President-elect Trump is beginning his propaganda effort that is designed to make 30 million Americans losing access to their healthcare look like a good thing.
Trump tweeted:
The Democrat Governor.of Minnesota said "The Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) is no longer affordable!" – And, it is lousy healthcare.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2017
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
People must remember that ObamaCare just doesn't work, and it is not affordable – 116% increases (Arizona). Bill Clinton called it "CRAZY"
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2017
Let’s start with the obvious lies.
Here is what Bill Clinton said in full:
The current system works fine if you’re eligible for Medicaid if you’re a lower-income working person, if you’re already on Medicare, or if you get enough subsidies on a modest income that you can afford your health care. But the people that are getting killed in this deal are small businesspeople and individuals who make just a little too much to get any of these subsidies.
So you’ve got this crazy system where all of a sudden, 25 million more people have health care and then the people that are out there busting it ― sometimes 60 hours a week ― wind up with their premiums doubled and their coverage cut in half. It’s the craziest thing in the world.
So here’s the simplest thing….Here’s the simplest thing. Figure out an affordable rate, and let people use that . Something that won’t undermine with your quality of life, won’t interfere with you ability to make expenses, won’t interfere with your ability to save money for kids’ education, and let people buy into Medicare or Medicaid.
Clinton was arguing for expanding health care access. He never called the ACA crazy.
Gov. Dayton was arguing for Congress to do something to make the ACA work better. He wasn’t talking about repealing the law. Instead, he was urging Republicans in Congress to improve it.
The topper to the propaganda effort came when Kellyanne Conway argued on MSNBC’s Morning Joe that Trump is going to both repeal Obamacare and give everyone health insurance, “We don’t want anyone who currently has insurance to not have insurance. Also, we are aware that the public likes coverage for pre-existing conditions. There are some pieces of merit in the current plan…”
Conway’s comments were fantasy. They were also not true. Republicans have no replacement plan, which is why they keep pushing back the date when they will implement full ACA repeal by years at a time.
According to the Urban Institute, 29.8 million Americans will lose their health insurance after the ACA is repealed.
The American people aren’t stupid. Losing your health insurance is not a good thing, but Republicans are selling lies and propaganda in an effort to disguise the fact that they are going to hurt 30 million Americans when they repeal the Affordable Care Act.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
