Sometimes I can do nothing else but shake my head as I think about what has happened to the country I’ve been fortunate enough to grow up (and old) in. This morning I forced myself to listen to republican senators who are conspiring forcing another version of “Trump care” on “we the people” despite the objections of just about anyone associated with health care – like, the heart association, the cancer association. AARP, the hospital association, the AMA, and the list is MUCH longer – but, I hope you get the idea.
Up until Bernie Sanders introduced his plan for “medicare for all,” there was a bipartisan group in the Senate Health Committee (of all places) working to create the needed “fixes” for the Affordable Care Act designed to make it work better and make it accessible to even more uninsured Americans. Me, not knowing much about the details but liking the idea of members of Congress “working together,” felt an odd sense of “hope” that something could be done in Washington DC that was actually beneficial to a wide range of Americans. But even the thought of EVERYONE actually having access to affordable health care (Sanders bill) really got the attention of republicans.
Apparently, Sanders plan – which was introduced as an “idea” that certainly wouldn’t even receive a vote this year, but laid out a vision for the BEST solution to our health care crisis going forward – motivated republicans to push another last ditch effort to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act (ie “Obamacare”). Just as the other attempts by republicans to erase the memory of our first Black president this bill, according to reports I’ve heard, will cause around the same number of Americans to lose access to “affordable” insurance. It will also, according to the reports I’ve heard, have an unknown – but, negative – affect on Seniors, children, and low income Americans that could be devastating. Of course, republicans have a MISERABLE history regarding their PERPETUAL attempts to BLOCK access to health care that dates back to the 1930’s. This bill appears aimed at Sanders proposed legislation as much as “Obamacare.”
Republicans opposed (and most still do) Social Security, they (including Ronald Reagan) predicted Medicare would destroy our nation, they’ve CONTINUALLY fought any effort to bring America out of the dark ages of access to health care to the point where we are the ONLY advanced country in the world without health care as a right and, as Senator Sanders says, not a privilege. Now republicans are attempting ONCE MORE to repeal the Affordable Care Act and, this time, because they’re under a time issue that forces them to act by the end of this month without being forced to do this in a bipartisan manner, they’re going to do it without even getting the so-called “Bipartisan Congressional Budget Office score.”
They don’t want this score because EVERYONE knows what it’s going to say. I’ve heard the estimates from 10 MILLION people losing health insurance in the first year to 30 MILLION over a period of years – that I’m not totally clear on – as, I’m guessing the politicians aren’t clear on it either. Seemingly, it doesn’t matter how many people will lose coverage, there are a lot of republicans who really didn’t like a Black person as president and they’re trying to remove as much of his memory as possible. The real irony here is that the Affordable Care Act is the “brainchild” of the Heritage Foundation – a right wing “think tank” – and it was the basis of the plan Mitt Romney put in place in Massachusetts when he was governor there. (which reminds me, there’s a LONG list of conservative republican governors who oppose this new attempt to destroy “Obamacare.”
American politics appears to me headed in the direction of two people playing a game of ping pong. At this point in time there’s a group in the republican party – many of them supporting our White Supremacist president – trying to repeal as much of President Obama’s legacy as they can – come “hell or high water.” (Seems as if much of their support is getting “high water” – just sayin) Come 2018, if progressives (liberals) get off their “bottoms” and go to the polls (many, many are NOT happy with Trump as president) the cleansing of these republicans could begin. Now, those of us paying close attention have to be realistic here because, due to “gerrymandering” there are many seats in the House where the dog catcher could win if he/she were a republican. However, losing their health insurance – or witnessing friends or family losing health insurance – could be enough to push people to the polls with the thought of getting rid of this republican majority in Congress.
Let me just dream here a bit. Ted Cruz is from Texas and I believe he’s up for re-election. Texas just faced a storm of a magnitude we haven’t seem – maybe ever. I mean, places in Texas received 50 INCHES of rain in a matter of a couple days. It was unbelievable – I (and millions of others) immediately felt compelled to donate money to the Red Cross or other entities attempting to help. But, the reality is that it is on “we the people” to help. That is, it is on our government to “step up” and provide aid in the BILLIONS to the people of Texas. Hurricane Harvey is no longer in the headlines, but I’m guessing the damage repair will take years. And, Texas has a Senator (Cruz) who tried to BLOCK aid to New Jersey after Hurricane Sandy hit a few years back. I have to wonder, are the people of Texas comfortable with Cruz – who’s the MOST unpopular member of the Senate – pretty much EVERYONE hates him – who didn’t believe in helping victims of natural disasters apparently until it was him and the people of his state experiencing the disaster. I would love to see the people of Texas send him to the unemployment office. That would be “one down several more to go.”
Cruz is just one example of people who need to “go” before America can get back on the “track” that was established after the Great Depression by FDR and progressives who believed in the idea that we’re “all created equal” (Yes, even FDR had some “road bumps” and he was pushed forward by an incredible wife). Republicans have been hell bent on repealing as much of the “New Deal” as possible since the days of Reagan. And, I might add they’re attacking Johnson’s “Great Society” and his attempts at conquering poverty – along with signing bills that put the Civil Rights of African Americans (and, on their “coat tails” others) on a new level that was continually expanding until the era of GW Bush – and, took some “direct hits” during the term of President Obama as the right wing revolt towards “Civil Rights” became an overt backlash to Obama’s election. The most significant example that comes to mind is the GUTTING of the Voting Rights Act by our right wing Supreme Court. (Shame on you Clarence Thomas)
If this new attempt to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act succeeds the damage to republicans could be great, but the damage to this country even greater. Republicans BLOCKED attempts to create universal health care in America, prior to President Obama, since WW II. It was no small task for democrats to get “Obamacare” (ie The Affordable Care Act) passed and into law. (and, many lost their jobs in the process due to all the “fake news” published by the right wing “water carriers” and the unwillingness of many democrats to defend their own fundamental values.) It was, essentially, a six to eight year process to pass and implement and the republicans are attempting to destroy it in a matter of a couple of weeks – apparently because “they can.” I have friends who are almost “shaking” in fear that republicans may succeed and it will cause them to lose desperately needed coverage. The question is becoming – as I’ve stated many times on this site since Trump’s “dishonest” election – how much damage will they be able to do before “we the people” have the opportunity to “vote the bums out.”
Sadly, as soon as this bill – I believe it’s called “Graham Cassidy” was made public republican leaders BLOCKED any more progress in the Health committee which was working on the “bipartisan” solution to the flaws in “Obamacare.” It appears these republicans are volunteering for a very BAD place in our history books. This era is going to be another chapter in America’s history that doesn’t look good. It’s incumbent on “progressives” (liberals) to put a stop to this eviscerating of America’s fundamental values that’s been going on now for almost 40 years in the elections of 2018. But, it will be very difficult to reverse the damage republicans are doing – and, they’re quite aware of that fact.
Health care is just one aspect of the incredible damage being done to our country. Trump’s budget proposal attacks virtually EVERY aspect of our nation that encourages “community” among “we the people.” (I recently wrote about my concerns regarding the damage to public education) It appears to me it’s designed to further widen the divide which exists in America these days as opposed to trying to bring more people together. I heard one health “expert” explain this bill would “take money from ‘blue’ states and re-route it to ‘red’ states.” That would be unbelievably cynical – but, it wouldn’t surprise me. If I understood him correctly, the bill would re-route money to states where governors refused “Medicaid expansion.” Of course, I don’t understand all this, but the person suggested this bill’s damage would be “aimed” at the states Trump couldn’t win anyway – so, “what the heck?”
As I stated at the beginning of this post. It’s hard for me to believe where this nation has evolved. Nothing that goes on in Washington DC (I guess I should say, “not much” instead of “nothing”) makes sense. Simply put, a MAJORITY of Americans support a “public option” – which is the equivalent of allowing them to “buy into Medicare.” Because of republicans it’s a “non-starter” in American politics. The list of what “we the people” support that NEVER gets through Congress because of republicans is jaw dropping. Again, it’s up to “we the people” to correct this at the polls. And, remember, Hillary Clinton received 3 MILLION more votes than Donald Trump – yet, he’s president. Democrats, in every congressional election – nationally, garner between 1 and 2 MILLION more votes than republicans – yet, because of gerrymandering, republicans control the House.
This would suggest that republicans are more than willing to operate on the theory that “the end justifies the means.” Progressives need to wake up. Sitting on your Butt because of some “wedge issue” that you don’t like, or because some candidate isn’t your perfect answer is unacceptable. You, if that’s you, are partially responsible for Trump being president. If you stubbornly stay in your “ways” this disaster could continue. Republicans are busy finding ways to prevent people from voting, they’re involved in a MASSIVE “fake news” campaign (just like Trump’s Russian compatriots), and they’ll say any LIE they think will keep voters from going to the polls. There are NO limits on what they’ll do to win elections and keep their majority.
I’ve said many times here – republicans are really good at winning elections and completely lost at governing. The BUMBLING they’re doing right now – in more areas than Healthcare – could have incredibly devastating outcomes to “we the people” and the rest of the world. Honestly, I believe those around the world are shaking their collective heads just as I am. And, if “we the people” don’t act to correct this in 2018 people in places like Europe will take corrective actions that will begin the demise of America as the “leader of the free world.” Trust me, they don’t like Trump any more than the 60% of Americans who think he’s a disaster – and, they don’t sugarcoat his LYING as our press – including the so-called “liberal” MSNBC – has a tendency to do. When the “world” abandons the dollar, the “damage” could take a generation to reverse. I’m not kidding, THIS IS SERIOUS!