This GOP Rep Is Facing Backlash Against His Ridiculous iPhone vs. Health Insurance Comment

Republican House Representative Jason Chaffetz has a knack for incensing his Utah constituents, and now, apparently, many Americans who might not be able to afford health care if the House GOP's Affordable Care Act replacement passes. The House Oversight Committee chairman appeared on CNN on March 7 to defend the proposed bill, which could leave low income-families uninsured, and found himself in hot water after suggesting those families should prioritize purchasing health insurance instead of "that new iPhone."

"Well, we're getting rid of the individual mandate. We're getting rid of those things that people said that they don't want," Chaffetz said. "Americans have choices, and they've got to make a choice. So rather than getting that new iPhone that they just love and want to go spend hundreds of dollars on that, maybe they should invest in their own health care."

Chaffetz's argument was pretty unconvincing because it insinuated that poorer people won't be able to access health care if they also want to use technology that their fellow Americans can afford; an iPhone does not cost nearly as much as an unpaid medical bill. Social media users gladly pointed this out to the Republican lawmaker.

After receiving flak for his comments across social media and even from a Republican colleague, Chaffetz seemed to retreat on his comments during an interview with Fox News on the same day.

While Chaffetz reiterated that some citizens will face a decision if they want to purchase insurance, he said, "What we're trying to say, and maybe I didn't say it as smoothly as I possibly could, but people need to make a conscious choice and I believe in self-reliance."