Repealing the ACA under Trump

[QMany]

[Moiraine]

Maybe the Trumpers understand now why Obama "did nothing." Although I think his intentions were much better, you can't just get your way all or the time, even if you have the majority.

[QMany]

 

Blind leading the blind.

[knapplc]

I'm hearing Trump's bullying didn't work and they aren't going to have the votes. What a cluster F.

[Moiraine]

They've had 7 years, but that could've all been forgiven had they taken more time now and come up with a good plan to improve upon the ACA.

 

The problem is Paul Ryan (among others) has no intention of coming up with a good plan. Most fans of Ayn Rand are incapable of feeling empathy for people down on their luck, therefore they have no interest in helping them. His goal was never about helping anyone. It was about taking away as much as possible from those with no power to save $ without upsetting enough people to not get re-elected.

[Danny Bateman]

Ryan's goal is upward redistribution of wealth. He's a reverse Robin Hood. He wants to take from the poor and give to those who already have abundant means.

 

Spicey currently on the podium complaining about reporters being "so negative" (verbatim, at least twice). Moderates abandoning this in droves. Last night I wondered if the speculation it would fail was all a clever ploy to reinforce Trump as the best dealmaker when it did pass. Occam's razor wins out. This is a disaster for them.

[Moiraine]

Ryan's goal is upward redistribution of wealth. He's a reverse Robin Hood. He wants to take from the poor and give to those who already have abundant means.

And the reason he wants this is because it lines his pockets.

[Danny Bateman]

I agree, they pay his bills. I could rant about Paul Ryan all day.

 

One interesting thing about Spicey's presser I'm noticing. He's up there going gung-ho on "the President and our team did absolutely everything they could do to get this down... now it's up to the votes."

 

A couple interesting things to unpack:

 

1. He's clearly paving the road ahead should it fail to thrust blame onto others and off of Donald "I alone can fix it" Trump.

 

2. Seriously? This is EVERYTHING you all have to offer in terms of fixing healthcare?

 

 

If that doesn't make it completely, transparently clear that this group of people never really cared that much about fixing this in the first place, I don't know what would.

[JJ Husker]

They've had 7 years, but that could've all been forgiven had they taken more time now and come up with a good plan to improve upon the ACA.

 

The problem is Paul Ryan (among others) has no intention of coming up with a good plan. Most fans of Ayn Rand are incapable of feeling empathy for people down on their luck, therefore they have no interest in helping them. His goal was never about helping anyone. It was about taking away as much as possible from those with no power to save $ without upsetting enough people to not get re-elected.

 

This^

I'm a fan of Ayn Rand but luckily I'm no politician so I don't have to worry about re-election or lining the pockets of my wealthy donors. I feel empathy for people that need help and I can recognize bad legislation when I see it. They had a real opportunity to improve the ACA and healthcare in this country and they are totally squandering it. Both parties have had their shot at reducing the cost of healthcare and they've both fallen way short of anything sensible. But at least the dems helped some people along their misguided way.

[TGHusker]

This display of poor leadership in Congress is really revealing. They were never prepared to really replace the ACA. The talk of repeal was as shallow as their multiple fake attempts to repeal it under Obama - like he was going to sign that bill. All show and no go. I think this could be fixed if both sides compromised and made it bipartisan. The dems have to realize that the ACA was on a death spiral and something had to be done the repubs have to grow up and realize that throwing darts from the darkness is far different than what they are called to do now - lead and come up with a bill that reduces cost of premiums, creating a safety net for those who cannot afford premiums, all with a plan with adequate coverage. Part of what makes insurance so expensive is that it covers everything including toenail fungus - limit coverage to major events and to a wellness check up and that may drive some costs down.

 

Let me add: I talked to my dad yesterday in SD. He just changed his party ID from Repub to Indep. I told him, his son isn't too far behind. Things like this (how the repubs are handling their golden opportunity - as in failure) give me little confidence in the party. Granted, no way I become or lean Dem - they have too many issues but I know of many good local Dems or Libertarians (besides my local repub congressman) who I could vote for without feeling an obligation towards a party.

[QMany]

This display of poor leadership in Congress is really revealing. They were never prepared to really replace the ACA. The talk of repeal was as shallow as their multiple fake attempts to repeal it under Obama - like he was going to sign that bill. All show and no go.

 

This is a total failure by Paul Ryan and the rest of the GOP Congress, but Donald does not get a pass.

 

 

 

The dems have to realize that the ACA was on a death spiral ...

 

That is what Fox & Friends keeps saying, but I don't believe that is true. Could it be improved? Certainly. "Death spiral" is hyperbolic propaganda.

[knapplc]

 

The dems have to realize that the ACA was on a death spiral ...

That is what Fox & Friends keeps saying, but I don't believe that is true. Could it be improved? Certainly. "Death spiral" is hyperbolic propaganda.

 

Yeah, that's the Fox news line. Obamacare absolutely needs fixing, but "death spiral" is the line the Republicans are selling - the same group that has sabotaged it now that they're entirely in power and openly stated they intend to let it wither and die, intentionally. They knew they didn't have a plan good enough to replace Obamacare, and they've been planning for this plan to fail all along. It's a poison pill, never meant or intended to pass. Passing the AHCA would be worse than losing this vote.

 

This is pure politics. They had today's vote in mind since before Trump met with the CEOs of the major insurance carriers and came out declaring it a "great meeting."

[NM11046]

This display of poor leadership in Congress is really revealing. They were never prepared to really replace the ACA. The talk of repeal was as shallow as their multiple fake attempts to repeal it under Obama - like he was going to sign that bill. All show and no go. I think this could be fixed if both sides compromised and made it bipartisan. The dems have to realize that the ACA was on a death spiral and something had to be done the repubs have to grow up and realize that throwing darts from the darkness is far different than what they are called to do now - lead and come up with a bill that reduces cost of premiums, creating a safety net for those who cannot afford premiums, all with a plan with adequate coverage. Part of what makes insurance so expensive is that it covers everything including toenail fungus - limit coverage to major events and to a wellness check up and that may drive some costs down.

 

Let me add: I talked to my dad yesterday in SD. He just changed his party ID from Repub to Indep. I told him, his son isn't too far behind. Things like this (how the repubs are handling their golden opportunity - as in failure) give me little confidence in the party. Granted, no way I become or lean Dem - they have too many issues but I know of many good local Dems or Libertarians (besides my local repub congressman) who I could vote for without feeling an obligation towards a party.

Kudos to you TG. We can't be guilty of sticking w/party lines as voters when we are all worked up when our leaders do so without consideration of their constituents.

 

So SD may be turning purple aye? Interesting.

[Danny Bateman]

[Danny Bateman]

I agree with the take that it is politically less damaging for this bill to actually fail than for them to pass it and have it own it.

 

However, it serves as a powerful reminder that given 7 years and a fully Republican Congress, the GOP couldn't field a better plan than the one they spent that entire time trashing.

 

Additionally, since my first priority is a functional healthcare system accessible to as many people as possible, this is a win. This was a horrible Frankenstein bill.

 

In a death spiral the ACA is not. But it is really poor governance for the party in power to flatly refuse to address imperfections in the law. In so doing, they hang us all out to dry waiting for an opportunity to force whatever plan they come up with on us if it does ultimately fail.