Gohmert: Americans Will ‘Die’ If The Affordable Care Act Remains In Place

By Igor Volsky/Think Progress

As the Supreme Court considers the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate, Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert (R) addressed a Tea Party rally calling for its repeal. In a short interview following his remarks, Gohmert told ThinkProgress that Americans will “die early” if the law remains in place and the Court finds it constitutional:

VOLSKY: Congressman, do you think because of health care that people will live shorter lives — that it will shorten the lives of Americans?

GOHMERT: Those are the indications. [...] [This law] would make us like England and Canada where they try to come to America to get the treatment because they don’t want to die.

Watch it:

Gohmert’s rhetoric closely resembles the “sky is falling” hysteria surrounding the measure as it made its way through Congress in 2009 and 2010. Gohmert himself warned, “I would hate to think that among five women, one of ‘em is gonna die because we go to socialized care.” But in the two years since its enactment, none of the GOP’s dire predictions have come to pass.