Classic advice of counselors and shrinks of all stripes is to "be careful what you wish for." It might bring unexpected consequences. The smashing 2016 Republican victory and golden opportunity to kill the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or "Obamacare" demonstrate the wisdom of this sage advice.
Improving access to affordable health care for the working poor, the unemployed, and those with pre-existing conditions is morally, ethically and economically the right thing to do. President Barack Obama spent a year and enormous political capital to finally get the ACA through congress, against Republican opposition to his desk.
Another adage is "no good deed goes unpunished." The day after Obama's election, Republicans vowed to oppose everything that Obama proposed. They successfully used the ACA as a stick with which to bloody Obama and the Democrats.
Although Obama whipped Romney in 2012, Republicans continued beating up Obama with the ACA, gaining ground in Congress. Republicans voted over 60 times to overturn the ACA, knowing that it would never be signed into law. Every Republican who participated in this political charade can justifiably be accused of political and moral cowardice.
"If only we had a Republican in the White House," they bayed at the moon, "then we could get rid of this disaster that is wrecking the economy."
Candidate Donald Trump, who in an earlier life supported Planned Parenthood and ostensibly believed everyone should have access to affordable health care, joined Paul Ryan and the Republicans in trashing the ACA. Bring him a bill and he would sign it his first day.
Alas, the Republicans got what they wished for - with a Republican in the White House, absolute total control of the government.
Where was the bill that Trump would sign on his first day? Oh, they only had seven years to construct one, but didn't have one ready. It had been more fun and politically expedient to yell and scream about the ACA.
No responsibility whatsoever, casting their disingenuous votes to repeal, knowing that it could not happen.
Nor had the babbling network and cable media stars expressed any empathy or understanding of people who had problems with access to health care, or paid any attention to beneficiaries of the ACA. The media totally ignored the occasional hardcore Republican from Appalachia who acknowledged being saved by the ACA.
The out-of-touch elitists of National Public Radio (NPR) - full disclosure, I support NPR - were as complicit as the commercial media clones in repeating Republican talking points, focusing on deficiencies and unpopularity of the ACA. Never did we see any polls on what those relying on the ACA thought of it. Seldom, if ever, did either the commercial media or NPR explain the need or economic rationale for universal coverage, or the matter of responsibility for everyone to carry health insurance. And why were there no media visits to big city hospital emergency rooms that would have emphasized the need for universal coverage? We couldn't expect that from the commercial media. But NPR totally dropped the ball - far easier, and safer, to emulate the commercial media and repeat Republican talking points.
So Ryan and the Republicans in total control, having had seven years to do it, had no bill ready for Trump to sign. They hastily cobble one up, with tax cuts for the wealthiest 2 percent as its signature nod to Wall Street and Freedom Caucus conservatives. With his usual banalities of "freedom" and "market competition," Ryan cites "increased options" that include the option to purchase junk policies or opt out completely.
The hastily cobbled Ryan plan wasn't cruel enough for the ultraconservative Republicans. By then, some Republican politicians had experienced a "come to Jesus" moment from constituents who testified that they were alive and financially whole, solely due to the ACA.
The out-of-touch media nitwits are suddenly as shocked as Republicans who feared holding town halls in their own districts, dumbfounded that real people beneath their radar actually benefit from the ACA.
In panic, Ryan jacks around with the bill, attempting to make it even more cruel and acceptable to House conservatives. Trump threatens recalcitrant Republicans with unspecified consequences.
The media-crowned "policy genius" Ryan fails to come up with language to please a majority of his Republican colleagues. The self-proclaimed deal-maker Trump fails to close the deal with his Republicans. Without the Republican votes to pass it, Ryan, knowing that it would be a colossal failure, fails to bring the bill to a vote.
The Republicans fail to deliver on the promise that we have heard for seven years.
Trump's response: "It's the Democrats' fault."
With Congressional majorities and a Republican in the White House that they had long wished for, they didn't need the Democrats. This, especially with "policy genius" Ryan and "deal-maker" Trump in charge. It was not Democrats who couldn't sell steak to a starving man, but Trump's and Republicans' own angry and fearful constituents in their districts who turned it around.
Although the ACA is saved for now, the issue is not resolved. Democrats have long held that some adjustments are needed to remedy deficiencies of the ACA; repair, not repeal.
For the issue to be resolved, several points need agreement:
First, the goal itself, that every citizen should be insured and have access to affordable health care.
Second, it is a responsibility to be insured. Republicans don't agree on this, insisting that citizens must have the "freedom to opt out."
These same conservatives who believe in "freedom to opt out" are first to remind us that "there is no such thing as a free lunch." When the uninsured rely on emergency rooms for routine care, costs are raised for everyone else. Therefore, it makes economic sense that all are adequately insured.
Third, all must recognize reality. Left to the free market, many people will be left out; the market fails.
Hard reality requires a role for government.
- John Waelti of Monroe, a retired professor of economics, can be reached at jjwaelti1@tds.net. His column appears Fridays in The Monroe Times.
Improving access to affordable health care for the working poor, the unemployed, and those with pre-existing conditions is morally, ethically and economically the right thing to do. President Barack Obama spent a year and enormous political capital to finally get the ACA through congress, against Republican opposition to his desk.
Another adage is "no good deed goes unpunished." The day after Obama's election, Republicans vowed to oppose everything that Obama proposed. They successfully used the ACA as a stick with which to bloody Obama and the Democrats.
Although Obama whipped Romney in 2012, Republicans continued beating up Obama with the ACA, gaining ground in Congress. Republicans voted over 60 times to overturn the ACA, knowing that it would never be signed into law. Every Republican who participated in this political charade can justifiably be accused of political and moral cowardice.
"If only we had a Republican in the White House," they bayed at the moon, "then we could get rid of this disaster that is wrecking the economy."
Candidate Donald Trump, who in an earlier life supported Planned Parenthood and ostensibly believed everyone should have access to affordable health care, joined Paul Ryan and the Republicans in trashing the ACA. Bring him a bill and he would sign it his first day.
Alas, the Republicans got what they wished for - with a Republican in the White House, absolute total control of the government.
Where was the bill that Trump would sign on his first day? Oh, they only had seven years to construct one, but didn't have one ready. It had been more fun and politically expedient to yell and scream about the ACA.
No responsibility whatsoever, casting their disingenuous votes to repeal, knowing that it could not happen.
Nor had the babbling network and cable media stars expressed any empathy or understanding of people who had problems with access to health care, or paid any attention to beneficiaries of the ACA. The media totally ignored the occasional hardcore Republican from Appalachia who acknowledged being saved by the ACA.
The out-of-touch elitists of National Public Radio (NPR) - full disclosure, I support NPR - were as complicit as the commercial media clones in repeating Republican talking points, focusing on deficiencies and unpopularity of the ACA. Never did we see any polls on what those relying on the ACA thought of it. Seldom, if ever, did either the commercial media or NPR explain the need or economic rationale for universal coverage, or the matter of responsibility for everyone to carry health insurance. And why were there no media visits to big city hospital emergency rooms that would have emphasized the need for universal coverage? We couldn't expect that from the commercial media. But NPR totally dropped the ball - far easier, and safer, to emulate the commercial media and repeat Republican talking points.
So Ryan and the Republicans in total control, having had seven years to do it, had no bill ready for Trump to sign. They hastily cobble one up, with tax cuts for the wealthiest 2 percent as its signature nod to Wall Street and Freedom Caucus conservatives. With his usual banalities of "freedom" and "market competition," Ryan cites "increased options" that include the option to purchase junk policies or opt out completely.
The hastily cobbled Ryan plan wasn't cruel enough for the ultraconservative Republicans. By then, some Republican politicians had experienced a "come to Jesus" moment from constituents who testified that they were alive and financially whole, solely due to the ACA.
The out-of-touch media nitwits are suddenly as shocked as Republicans who feared holding town halls in their own districts, dumbfounded that real people beneath their radar actually benefit from the ACA.
In panic, Ryan jacks around with the bill, attempting to make it even more cruel and acceptable to House conservatives. Trump threatens recalcitrant Republicans with unspecified consequences.
The media-crowned "policy genius" Ryan fails to come up with language to please a majority of his Republican colleagues. The self-proclaimed deal-maker Trump fails to close the deal with his Republicans. Without the Republican votes to pass it, Ryan, knowing that it would be a colossal failure, fails to bring the bill to a vote.
The Republicans fail to deliver on the promise that we have heard for seven years.
Trump's response: "It's the Democrats' fault."
With Congressional majorities and a Republican in the White House that they had long wished for, they didn't need the Democrats. This, especially with "policy genius" Ryan and "deal-maker" Trump in charge. It was not Democrats who couldn't sell steak to a starving man, but Trump's and Republicans' own angry and fearful constituents in their districts who turned it around.
Although the ACA is saved for now, the issue is not resolved. Democrats have long held that some adjustments are needed to remedy deficiencies of the ACA; repair, not repeal.
For the issue to be resolved, several points need agreement:
First, the goal itself, that every citizen should be insured and have access to affordable health care.
Second, it is a responsibility to be insured. Republicans don't agree on this, insisting that citizens must have the "freedom to opt out."
These same conservatives who believe in "freedom to opt out" are first to remind us that "there is no such thing as a free lunch." When the uninsured rely on emergency rooms for routine care, costs are raised for everyone else. Therefore, it makes economic sense that all are adequately insured.
Third, all must recognize reality. Left to the free market, many people will be left out; the market fails.
Hard reality requires a role for government.
- John Waelti of Monroe, a retired professor of economics, can be reached at jjwaelti1@tds.net. His column appears Fridays in The Monroe Times.
