Obamacare "is a disaster and has to be stopped" — but not at the expense of shutting down the federal government in the next fiscal year, Sen. Orrin Hatch tells Newsmax TV.
"It's a question of basic fairness. I'm supporting legislation to repeal the law in its entirety," the Utah Republican tells Newsmax in an exclusive interview.
Editor's Note: Should ObamaCare Be Repealed? Vote in Urgent National Poll
But Hatch does not support a move by his fellow Senate Republican, Mike Lee, to defund the beleaguered healthcare law in the next fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1.
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The move could shut down the government.
"He's not going to win on that, and that will open the Republicans up to all kinds of false criticism," he says. "I don't think he would win on that. I don't think that's the way to do it.
"We have to continue to make our case against Obamacare, and we're winning that case," Hatch says. "The American people understand that, and frankly, there are better ways of winning on that issue."
Editor's Note: See the full Newsmax interview with Orrin Hatch, and excerpts: