Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 09:46 pm
Donald Trump, when he was done blaming not Russia but Hillary Clinton and the DNC for the collapse of American democracy, returned his attention back to Obamacare and it’s many alleged failings:
Republicans must be careful in that the Dems own the failed ObamaCare disaster, with its poor coverage and massive premium increases……
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2017
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
like the 116% hike in Arizona. Also, deductibles are so high that it is practically useless. Don't let the Schumer clowns out of this web…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2017
massive increases of ObamaCare will take place this year and Dems are to blame for the mess. It will fall of its own weight – be careful!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2017
These are constant themes in Trump’s attacks on the healthcare reform that, for the first time, gave many Americans a chance of seeing a doctor – and of not being denied needed care. The system is perfect by no means, but it is a lot better than what we had before, and to what Republicans want to return us to.
Media Matters for America provided 10 facts reporters should mention when they cover Obamacare, and none of them will be mentioned by Donald Trump or congressional Republicans, or indeed, by the mainstream media:
1. Passage Of The ACA Has Resulted In The Lowest Uninsured Rate In Recent History
2. The ACA Medicaid Expansion Provided Health Care Access For Millions Of The Most Vulnerable Americans
3. The ACA Tangibly Improved Women’s Health Care Coverage
4. The ACA Helped America Take Huge Steps Toward LGBTQ Equality
5. Contrary To Popular Belief, The ACA Extended The Solvency Of Medicare By Over 10 Years
6. The ACA Reduced The Budget Deficit, Reined In Medical Costs, And Reduced Economic Inequality
7. The ACA Improved Health Care Access For Minority Communities.
8. The ACA Banned Discrimination Against Those With Pre-Existing Conditions
9. The ACA Provided Crucial Insurance To Young Adults
10. The ACA Resulted In The Biggest Expansion Of Mental Health Care Services In Decades
These are just plain facts, and they are beyond dispute. Every American, whether they have obtained coverage on the marketplace or not, benefit from eliminating limitations based on pre-existing conditions and this list does not even include the elimination of lifetime limits which would render care of expensive medical conditions all but impossible.
Donald Trump made opposition to Obamacare central to his campaign, but as usual, his attacks are lacking a factual basis. When Donald Trump speaks of “poor coverage,” it needs to be remembered that we’re talking about an additional 20 million + who have coverage and didn’t have it before.
When Mike Pence tweeted this morning, “We’re going to keep our promise to the American people. Our 1st order of business will be to repeal & replace Obamacare,” he was doing nothing less than attacking the health – and in some cases, the lives – of millions of Americans.
Leave it to Donald Trump and the GOP to politicize healthcare. Nancy Pelosi deems the repeal of Obamacare with no alternative “an act of cowardice.” As Chuck Schumer says, the GOP Obamacare repeal plan would “Make America Sick Again.” It sure won’t make America great.
Hrafnkell Haraldsson, a social liberal with leanings toward centrist politics has degrees in history and philosophy. His interests include, besides history and philosophy, human rights issues, freedom of choice, religion, and the precarious dichotomy of freedom of speech and intolerance. He brings a slightly different perspective to his writing, being that he is neither a follower of an Abrahamic faith nor an atheist but a polytheist, a modern-day Heathen who follows the customs and traditions of his Norse ancestors. He maintains his own blog, A Heathen’s Day, which deals with Heathen and Pagan matters, and Mos Maiorum Foundation www.mosmaiorum.org, dedicated to ethnic religion. He has also contributed to NewsJunkiePost, GodsOwnParty and Pagan+Politics.
