I can tell you that he is the man to help Trump finally get this done.