Several Republicans took aim at presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton over healthcare at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland Tuesday night

Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, said that, rather than "shady powerplays like the one that gave us Obamacare," what America needs is "a reformed healthcare system that operates by free choice, instead of by force, and doesn’t leave you answering to cold, clueless bureaucrats."

Ryan also called for reforming the tax code to reward businesses, "building a 21st century military and giving our veterans the care they were promised, the care that they have earned."

Donald Trump, who became the official Republican nominee on Tuesday, also touted better healthcare for veterans during his brief simulcast appearance.

"We’re gong to bring back jobs, take care of our veterans, have strong borders, restore law and order, we are going to make America great again," Trump said.

The second night of the RNC, in fact, carried the theme "Make America Work Again," and Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson promised that if Trump wins the White House, Republicans will jumpstart the economy and reverse the "failed top-down approach to healthcare where Washington tells the States what to do."

Hutchinson said America needs a president who instead values the role U.S. states play, particular to healthcare, as well as education and creating jobs.

"Hillary’s radical attempts at so-called reform of our healthcare system would have been more destructive than even Obamacare has been," Hutchinson continued. "If you like the last eight years, then Hillary will give you double for your trouble."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, continued the theme of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act: "We put an Obamacare repeal bill on the President's desk: He vetoed it. Trump would sign it."

Former presidential candidate Ben Carson, MD, meanwhile, focused his stage time more on Saul Alinsky and Lucifer than healthcare, saying that Clinton wrote a senior thesis on Alinsky.

"Saul Alinsky wrote a book called Rules for Radicals. It acknowledges Lucifer, the original radical who gained his own kingdom," Carson said. "Are we willing to elect someone as president who has as their role model somebody who acknowledges Lucifer?"

The night’s headline speaker Donald Trump, Jr., did not continue with those references. Instead, he said his father would work with everyone to – among other reforms – "repeal and replace Obamacare without leaving our most vulnerable citizens without healthcare and without destroying Medicare for seniors, as Hillary Clinton has proposed."

In addition to healthcare, education, tax reform, military and jobs, many speakers focused on tying Clinton to Obama and putting both eras in the past.

"They are offering a third Obama term, brought to you by another Clinton. And we're supposed to be excited about that?" Ryan said of the Democrats. "Let's take the fight to our opponents with better ideas. Let's get on the offensive and stay there. Fellow Republicans, let's show America our best and nothing less."

Twitter: SullyHIT
Email the writer: tom.sullivan@himssmedia.com

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