Art of the Spueal

Candidate Trump was going to repeal and replace Obamacare on day one with something awesome.  President Trump said, "No one understands how complicated healthcare is."  Actually Trump was the only simpleton in the room.  Everyone knows the sector that makes up 1/6th of the economy, and accounts for the mental and physical well being of 300 million Americans, is complex.

Going into final negotiations AHCA proponents giddily promised that Trump was the closer.  He would seal the deal.  Afterwards, Spicer and others explained that this was not a  one on one negotiation.  Many people and factions were in play.  In other words Trump is a master at checkers, but not the three dimensional chess, that is politics.

Always quick to accept credit, Trump is even quicker at deflecting blame.  The Democrats were at fault.  Not a single Democrat backed the bill.  Trump neglected to mention that no one asked Democrats for their input or their votes.  In the mad rush to a vote there were no witnesses called, no committee hearings, no meetings with medical groups, and no outreach to Democrats.

This stands in stark contrast to Obamacare.  The ACA passed without GOP votes, but not for want of trying.  Obama started with a super majority in the Senate and could have easily passed the bill on a straight party vote.  Instead he spent months, and made unilateral concessions, to garner support from moderate GOP senators.

The squealer in chief has no one to blame but himself.  Something he will never do.

GOP Owns Heath Care

Adverse selection has limited competition in many markets.  Those at high risk, and with preexisting conditions have heard the siren call of ObamaCare.  Younger, healthier individuals pushed the mute button. So in some markets insurance companies are losing money, and withdrawing from exchanges, lessening competition, and exacerbating the problem.   Now that the GOP has failed to enact a replacement, they should join with Democrats to make some simple changes in the law to enhance competition.

Additionally, our media savvy president, sho has successfully sold fake diplomas,  could easily entice the young to buy insurance.  But instead, he cut the advertising budget.  His golden touch hides a heart of coal.  Trump has extolled the political virtue of letting the ACA fail.  Human suffering is a small price to pay for a political victory.

The GOP controls the levers of government.  If Social Security fails on their watch, they cannot blame FDR.  Such is also the case with the ACA.   Democrats must publicly propose changes to improve Obamacare.  Republicans fail to act at their own peril.