Orrin Hatch: Health Care Law A 'Dumb-Ass Program'

For many discontent Republicans, the health care law passed by Democrats last year is known as "ObamaCare." For Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), however, it has reportedly been called a "dumb-ass program" and an "awful piece of crap."

According to Utah State University's Utah Statesman, Hatch was asked Friday if the nation's health care system had ever been in need of an overhaul, and if the president's plan was the best way to go about reforming the system.

"Every state has different demographics, every state has different problems," Hatch responded to a gathering of college Republicans at the university. "It's good to allow them to work out their own problems rather than a one-size-fits-all federal government dumb-ass program. It really is an awful piece of crap."

The Statesman reports that he then "apologized for swearing and said he does not swear often." Hatch later promised to "repent" for using the words.

As The Hill points out, Hatch's opposition to the health care law is not a recent development. Recent stirrings by his state's Tea Party activists have, however, left him particularly vulnerable to a primary challenge and attempting to court the conservative activists in an effort to gain their support in his upcoming reelection campaign.

Freshman Sen. Mike Lee, Hatch's Utah Republican colleague and a member of the Tea Party Caucus, epitomized the difficult situation earlier this month when he opted not to endorse Hatch in a forthcoming primary.