President Donald Trump nominated some unpopular personalities to become part of his Cabinet, and people are still questioning a number of those nominations, especially since the nominees seem bent on demolishing established programs.
While the confirmation for Trump's cabinet has been incredibly slow, the president of the United States did achieve another win on Feb. 10 when the Senate confirmed his nomination for Thomas Price as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Obamacare, Planned Parenthood In Trouble
Needless to say, former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act is in big trouble because Price is well known as one of Obamacare's biggest critics and has even submitted several proposals to repeal the healthcare program.
Women's healthcare and Planned Parenthood are also in hot water because Price has been ardently trying to defund both programs.
As the new secretary of the HHS, Price has been assigned as the point person who will dismantle Obamacare and ensure that Trump's Executive Order to reduce government support, outlined in the Obamacare, follows through.
"This is the first vote in the dismantling of the Affordable Care Act," Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington (D) said.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire (D) agrees with Sen. Cantwell. "[Mr. Price] seems to have no higher priority than to terminate health coverage for millions of people," she said.
Republican Senators: Price Had 'Good Sense To Oppose' Obamacare
Republican senators disagree with such sentiments since they believe Price was correct in wanting to dismantle Planned Parenthood and health care.
"You could say his chief qualification for the job of replacing Obamacare is he had the good sense to oppose it in the first place," Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas (R) said.
Trump's nomination would have been confirmed with 51 votes but with 52 Republicans in the House, which greatly outnumber Democrats and independent party representatives, the president may just get the Cabinet he wants — unless the nominees step back or a couple of Republican representatives oppose the nominations.
There were no defectors during the senate vote, however, and all Republican representatives supported Price's nomination.
On the other hand, Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders and Angus King, as well as almost all Democratic party representatives, voted "No" on Price's appointment. Only Rep. Claire McCaskill of Missouri (D) was unable to place her vote due to her husband's heart surgery, but the senator said earlier that she was opposed to both the Price and Steven Mnuchin nomination for the HHS and Treasury departments, respectively.
Mnuchin's fate will be decided on Feb. 14.
