Something tells me Republican Congressman Jason Chaffetz is going to regret going on CNN this morning.The Utah congressman appeared on CNN's New Day this morning to discuss the GOP's new healthcare plan that's designed to replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Framing the new plan as one that offers Americans more "choice" when it comes to their healthcare coverage, Chaffetz said the following:"Americans have choices, and they have got to make a choice. So maybe rather than getting that iPhone they just love, that they want to go spend hundreds of dollars on, maybe they should invest in their own health care. They've got to make those decisions themselves."
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That's right: In the GOP vision of America, it's only appropriate for you to have to choose between having access to quality, affordable healthcare coverage or having access to a vital communication tool. Never mind that, for many Americans, particularly those in rural areas ignored by the big broadband companies, a smartphone is often their only way to access the internet. In fact, at the end of 2015, a full 13 percent of Americans relied on a smartphone for internet access, up from 8 percent just two years prior.Neither Apple nor Rep. Chaffetz's office immediately responded to request for comment.Update, 12:35pm ET: After his appearance on CNN's New Day, Rep. Chaffetz, attempting damage control, told Fox News that what he "was trying to say" was that "people need to make a conscious choice and I believe in self-reliance," adding that people are "going to have to make those decisions."Subscribe to pluspluspodcast , Motherboard's new show about the people and machines that are building our future.