PRESIDENTIAL PROMISES: Trump stumps in Louisville for Affordable Care Act replacement, other policies

March 21--LOUISVILLE -- President Donald Trump captivated a nearly full Freedom Hall with a promise to bring affordable health care to Americans, along with several other vows he has made since the beginning of his candidacy.

The stop in Louisville on Monday was part of a campaign rally tour meant to pump up support for his policies. Most pressing to most of Congress -- repeal the Affordable Care Act, which is up for a U.S. House vote Thursday.

Trump's continuing plans as he passes the 50-day mark weren't a difficult sell to the eager crowd, most from the state that was first to elect him on Nov. 8. Many from Indiana, which also elected Trump by a wide margin, also filled in to hear the president's goals in person.

Freedom Hall, formerly home of the University of Louisville's men's basketball team, appeared to hold about its maximum capacity of 18,000.

As Republicans work to repeal the ACA, they are also piecing together a replacement plan called the American Healthcare Act meant to remove financial burdens from businesses and ratchet down premiums.

The AHCA would not impose penalties for employers and individuals who don't enroll, prohibits private insurance companies from denying coverage or charging more for people with pre-existing conditions and dismantles taxes imposed by the ACA.

Trump said passage of the bill is needed to rid America of Obamacare, which he says "has been a complete and total catastrophe." One-third of the counties in the United States now only have one Obamacare ensurer.

"It's time for Democrat leaders in Washington to take responsibility for the disaster they and they alone created," he said.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell briefly stumped for the AHCA before Trump took the stage. But his colleague, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, spent the evening elsewhere in Louisville -- arguing Republicans should come up with a better alternative and not rush through replacement.

"I happen to like, a lot, Sen. Rand Paul ... " Trump said. "And I look forward to working with him so we can get this bill passed in some form so that we can pass massive tax reform, which we can't do until this happens."

Trump made no mention of the FBI investigating whether his campaign had any link with Russian officials to sway the 2016 election, which FBI Director James Comey announced Monday.

John and Pamela Vollmer, Osgood, Ind. residents, say they've seen firsthand the stress the Affordable Care Act has placed on business. John Vollmer owns a small insurance company and said he can't even afford to buy insurance for his own employees.

"When they put all those requirements on you to do this for health insurance, you can't afford it," he said. "And he's trying to get rid of that. We've got too many regulations for small businesses."

They believe it's too early to judge whether the AHCA is a good alternative -- but at least it's a start toward something better, they said.

"Trump sees that, because he's a businessman, and his perspective is what you want," Pamela Vollmer said.

Evansville resident Betty Polk's children are on Affordable Care Act. Despite its name, she doesn't believe it's affordable, having seen how it affects her family.

"It's unattainable, you can't use it because your deduction is so high that you may as well not have any ..." she said. "I'm concerned, but I'm hoping once they get together in session, things can be worked out."

When not condemning Obamacare, Trump's talk alternated between glancing ahead at what he intends to accomplish and what he's already achieved.

Many of his points dealt in prioritizing America first and changing its relationships to foreign countries.

He vowed to renegotiate trade deals, including the North American Free Trade Agreement.

"In our dealings with other nations, we will find a new era of security, cooperation and peace, and we won't be played the fool and we won't be played the suckers any longer," he said.

The president also touted his crackdown on undocumented immigrants through strengthening the authority of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.

"One by one they are being tracked down and thrown the hell out of our country, and they are not being allowed back in, he said.

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