U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio says the growing problems with the rollout of the Affordable Care Act prove the federal government is incapable of launching such a massive program.
"This thing is a disaster. Every day is going to bring more bad news. To begin with, the federal government shouldn't be in the business of doing all this and . . . it can't do a good job of it, as you're well seeing," Rubio, a Florida Republican, told "The Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV.
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"The federal government just is not capable of doing projects of this magnitude and in an effective way," he said Wednesday.
Rubio has proposed legislation that would delay punishment for being uninsured until the website is working properly for six months.
"I mean to be clear, I want to get rid of the whole thing and repeal it, and ultimately that's going to happen. In the interim, I certainly feel like we have an obligation to protect people from the harmful effects that a lot of this law is having," he said.
"It's fundamentally unfair that the government will be able to fine you and tax you for not buying health insurance if the website that they're touting and asking you to work not only doesn't work but it's giving inaccurate information."
Rubio said Democratic lawmakers are going to be "stubborn" about acknowledging the healthcare law is unworkable.
"They're going to dig in, this is their pet project, they were willing to shut down the U.S. government over it to protect this issue, they've been willing to do all sorts of things," Rubio said.
"Eventually the lines will crack on this because the pressure will be too intense. You simply don't do this to people, and you're already starting to see Democrats like my own colleague from New Hampshire, Sen. [Jeanne] Shaheen, coming out and saying, well, maybe we should make some changes to this."
The fact that insurance companies across the nation are beginning to drop customers proves that the Affordable Care Act is hurting the individual marketplace, he said.
"You've just lost your insurance, you log onto the federal exchange to see what you're going to have as coverage next year, and guess what, the thing doesn't work," Rubio told Malzberg.
"So you can just imagine what those folks are going through right now, and it's just one more reason why this whole law is just a terrible idea."
Rubio says he's ready to hear Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius detail how and why the healthcare law's website woes occurred, during hearings on Capitol Hill next week.
"I'd like to see what she testifies . . . They'll have some tough questions to answer there, and, based on that, I'll make a determination about what she should do [about resigning or remaining]," Rubio said.
"Hopefully, from that, we'll have more indication about what she knew or should have known and what she failed to do personally. At the end of the day, she's accountable for this."
Rubio said reports that President Barack Obama was unaware of the website issues until two days after it was launched were startling.
"He is the chief spokesperson for this law," Rubio said. "How can he not know, how could he not ask how is the website going before it launched?"
Rubio is disgusted with a disturbing fundraising email sent out by Democratic U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson of Florida.
It showed a burning cross in the words "Tea Party," with Ku Klux Klan members in robes in the background.
"It's not surprising. This is an individual who's had a history of outrageous and ridiculous claims and comments, and he's not held accountable by anybody. The mainstream media just kind of ignores it," Rubio said.
"If that were a Republican or a conservative, of course, they'd be calling for their resignation, there'd be mass protests. But you won't hear any talk about that, and it just exposes the hypocrisy in the mainstream media.
"But I'm not surprised that this individual did that. He's been embarrassing the state of Florida, now, for the better part of four to six years."
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