One of the Republican party's defining positions is advocating for the restriction of healthcare access for working class people. The party has repeatedly demonstrated this with its fervent opposition to the Affordable Care Act, known colloquially as "Obamacare," and right-wing lawmakers' attempts to repeal it. Republican Governors across a vast array of states repeatedly refuse to accept Medicare expansion.
This opposition to accessible healthcare has grown increasingly emphatic as more and more Democrats embrace policies like Medicare for All and a public healthcare option.
But on Friday, far-right Congresswoman Elise Stefanik of New York celebrated the anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid, but the tweet was panned for a dizzying contradiction.
In the same tweet, Stefanik heaped praise upon Medicare and Medicaid, while condemning "Socialist healthcare schemes."
These so-called schemes presumably include the expansion of Medicare to all Americans—a position Stefanik has repeatedly decried, especially when smearing her 2020 opponent, Tedra Cobb's, position on the initiative.
But Medicare and Medicaid are Democratic Socialist policies. Its passage in 1965—the very event Stefanik was celebrating—was slammed by Republicans at the time as "socialized medicine."
Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, a staunch advocate for Medicare for All, mocked Stefanik on Twitter.
People were amazed at Stefanik's glib contradiction.
People were divided on whether Stefanik was ignorant or being deliberately deceptive.
Stefanik hasn't elaborated on the mind-numbing statement.
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