It’s all fun and games sitting in the stands, throwing things on the ice in protest, attempting to sabotage the US team’s chance at victory, even a slim one that happens to be good for Americans needing healthcare. Oh but watching from the stands for years, comfortable in your own, self appointed taxpayer funded health care does little to prepare you. Without the planing, the workouts, the research, a strategy and even some second and third lines (options) on the bench to back you up it’s too easy to gripe and gather support for the uninformed position. Now, you’re in the game. It’s all yours, until you run out of air or ice that is…
Your support, all in objectionable agreement before taking the ice, does indeed appear to be running out of air. Perhaps a plan and a bit of practice of your own during those six years of objections But we see perhaps it’s not so easy.
While nothing about revamping the nation’s $3 trillion-a-year health care system will be easy, Republican leaders want congressional committees to have legislation dismantling much of Obama’s overhaul ready by late January. They’re hoping Congress can quickly send a measure to incoming President Donald Trump phasing out the law, perhaps a couple of months later.
But not so fast:
Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said Friday they might end up in a “box canyon” if they erase the health care law without a substitute in hand. (the uninsured rate in Tennessee has fallen by 28 percent since the Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2010, translating into 266,000 Tennesseans gaining coverage)
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis: “I would start bringing up those elements that start repairing the damage and I would start taking votes on those right now.” (The uninsured rate in Wisconsin has fallen by 39 percent since the Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2010, translating into 211,000 Wisconsinites gaining coverage)
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark: “I don’ t think we can just repeal Obamacare and say we’re going to get an answer two years from now,” “We haven’t coalesced around a solution for six years, in part because it is so complicated. Kicking the can down the road for a year or two years isn’t going to make it any easier to solve.” ( the uninsured rate in Arkansas has fallen by 46 percent since the Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2010, translating into 234,000 Arkansans gaining coverage)
OK GOP team, this is your chance to get it right for the millions who depend on the ACA for coverage. Your voters, millions from states who supported you, who trusted you, who believed you had put in the time and preparation for this game you’ve been playing from the sidelines are watching and waiting. So while you’re skating around attempting to define a plan you’ve had years to work out, don’t forget the ice is thinning by the minute, the minority who elected you is getting even smaller, and your slim majority in the legislative bodies is in decline. Democrats successfully reelected every Senate incumbent and gained two seats. Democrats gained six seats in the House despite facing gerrymandered maps and defying the historical norm of winning Congressional seats while losing the White House. And despite help from Mr Putin and the Russians, Hillary Clinton got nearly three million more votes than Mr Trump. You have no mandate, just a slim opportunity. But for the moment it is all yours to play, yours to lose. Your electorate is watching.
