Key Republican Backs Obamacare Repeal

Lisa Murkowski is down with repealing the individual mandate for Obamacare. Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian, the hosts of The Young Turks, break it down. Tell us what you think in the comment section below.

“Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin said Wednesday that he does not support the current versions of the Senate and House GOP’s tax bills — becoming the first Republican senator to outright oppose the party’s plan to overhaul the tax system.

Johnson said in a statement that he objects to the bills' treatment of businesses known as pass-throughs, whose owners pay taxes on their companies through the individual side of the tax code.

“Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she supports GOP efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate, the Alaska Republican wrote in an op-ed for a local newspaper Tuesday.

"I have always supported the freedom to choose," Murkowski wrote in her op-ed for the Daily News-Miner, an Alaska newspaper. "I believe that the federal government should not force anyone to buy something they do not wish to buy, in order to avoid being taxed."

Murkowski's renewed support for repealing the mandate — after repeatedly opposing her party's Obamacare repeal bills this year — may be a boon for Senate Republicans' tax legislation, which includes mandate repeal and is expected to be taken up on the Senate floor next week.

A spokesperson for Murkowski told POLITICO that the comments should not be construed as support for the tax bill, which does not yet appear to have sufficient support to pass the chamber.

“Senator Murkowski said on Friday that she will be reviewing the work of the Finance Committee over the Thanksgiving holiday and plans to look at the entire package before coming to any conclusion on the legislation," the spokesperson said.

Senate Republicans can only lose two votes and still pass their tax bill through the budget reconciliation process, which requires only a simple majority. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) opposes the bill, saying it disadvantages small businesses, and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has said that the bill needs to be changed. Several deficit hawks have also raised concerns about the cost of the bill.”

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Hosts: Cenk Uygur, Ana Kasparian

Cast: Cenk Uygur, Ana Kasparian

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Young Turk (n), 1. Young progressive or insurgent member of an institution, movement, or political party. 2. A young person who rebels against authority or societal expectations.(American Heritage Dictionary)