'You picked a Cabinet of billionaires': Democrats respond to Trump's congressional address

pulse

March 1, 2017 5:09 AM

'In America, our origins matter less than our destination.'

Former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear delivered the Democratic Party's response to President Donald Trump's joint address to Congress on Tuesday night.

Beshear criticized Trump's picks for his cabinet, which includes Secretary of State and former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson and US Commerce Secretary and billionaire investor Wilbur Ross.

Additionally, Beshear echoed the sentiments of other concerned Democrats who anxiously wait for what could be the demise of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the independent government watchdog agency created after the 2008 financial crisis which crippled the US economy.

The former governor is an avid supporter of the Affordable Care Act who rallied around its cause after condemning the Trump administration's efforts to repeal and replace the contested healthcare law.

Trump said during his address Tuesday night: "Obamacare is collapsing — and we must act decisively to protect all Americans. Action is not a choice — it is a necessity."

So far, the White House's plans to replace Obamacare has been met with staunch opposition from both sides of the political aisle, and the debate over how to effectively replace the legislation has deepened from within the Republican Party.

Beshear also went on the offensive on issues relating to national security. He ripped Trump's alleged relations with Russia — which took center stage earlier this month after reports that his team had frequent contacts with Russia prior to the election. And Beshear slammed Trump's effort to target undocumented immigrants and refugees through a January executive order that was suspended by an appelate court on February 9.

Beshear hasn't held public office since 2015, however, as a staunch supporter of Obamacare, he was viewed as an ideal choice to respond on behalf of Democrats. During his governorship, he managed to bring the health care plan into the deep-red state of Kentucky, which then accounted for the biggest drop of uninsured rates in the US, from 20% to 7.5%.