Politics

Sen. Thune: Sebelius living in ‘parallel universe’ over Obamacare job losses [VIDEO]

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Brendan Bordelon Contributor
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Republican South Dakota Sen. John Thune blasted Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’ claim that there is no evidence of job losses due to Obamacare, accusing her and other administration officials of living in a “parallel universe.”

Thune spoke with Fox News’ Jon Scott about Sebelius’ comments on Obamcare and the economy yesterday. “There is absolutely no evidence — and every economist will tell you this — that there is any evidence of job loss related to the Affordable Care Act.”

The senator scoffed at that answer. “I don’t know what parallel universe that she or members of the president’s administration are living in,” he said, “but clearly there’s an Obamacare bubble around Washington D.C.”

“If you get out in the real world — you talk to people out there who are meeting payrolls, middle-class families trying to deal with higher premiums and higher deductibles and canceled coverage — this is having a real economic impact,” he continued.

“They don’t want to acknowledge it, and I understand why,” he added. “It’s got not only economic consequences, but political consequences for them.”

In addition to the recent Congressional Budget Office report projecting the voluntary loss of nearly 2.5 million jobs, Thune highlighted a Senate Budget Committee report expecting a one percent wage reduction nationwide — representing a $1 trillion loss in consumers’ purchasing power.

The senator also claimed that President Obama’s most recent delay of the employer mandate is “an admission on the part of the president that this is hurting the economy, it’s hurting jobs.”

“Why do you have to waive or delay, now almost 30 times, portions of this act?” he asked. “It’s pretty clear to me it’s because they’re trying to save some people’s jobs in the midterm election.”

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