The Ultimate April Fools Joke: “If You Like Your Plan, You Can Keep It”

The worst April Fools joke was played by President Obama and he didn’t even mean to do it.

Over and over he told Americans, if they liked their current healthcare plan, they could keep it. Late last year–after finally being called out by news organizations and independent factcheckers–they admitted it wasn’t true.

Even worse, they knew it was false. Yet they kept saying it.

That’s why, on a day known for pranks and fun, it’s important to remember that President Obama and House Democrats sold voters a bill of goods.

Let’s take a trip down memory lane…

It’s the middle of 2009 and President Obama is desperate to convince the country that a government takeover of healthcare is the answer. While speaking in front of the American Medical Association, he said this:

It was just two months later that Factcheck.org sounded the alarm and cautioned not everyone would be able to keep their plans under ObamaCare. A government report from the nonpartisan CBO confirmed this 6 months later, saying 10 million people could lose their insurance.

In March 2010, ObamaCare was signed into law with great fanfare. It was three months later that the Obama Administration admitted–in an internal government report–what many had warned for years: that Americans would lose their insurance in spite of the Democrats’ promises.

Through out the next few years, as ObamaCare was implemented, President Obama and House Democrats maintained that Americans wouldn’t lose their insurance. President Obama even had the gall to do it in a nationally televised presidential debate with Mitt Romney.

All the while, independent factcheckers called them out. Democrats knew it was false. They just didn’t care.

It all came to a head last fall however. With the law’s full implementation drawing near, there was nowhere to hide. Cancellation notices were going out and the American people were angry.

Finally, on October 28th, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney admitted that Americans would lose their plans and Democrats’ repeated promise: “If you like your plan, you can keep it” was false.

The anger still did not subside and President Obama attempted to calm the masses by issuing a hasty apology.

Then about a month later came the proverbial cherry on top of the ObamaCare sundae. PolitiFact awarded its 2013 “Lie of the Year” to President Obama’s claim “If you like your health care plan, you can keep it.”

This fall, every single Democrat running will have to answer for this lie. Now that ObamaCare is implemented, their broken promises are laid bare for all to see.

Some of them have even said it themselves.

West Virginia’s Nick Rahall: “Those who like what [the insurance] they have today, which they’ll be able to keep…”

Arizona’s Kyrsten Sinema: “President Obama has said time and time again that for people like myself, who have health care plans that we enjoy — if you like what you have, you can keep it.”

New York’s Tim Bishop: “A central feature of reform will be preserving the freedom to choose what works best for you and your family—if you like your doctor, keep your doctor. If you like your current plan, keep your current plan.”

Oregon’s Kurt Schrader: “If you are insured and happy with your coverage, nothing changes.”

To explore the exact chronology of this lie further, head to the NRCC’s definitive timeline. Found here.

Happy April Fools Day!