GOP Cries Healthcare Tears for Thee, Not Me
The Hill's recent piece highlights House Republicans expressing 'concern' over expiring Obamacare subsidies, a concern conveniently timed with their own re-election prospects. These are the same Republicans who gleefully voted over 70 times to repeal, defund, or gut the Affordable Care Act (ACA) since its inception. Remember when Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) called the ACA a 'government takeover of
healthcare' in 2013? Now, extending subsidies that make health insurance affordable—a core tenet of the ACA—is suddenly imperative? One might wonder if their constituents finally got sick of being sick and broke. The irony is palpable. For years, these politicians campaigned on 'free markets' solving all ills, which translated to skyrocketing premiums and vast swathes of uninsured Americans. Yet,
when their seats are on the line, the 'welfare state' looks a lot more palatable. It's not about public health; it's about political survival. Their newfound compassion for their constituents' healthcare needs appears directly proportional to their polling numbers. Truly, no compassion like self-preservation. One can almost hear them lamenting the cost of insulin while simultaneously voting
against capping its price.