It was one of those details that was generally overlooked, but during the fight over health care reform in 2009 and 2010, congressional Republicans promised, over and over again, to come up with a GOP alternative to "Obamacare." They weren't just attacking the Democratic plan, they said, Republicans were committed to presenting their own meaningful solutions.
After missing a series of self-imposed deadlines, Republican leaders slapped together a half-hearted joke -- the plan largely ignored the uninsured, did nothing for those with pre-existing conditions, and offered nothing for those worried about losing coverage when it's needed most.
That was 28 months ago. The GOP hasn't even tried to do any real policy work on the issue since.
Republicans are eager for the Supreme Court to turn back the clock, undo the recent national progress, and strip Americans who've benefited from the Affordable Care Act of their coverage and protections, but even now, GOP officials haven't the foggiest idea what, if anything, they'd do for struggling American families if "Obamacare" is repealed or struck down.
A ruling striking down the health law could pose future political problems for Republicans if Americans are still unable to find affordable health insurance or if policies provide inadequate coverage.
Republican lawmakers with experience on health care issues acknowledge that they will have to take action should the health law fall, and planning for the next steps has kicked into high gear. [...]
"Our wheels are beginning to turn," said Representative Fred Upton, Republican of Michigan and chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which would have a large role in developing Republican alternatives to the Obama health care law.
Is that so. Three years after beginning work on a Republican alternative on health care reform, and two years after assuring the public that GOP policymakers will "replace" the Affordable Care Act with a credible policy after Obamacare is "repealed," now Republicans' "wheels are beginning to turn"?
The point here is not to simply laugh at GOP officials' reluctance to take policy matters seriously. Rather, the point is the larger salience for the public that couldn't rely on the dysfunctional mess the Affordable Care Act has been cleaning up.
As Greg Sargent explained, "Now that Obamacare's demise is a real possibility, the question of what Republicans would do instead is no longer a symbolic one. Republicans can no longer rail about repealing Obamacare, secure in the knowledge that they don't have to come up with anything to replace it. They may very well get their way... So again, what do Republicans ... think the federal government should do for the nation's tens of millions of uninsured? Is the answer basically 'Nothing'?"
Leave a Comment:
Lower taxes on the wealthy and corporations,then health care will trickle down. That's the republican answer to everything.
A real moronic believe it is. The base of the Repugs may be in the dream world, hoping to belong to the top 15% someday so they believe anything and their leaders know it. Just as the Devil knows how to stumble man, the GOP leadership knows how brainwashed their base is. I pity them.
"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. . . . corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed."
-- U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, Nov. 21, 1864
(letter to Col. William F. Elkins)
Ref: The Lincoln Encyclopedia, Archer H. Shaw (Macmillan, 1950, NY)
Why exactly did Bin Ladin attack the twin towers? I know he was a religious zealot but, what exactly did he believe about Americans or was it just our Large Corporations and our torture policies?
I have read and believe it was our air base in Saudi Arabia that torqued him off most. Our Western ways was an affront to taint the ancient Islamic fundamentalist traditions he held.
The Prince Sultan Air Base was moved to Qatar in 2003
http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=29047
http://news.sky.com/home/article/12758358
It was done quietly, but it was done by Bush Admin as a mutual decision, and making sure the bin Laden family were evacuated from the U.S. at some dispute is the date, it was done shortly after 911.
http://www.answers.com/topic/osama-bin-laden
Mitch McConnell already said there is no plan to replace, only to repeal, unless the Supremes cooperate. And, THAT is the only GOP plan.
Rachel Maddow devoted seven minutes to the [SCOTUS strip-search ruling] story last night without mentioning the [Obama DOJ's] support for the ruling. The graphic backdrop showed Obama in majestic profile framed by the caption “I FOUGHT THE LAW.” Was Maddow consciously misleading her audience?
No, but Obama is known not to agree with the law when it comes to the rights of people. I can say that the DOJ is not only Obama's. In the same way the SCOTUS is not any particular person. The SCOTUS is not for the USA any more but it works for corporations.
The constitution is supposed to serve this country's people not for the people to serve the constitution. Laws are supposed to serve man for his benefit, not man to serve the law. The law does not need anything, it does not breath air, drink water, eat food and needs shelter and it does not need to pursue its happiness... It is supposed to regulate industry so it does not infringe on man's rights to those things.
Rachel Maddow devoted seven minutes to the [SCOTUS strip-search ruling] story last night without mentioning the [Obama DOJ's] support for the ruling. The graphic backdrop showed Obama in majestic profile framed by the caption “I FOUGHT THE LAW.” Was Maddow consciously misleading her audience?
I thought "Let 'em die" was the Republican plan???
The right has used "Repeal and Replace" to attack every social program since Social Security. They have never had a coherent idea what the "replace" part would be, but after Medicare they did have a name: "Bettercare". What that meant was, though, as usual undefined except insofar as it meant as always status quo ante.-- or worse.
Considering that their "big idea" was actually implemented into the Affordable Care Act and they suddenly turned tail and wanted it repealed...I'm guessing they've got nothing. We'll be back to bleeding tax dollars into soaring health care costs due to un/under-insured Americans unable to get preventative care and resorting again to the ER. The ACA was bipartisan middle ground, unfortunately it came at a time that the GOP's "First priority, or only priority should be to make Obama a one term president" therefore nullifying any attempt to find a real solution. They have effectively shot themselves in the foot with this one.
I think you've hit the nail on the head. The republican plan is 'plan ER.'
I'm telling you, this turnips almost all dried up. Then what? They sure don't like taxes but, they sure do like the rising costs of everything. Why is that? All of us love our families why shouldn't all of us have the best available healthcare there is. The life you save may be your own. Whose to say which individual on this planet will come up with the cure for Aids etc. etc. etc. Oh, yeah they're not too concerned about that one, are they? Do you think they're hiding cures the same way they've hidden the electric car?
The Republicans will not offer a concrete proposal until after the election. Otherwise, the voters might realize the Republican plan does nothing to address the issues.
God Fearing Christians will go to their church for healthcare.
Godless Liberals are SOL.
And THAT is a plan. . .
Liberals are not Godless.
from the article above: "...Is the answer basically 'Nothing'?" "
It would seem that the GOP's answer is
a resounding, unequivocal, whimpering"Yes!"And I assume if Romney had his way that answer would be "Yes - maybe."
What problem? He's never had any problem getting health care, and neither have his friends who own hospitals.
Why is it that they are allowed the best healthcare and we are not? What makes them better than us?
File this one under "Be Careful What You Wish For."
OF COURSE THEY HAVE NOTHING.
they've ALWAYS had nothing.
Alan Grayson had the GOP Medical plan NAILED.
If memory serves, the Republicans did offer a plan. It consisted of national tort reform to limit the compensation of those injured by medical negligence and interstate competition by insurers which meant allowing them to write nationally subject only to the regulations of their domicile state which, in turn, meant that insurers could locate in the state of least regulation such as South Dakota and sell anywhere without honoring the regulations of the state of sale. Not much of a plan and it certainly would have made life of ordinary folks worse.
Yes this was the plan.
I submit that all of the uninsured and unemployed should be put into the military. Not only would the GOP have cannon fodder for their wars, but could actually justify raising the defense budget.
Yeah, we'll all join the military but, we'll refuse to fight. We can bake cookies instead and hand them out to our make-beleive enemies.
He forgot to mention that their wheels are square..
their wheels are turning, all right.
"now, how can we and our cronies make more f**king money from our health care 'plan'?"
a**holes
Well, they could reintroduce the Heritage plan from twenty years ago. Or maybe the Nixon plan from forty years ago.
Their plan is the one from Mel Brook's 2000-Year-Old Man routine: lie there until you get better.
Abraham Lincoln said "this government of the people, by the people and for the people" I can't imagine Romney saying such a phrase, and stunned silence if you asked what "for the people" meant to him. As far as health care goes, you're on your own as far as the republicans think. Privatize it all. If you can't afford it, then that's your fault for being poor or down on your luck.
Why is no one speaking about the tens of thousands of deaths which would result from the ACA being struck down? I guess it's been mentioned once and now it's « old news »!
According this Harvard study published in 2009 in the American Journal of Public Health : « Lack of health insurance is associated with as many as 44789 deaths per year in the United States ». Year after year... This is unconscionable.
http://pnhp.org/excessdeaths/health-insurance-and-mortality-in-US-adults.pdf
How did these men get to be so powerful?
Here's what they'll do:
Blah blah blah...
Rail on incessantly about it, call it socialism, death panels, get folks all worked up with falsehoods… then the replace part… We'll get back to you after the election.
There have been studies cited in a book called The Republican Brain by Chris Mooney http://www.amazon.com/The-Republican-Brain-Science-Science/dp/1118094514/ref=pd_luc_top_sim_04_02_t_lh which show the conservative responds to negative words more so than the liberal. So, they will rant and rave about that book, then use the tactic of negative words like government death panels.
It would be great for mitt or mcconnell to answer to this
I paid into 3 separate H C premiums for over 30 years , did not use them till I was older of course , then on my 1st ever real H C issue , I was denied payment for the bill , so this all sounds fair to the GOP? When they try and pass off their non existent plan?
Let's just go with socialized medicine like our neighbors. Then if they're visiting they can use our doctors and visa versa. The time is now for Global Healthcare. Bill Gates and Bill Clinton have the right idea. This is a basic human right. Help people not hurt people. How have we drifted so far from common decency. There were hospitals named after The Good Samaritan, now I know why the names were changed. We no longer believe in that premise. When did we stop beleiving? I can understand paying for medical needs but, I don't believe it should cost you your life savings and your house. The Middle Class and the poor cannot afford to pay out of pocket for their medical expenses. Health Insurance is a joke. Now, we can no longer afford Health Insurance. The only alternative is socialized medicine. How can the Supreme court deny medical access to Americans.