Our Representatives Couldn't Care Less

After Thursday’s marathon political circus it is clear that Obamacare will still remain as this nation’s healthcare provider.  However whether you’re joyous or sad regarding this outcome is irrelevant because out of this dysfunctional episode called health care reform one glaring aspect of our political system stood out.

Basically many of our representatives couldn’t care less about the quality of life of the constituents they represent.  After Friday’s early morning vote media outlets reported the following, “Even some senators who voted for the ‘skinny bill’ conceded that its enactment could have been disastrous.”

One can only conclude from this reporting that although the measure failed by one vote, it was perceived by many senators that the bill would have been detrimental to those it served.  Apparently several Republican senators seemed relieved that it failed.  Three took the heat and had the courage to vote their conscience of what they thought was best for their constituents, given the alternative, rather than perform as spineless sheep, Louisiana’s two senators included in the latter group.

Even in the beginning of the healthcare reform movement, after the House passed by four votes its version to replace Obamacare, many Republican House members appeared to be glad punting the bill to the Senate, where they acknowledge it would be changed or stall.  One was quoted as saying, “We had a vote over here, but the Senate will fix whatever we did wrong,” again opting to follow as a sheep rather than assume any responsibility in clearly voting what he perceived would be best for this country.  After its passage President Trump, in his limited vocabulary, even called the House bill “mean,” expressing hope the Senate bill might have a bit more “heart.”

Republicans had seven years to devise a health care replacement or reform for The Affordable Care Act.   During that interval all they did was complain, and when the time came to produce their plan had none.   Consequently they were forced to rapidly throw one together in both the House and the Senate in less than a month without review or debate.  In the Senate the plan was developed by 13 Republican male senators in totally secrecy behind closed doors.  Six of those Senators’ largest campaign donors were health insurance providers or pharmaceutical corporations.  Talk is cheap, meaningful action is difficult.

Our Republican leaders claimed they wished to serve their constituents by repealing Obamacare, but when given the chance voted for something they doubted was any better and felt might be worse.  Yet, they voted for it anyway. Today’s Democrats are no better.  Clearly there is something morally wrong with this picture. 

However, if anyone had any doubts about whether or not our political system is broken, the healthcare reform attempt should resolve that question; it’s broken from the Congress up to the Commander- in- Chief.