Wednesday, January 04, 2017

Stopping the GOP's efforts to repeal, even partially, the ACA without an adequate replacement

This is a theme I will be returning to repeatedly throughout the year. Right now, Congressional GOPers are figuring out how they can repeal Obamacare without offering a replacement, delaying it until later. Obviously, they do not have a plan, and a delay strategy would be no less painful if they repeal parts of the ACA through the budget reconciliation process. They cannot repeal the law outright, but they can damage its infrastructure by repealing and/or defunding components of it that affect the federal budget, such as the individual mandate, cost-sharing reductions, Medicaid expansion. Their efforts are filibuster proof too if done through budget reconciliation.

I have started a YouTube channel where I will be commenting, discussing, and conducting interviews about various issues as well as laws and rights that are most likely to come under attack by the Republican administration and congress. Democrats don't have much leverage at the moment, which means the fight will have to come from the people, letting legislators know how you feel, making sure our voices are heard.

Below are my first two ACA-related videos: one about my healthcare story and why affordable, quality healthcare is so important and the other that outlines some of the benefits that people across the political spectrum like in the healthcare law. Obamacare is not the healthcare system I would have designed, but it does include several positive provisions as well as subsidies that have helped many Americans who do not have employer-paid insurance afford medical coverage they previously could not.

Please subscribe to my YouTube channel if you like my videos and want to stay engaged. Right now, it's only commentary but will eventually include interviews, discussions, and panels, which should be lively and fun, and possibly even a political web series further down the road. Enjoy!