Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says the Republican Party has gotten itself into a "mess" as it hastily tries to finalize the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
"This is all a mess, it's going to stay a mess, it's a huge undertaking," Gingrich, a Georgia Republican, told Politico in an interview published Wednesday.
"They have allowed themselves to be trapped by two Washington swamp institutions — reconciliation, as defined by the parliamentarian, and the Congressional Budget Office.
"It's very hard to defend Trumpism if you let the swamp define the rules of the game … Health is an immensely difficult area, 10 times more complicated than national security. We're going to have to muddle through for a while."
Gingrich predicted his party may face a midterm disaster at the polls if the health plan isn't completed within the year.
"By next spring, they have to have a health solution clear enough — and implemented enough — that people feel comfortable."
Politico's Gabriel Debendetti writes that the healthcare turmoil is occurring as support for the ACA has been rising in polls.
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