For the past 20 years, Republicans have become destroyers and not creators. If they disagree, or ‘pretend’ to disagree with legislation, their first goal is to repeal it; they never consider repairing anything which exists and has positive effects for the majority.
A perfect example is what has become known as Obamacare. I have first hand experience with this law. Until last year, my wife was enrolled in the Affordable Care Act; she is now on Medicare. There were problems, but like millions of other Americans, she could afford insurance; the cost would have been prohibitive without assistance from Obamacare.
I followed the positives and negatives of Obamacare for six years. What convinced me that it was a good program, for now, were the stories I heard about the lives that were saved because of Obamacare. Thousand of Americans whose income is not considered ‘privileged’ would have lost their battle for life.
I would have preferred a ‘single payer’ program similar to those which are so effective in other nations in the developed world, including our neighbor to the north. Republicans attempted to claim that these nation’s healthcare laws were a failure, but that was a lie. Simple research revealed the fact that the majority of citizens in these nations are very pleased, and some state that this is one reason they would never choose to live in the United States; including my cousin who lives in Canada.
The truth is that Obamacare needed alterations, but the basics of the law were sound, and any reconstruction effort requires a firm foundation.
The other truth, is that Republicans want to destroy the legacy of the Affordable Care Act for President Obama; it’s all based on politics, without concern for the great majority of the American people.
Their plan for replacing Obamacare is already a failure. Two of the most damning aspects of ‘Trumpcare’ will result in the unnecessary deaths of thousands of Americans.
Within 10 years, at least 24 million Americans will be without healthcare. Secondly, older Americans, who have not yet reached the age where they are eligible for Medicare, will be unable to afford Trumpcare.
The example given offers the plight of an individual who is 64-years-of-age, whose income is $26,500 per year. This man or woman’s premiums would rise by more than $13,000 per year.
Even Republican’s biggest supporter, FOX Noise, questions the intelligence and the lack of compassion behind the bill supported and partially constructed by Speaker of the House, and America’s biggest hypocrite, Paul Ryan.
Ryan was interviewed by FOX Noise’ Chris Wallace on Sunday morning.
“You said that part of that is that this is what freedom looks like,” Wallace recalled. “But is the major decrease in the number of people — according to the CBO — who will have health insurance, is it freedom or is it that some people will no longer be able to afford health insurance under your plan?”
As Republicans always do, Ryan virtually ignored the truth, and failed in an attempt to redirect the facts.
“The person in their 50s or 60s does have additional health care costs than, say, a person in their 20s and 30s,” Ryan continued. “You’re right in saying — and we agree — we believe we should have even more assistance and that’s one of the things we’re looking at for that person in their 50s and 60s.”
The truth is that Ryan failed to answer the question; he has no idea and no intent to ‘fix’ the problem.
It’s up to me to once again tell the truth. Ryan and his Republican cronies have had a single plan since Obamacare became law in 2010; to repeal Obamacare without replacing it with a viable law, and to reduce or repeal Medicare and Medicaid. The facts are there, and they’re easy to find.
Republicans must cease their attempts to destroy all the advances made for the majority of the American people in the last 60 years. These positive actions were not accomplished by Democrats alone. It was Richard Nixon who created the Environmental Protection Agency. It was George H.W. Bush who supported childcare assistance for low-income wage earners, and signed the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Ryan, and Mitch McConnell are the worst leaders of any party in history. It is not accurate to call them Republicans; they lack the principles and ideas of the once Grand Old Party.
Please re-post; your friends and neighbors have the right to know the truth.
Op-Ed
By James Turnage
Photo courtesy of DonkeyHotey
Follow me on twitter; @jamesturnagenov
The Truth With No Restrictions 