Politics –
Obamacare Lite Sparks
Republican Civil War
After months of promises that a much better health care plan for America was on the way, the GOP has finally introduced their version of the new Affordable Care Act. So, why is it being called ‘Obamacare Lite?’
Politics
For years, the Republican Party has been hell-bent on dismantling former President Obama’s health care initiative that assured medical coverage for all Americans. So, when Donald Trump entered The White House, they saw an opening to finally eliminate the ACA affectionately known as Obamacare. Too bad they had no clue how incredibly bad their idea was.
In their 2009 inauguration day pledge to perpetually ruin and just say NO! to any and everything Barack Obama ever attempted to accomplish, congressional Republicans were always against Obamacare simply because it came from Barack Obama. The original health care proposal presented by Mr. Obama was a good one, however, Republicans nit-picked it apart and intentionally made a mess of it for the sole political purpose of being able to later say “I told you so” and claim that Obamacare was never good for America.
Then, after a record 52 attempts to tear down Obamacare, Republicans danced in the streets when Donald Trump made it to Washington and made it possible to get rid of Obamacare for good. They finally got their wish — except nobody thought far enough in advance to figure out what to do next.
If Republicans were going to eliminate Obamacare and effectively throw millions of Americans off the health care rolls, they needed to provide a damn good replacement plan that was 100 times better than Obamacare ever was. Regrettably, they did not!
While Republican voters across the country were eagerly shouting such popular slogans as “Build That Wall” and “Lock Her Up,” congressional Republicans were also shouting a slogan of their own: “Tear It (Obamacare) Down.” The only problem is, without a viable plan ready to replace it their slogan was about as smart as someone burning down their current home before figuring out where they would live next.
Days after the Trump inauguration, GOP House Speaker Paul Ryan giddily appeared before the press with news that Obamacare’s days were numbered. However, when asked about the GOP’s specific plans to replace it, he stumbled and stammered to provide a clear explanation, mostly because there was no plan.
Then, last week, Republicans finally gave America the plan they’ve (supposedly) been waiting for. Introducing The American Health Care Act, AKA Obamacare Lite.
Yes, the anxiously awaited Republican replacement plan was almost immediately dubbed Obamacare Lite simply because it is unbelievably similar to the plan Mr. Obama had all along. Subsidies are still in place for lower-income Americans, mandates still exist for all Americans to retain some sort of medical coverage, and those with pre-existing conditions must still be accepted by insurance companies.
SEE COMPARISONS BETWEEN OBAMACARE AND THE NEW GOP PLAN
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Politics
Well, the similarities between the 2 plans have been just too much for some Republicans to bear.
Loyal partisan and far-right Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas is known as a fierce red-state critic of anything related to Barack Obama’s presidency. However, even he recognizes how Obamacare has benefitted the citizens of his state and how rushed and poorly constructed the new Republican plan is for America.
In a surprise public detachment late last week, Cotton said the House should “start over” in its process.
“House health-care bill can’t pass Senate [without] major changes. To my friends in House: pause, start over. Get it right, don’t get it fast,” Cotton wrote from his political Twitter account.
“GOP shouldn’t act like Dems did in O’care. No excuse to release bill Mon night, start voting Wed. With no budget estimate!” he continued. “What matters in long run is better, more affordable health care for Americans, NOT House leaders’ arbitrary legislative calendar.”
Interestingly, at least 7 other GOP senators joined Cotton in publicly expressing skepticism, if not outright opposition to the hastily designed Obamacare Lite plan. They were joined on Thursday by the chief medical officer of the federal government’s Medicaid program, as well as Health and Human Services Department career official, Dr. Andrey Ostrovsky, who each went public in their rebuke of the Obamacare Lite plan crafted by Republicans and backed by their boss, Donald Trump.
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Despite political messaging from others at HHS, I align with the experts from @aafp @AmerAcadPeds @AmerMedicalAssn in opposition to #AHCA— Andrey Ostrovsky, MD (@AndreyOstrovsky) March 9, 2017
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As it stands, the GOP’s new Obamacare Lite plan is basically a current day redux of former President Obama’s original plan — without Mr. Obama’s name or credit connected to it. So, why is this new plan a good idea, especially after Republicans mucked with the original health care initiative only to basically come right back to it in 2017?
Is Obamacare Lite what America has been waiting for? Do Republicans need to go back to the drawing board and redesign health care for America? Or, should the GOP stop playing politics with our health and simply return to the original Obamacare?
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The only problem is, without a viable plan ready to replace it their slogan was about as smart as someone burning down their current home before figuring out where they would live next.
DJ this line said it all right here. The Repubs are so jealous of Obama's popularity they had to ruin his signature program. No matter they didn't have anything to replace it, they still rushed something out just to make it look like they had a plan all along. The whole thing is awful and they are about to put a lot of people in a health crisis. Something tells me we will end up back with Obamacare instead of this lite BS Repubs put out.