Donald Trump bashes Obamacare and hints at major firm locating in Wisconsin
PEWAUKEE — President Donald Trump used a visit Tuesday to southeastern Wisconsin to hint a major manufacturer could be coming to the state and declare the Affordable Care Act a catastrophe that must be reversed.
“Just backstage, we were negotiating with a major, major, incredible manufacturer of phones and computers and televisions and I think they’re going to give the governor a very happy surprise very soon," Trump said during a stop at Waukesha County Technical College.
Trump did not name the manufacturer. This month, Gov. Scott Walker and a Wisconsin delegation met with business people in Japan.
On a whirlwind trip, Trump talked health care at Mitchell International Airport, touted apprenticeships at WCTC and returned to Milwaukee to raise campaign cash for Walker.
After stepping off of Air Force One, Trump decried the effects of the Affordable Care Act.
“It keeps going up and up and up and that’s where we are today,” Trump said of premiums under the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.
On the airport tarmac, he spoke for four minutes about "Obamacare victims" Michael and Tammy Kushman and Robert and Sarah Stoll.
"These are sad but familiar stories in Wisconsin, where Obamacare premiums have doubled," Trump said. "Obamacare is one of the greatest catastrophes that our country has signed into law — and the victims are innocent, hardworking Americans like Michael and Tammy, Robert and Sarah."
He told the story of Robert Stoll of Burlington, a small-business owner who closed shop after the 2008 recession. After gaining insurance through an Obamacare exchange, the Stoll family's premiums nearly doubled, forcing Sarah Stoll to work a part-time job.
The irony to this, Trump said, was that because the family's income rose, the Stolls no longer qualified for federal tax credits. "The federal government actually forced them to repay thousands of dollars," he said to boos.
Trump, who held a similar event last week in Ohio, also talked Tuesday about the Kushmans of Marinette, who began getting insurance through an Obamacare exchange in 2015 and have seen the cost of their premiums more than double.
"Like countless others, they were shocked to learn that they couldn’t keep their doctor as promised," Trump said. "They couldn't keep their plan as promised."
He said he hoped the U.S. Senate would act soon on an Obamacare overhaul approved by the U.S. House. Both chambers are controlled by Trump’s fellow Republicans, and the president said Democrats would not vote for the legislation, no matter what it included.
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His push to pass an Obamacare replacement came as The Associated Press reported the president had told senators he thought the House bill was "mean" and wanted them to pass a "more generous" piece of legislation.
"It's time to give American families quality, reliable, affordable healthcare — and that’s what we are working very hard to do," Trump said in Milwaukee. "And we'll get it done."
Trump arrived in Wisconsin shortly after his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, began testifying before a Senate committee about Russian interference in last year's election and other matters. Sessions said any allegation that he colluded with Russians was an "appalling and detestable lie."
Trump did not respond to shouted questions about whether he has confidence in Sessions or is considering firing special prosecutor Robert Mueller.
With his daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump, Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta and Walker, Trump then toured classrooms at Waukesha County Technical College in Pewaukee as a way to emphasize apprenticeship programs.
"I love the name apprentice," Trump later joked at a round table discussion.
The president called Walker a "tremendous guy, a tremendous governor."
Trump said that "America must not only teach, but celebrate skilled labor," adding that his administration would roll out an apprenticeship initiative Wednesday called "Earn While You Learn."
Ivanka Trump lauded WCTC and the state for working with private firms with apprenticeship programs to provide the skills people need to succeed.
"Programs like this are critical to bridging our nation's skills job," she said.
Student Ella Johnson told her story of how she started welding two years ago at Waukesha West High School. She graduated two weeks ago, while also earning college credit and a technical degree. She plans to attend WCTC to get her associate's degree in welding.
Joel Quadracci, president and chief executive of Quad Graphics, said: “We hired 2,500 students in the last five years in Wisconsin. In 2015, I was surprised at how hard it was to bring people in.”
“In this day and age you have to attract people in any way you can,” he said.
Several dozen people gathered at the school's campus to get a glimpse of the president's motorcade as it passed.
Jack Hanley, a second-year WCTC plumbing apprentice, said he was encouraged by the president's attention to skilled workers.
"The millennial generation doesn't know there are so many benefits to the trades," he said, adding that skills such as carpentry and plumbing will always be needed.
Judy Johnson of Pewaukee said she visited WCTC to show her support for Trump. She said she would like to see more financial support for the state's apprenticeship programs.
"I think it's a good call," she said. "There's a big need for these skilled workers."
Others were more skeptical of Trump's ability to followthrough on his promises.
"He says, he says, he says, but I haven't seen it done," Ted Vance of Waukesha said.
Dan Sparacino of Pewaukee said while he disagrees with most of Trump's policies, putting greater attention on skilled workers is a good idea.
"We have a huge emphasis on college — which is great — but maybe not enough emphasis on trades," he said.
Trump wrapped up the visit by headlining a $1,000-per person Milwaukee fundraiser for Walker, who is expected to seek re-election next year. The highest donor level is $20,000-per person for a VIP photo, host reception and preferred seating.
Fifty protesters gathered on the corner of N. 4th St. and W. Kilbourn Ave. as Trump and Walker arrived at the Hyatt Regency. A few of them maneuvered a papier-mâché puppet of Walker and Trump as the presidential party drove by.
Another sign in the form of a zombie read, "Paul Ryan, give it a rest already. Bury that zombie health care."
"I've been going to as many of these protests as possible after the election in hopes the public will read and think about these things, especially with health care," said Bernadette Borcha, a 68-year-old Mount Pleasant resident and the holder of the zombie sign.
Democrats and their supporters noted a Washington Post article that detailed the president's 2018 budget proposal that calls for deep cuts in the Labor Department, including a program that supports job seekers.
"What we see is real hypocrisy in the photo-op show that is going on with President Trump and Governor Walker," said Michael Rosen, president of the American Federation of Teachers, Local 212, at Milwaukee Area Technical College.
Trump highlighted his visit in several tweets.
It was Trump’s second visit to Wisconsin as president and third since winning the 2016 election. Trump was the first Republican presidential candidate to carry the state since Ronald Reagan in 1984.
The president’s visit comes at a time when his nationwide job approval has declined to new lows amid persistent political controversies, the cloud of investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and the struggles of a GOP Congress to pass major legislation.
In the latest Gallup polling, 36% of Americans approved of Trump’s performance, while 60% disapproved.
Craig Gilbert in Washington, D.C., Alan Hovorka in Milwaukee and Haley Hansen in Pewaukee contributed to this report.