As I See It
Republicans turn to craft workable, affordable health care plan
Your turn. Those who promise a quick end to Obamacare have worked hard to kill it, but not so hard to fix it. Critics have shouted end Obamacare, and it is widely assumed that Republicans who control Congress will make ending the Affordable Care Act their top priority in the coming term. But then what? U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan is already backpedaling on the repeal Obamacare pledge. Ryan suggests Congress may vote to end Obamacare, but delay the date of its demise. Why? Because coming up with a workable health care plan that people can afford and is sustainable is hard. Ryan says so himself, pointing out it took six years to create and adopt the Affordable Care Act, so there won’t be a replacement plan available, in his words, next football season. But Ryan and the rest of his party who were so critical of the legislation, and made killing it their top priority, still don’t have a plan for something better. They had six years, just like Obama, to develop a plan. They didn’t. If only those who worked so tirelessly to kill Obamacare had instead spent their time coming up with a better plan, we could pass that ideal health care legislation tomorrow. But we’re still waiting for those who so eagerly tell us what they don’t like to provide a plan they do like.