Obamacare Co-Author Tom Harkin: ‘We Blew It’ by Passing Health Care

Before he’s replaced by Republican Senator-elect Joni Ernst next month, Obamacare co-author Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) is expressing regret over passing Obamacare. 

“We blew it,” said Harkin. “What we did is we muddled through and we got a system that is complex, convoluted, needs probably some corrections and still rewards the insurance companies extensively.” 

Harkin added, “I look back and say we should have either done it the correct way or not done anything at all.” 

Harkin believes doing it “the correct way” would have involved passing the so-called “single-payer” option wherein the federal government controls individuals’ health care. Harkin said he believes the Senate had the votes to pass such a plan “if the president would have been just willing to do some political things but he wouldn’t do it.” 

Harkin is not the only top Democrat expressing regret over passing the deeply unpopular Obamacare program. 

Last week, Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) attempted to distance Democrats from Obamacare with comments that touched off a wave of controversy among members of his party. Still, as the New York Times reported this week, 28 of the 60 Democratic senators who voted for Obamacare are no longer in office. 

Nationally, just 37% of Americans support Obamacare.