We've been hearing for years from Republican politicians, Trump to Speaker Ryan and Members of Congress, about how they were going to repeal the Affordable Care Act they named "Obamacare." Now they're set to proceed without ever even considering, much less answering, this simple question: Why?
Why would ANYONE want to
--Deny anyone, much less tens of millions of people, the ability to go to the doctor when sick or to get preventive treatment to live happier, healthier lives
--Make it harder to start up small businesses by removing access to affordable health insurance
--Eliminate thousands of good jobs as doctors, nurses, or other providers
--Close hospitals, nursing homes and clinics, especially in rural areas
--Harm a significant segment of the US economy, including health care, one of the fastest growing segments
--Increase costs for hospital district taxpayers who pay for uncompensated care
--Force those with serious illness into bankruptcy
--Increase costs of prescriptions for seniors on Medicare
--Remove tax credits for businesses that pay for employee health insurance
--Increase our already extreme income inequality by tax cuts for the rich at the expense of the middle class and poor
--Increase unplanned pregnancies and increase the number of abortions (especially while claiming to be "pro-life")
--Saddle businesses with increased employees sickness
--Reduce the government's ability to combat Medicare/Medicaid fraud
--Reduce the federal and state governments' ability to control insurance premiums, growth now slowed under ACA
--Reduce the quality of care or the coverages of insurance?
These are just some of the questions they haven't addressed. They talk of replacement but have nothing comparable. If they persist in this insanity, we will have to give them a BIG answer at the ballot box in 2018 and 2020, "You're fired!"