Trump: Democrats’ ‘resist’ strategy is terrible for Americans

President Trump decried Democrats’ strategy of “obstruction” for not working with Republicans to reach a deal to repeal and replace ObamaCare.

“It would be so great if the Democrats and Republicans could get together and wrap their arms around it and come up with something that everybody is happy with,” Trump said in an interview on “Fox and Friends” that aired Sunday. “But we won’t get one Democrat vote, not one. If it were the greatest bill ever proposed in mankind, we wouldn’t get a vote. And that’s a terrible thing. Their thing is resist.”

Talking about the “level of hostility” that exists in Congress, Trump said Democrats’ theme is “resist, it’s obstructionist.”

“It’s a terrible theme in terms of getting elected and more importantly I think it’s a terrible theme for the people of this country. Resist, obstruction – this isn’t what they want,” the president said in the interview that was taped on Friday.

The president also responded to comments from former President Obama who responded last week to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s unveiling of the 142-page bill that would overhaul his signature legislative achievement.

Obama slammed the “fundamental meanness” of the GOP-backed bill in a Facebook post, saying it wasn’t a “health care bill” but a “massive transfer of wealth from middle-class and poor families to the richest people in America.”

According to reports earlier this month, Trump called the House version of the health care bill the chamber passed last month “mean” and called for legislation with more “heart.”

Asked about Obama’s comments, Trump said: “Well he used my term, ‘mean. That was my term because I want to see – and I speak from the heart, that’s what I want to see. I want to see a bill with heart.”

The effort to repeal and replace ObamaCare, one of Trump top campaign pledges, is making its way through the Republican-controlled Senate, with a vote expected this week.

Trump said the negotiations are continuing.

“Health care is a very complicated subject from the standpoint that you move it this way, and this group doesn’t like it. You move it a little bit over … you have a very narrow path,” Trump said. “Honestly, nobody can be totally happy. Even without the votes, forget about the votes. This has nothing to do with votes. This has to do with picking a plan that everybody’s going to like. I’d like to say love, but like.”

Trump also said that despite a number of Republican senators saying they will not support the bill he believes it will ultimately pass the chamber.

Republicans have a 52-48 majority in the Senate. So they can afford to lose only two votes. No Democrats are expected to vote in favor of the bill.

“I don’t think they’re that far off… famous last words, right? I think we’re going to get there.”

“Health care is very very tough thing to get. but I think we’re going to get it. We don’t have too much of a choice because the alternative is the dead carcass of ObamaCare. That’s what it is,” Trump added.