John Oliver Hunts for the Magical, Mythical Replacement for the Affordable Care Act

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You might have been a little distracted by that unbelievable TWIST ending at the Oscars last night, but on Last Week Tonight, John Oliver dedicated a segment to the Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. Obamacare. We open on a montage of congressional Republicans testifying to the fact that Obamacare will most certainly destroy America — that’s right, our greatest threat is not the egotistical, impulsive, belligerent failed businessman running the country but a program to provide healthcare to people who can’t afford it on their own. According to Rep. John Fleming, the healthcare bill, passed in 2010, is “the worst piece of legislation ever.” “So good news, Fugitive Slave Act, you’re finally off the hook!” Oliver said.

Since that legislation was passed seven years ago, Republicans have vowed to dismantle it if given the chance. Now that they have a majority in the House and the Senate, plus their guy in the Oval Office, they finally have that opportunity. But, as many critics — including Obama himself — have pointed out, they had seven years to come up with an improvement of the Affordable Care Act, and where’s that update now? It’s nowhere to be seen, but that hasn’t stopped giddy Republicans from insisting that they need to repeal the law completely. (Cue Rep. Drew Ferguson’s now-infamous “goat in my house” speech.)

Oliver acknowledged that the health care bill as it stands is not perfect. But if angry constituents flooding town halls in recent weeks are any indication, there is widespread, bipartisan support for keeping it intact. “Apparently that annoying, Obamacare ‘goat in the house’ turned out to be a licensed physician who’s been saving lives,” Oliver quipped. Watch the whole video: