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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsGOP struggles with Obamacare surge
By Steve Benen
As much of the country has probably heard, today marks the end of the open-enrollment period in the Affordable Care Act, and consumers who dont get coverage are likely to face a tax penalty. ACA proponents have long predicted thered be an 11th-hour surge in folks signing up, and right now, those predictions are holding up nicely...the White House posted photos over the weekend of events in Nevada, Texas, and Florida, where Americans lined up at grassroots events to enroll in the system...Enrollment through exchanges will likely get close to the 7 million threshold, and that wont include Americans whove gained coverage through Medicaid, through their parents plans, or through direct enrollment that bypassed the exchanges...the L.A. Times reported this morning, (A)t least 9.5 million previously uninsured people have gained coverage a number that keeps growing as the rate of uninsured continues to drop.
Congressional Republicans, who are making no effort to hide the fact theyre rooting against the U.S. health care system, arent taking the news well.
Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) on Sunday dismissed the White Houses recent announcement that Obamacare enrollment had reached more than 6 million people, calling it a meaningless figure.
I dont think it means anything. I think theyre cooking the books on this, said Barrasso on Fox News Sunday.
Even by GOP standards, this was a rather extraordinary moment. A member of the Senate Republican leadership indeed, the chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee went on national television to accuse the White House of perpetrating a fraud based on nothing but his own hopes...When enrollment totals were low, Barrasso said the figures were very important. When enrollment totals surged, Barrasso said the figures dont mean anything...For another, theres literally no evidence to suggest the enrollment totals are illegitimate or have been cooked for political purposes. For a Senate leader to make such a reckless accusation out of frustration a U.S. senator is apparently annoyed by American consumers gaining access to affordable medical care is deeply irresponsible...confronted with information they find ideologically confusing, Republicans have suddenly become Luke Skywalker, learning who his father is for the first time.
No! Thats not true! they say. Thats impossible!
Reality, however, is stubborn. Its eerily reminiscent of Election Night 2012 conservatives had spent months telling themselves that the polls are wrong, the evidence was skewed, and the facts had been manipulated by rascally liberals, so they were absolutely shocked when President Obama won a second term rather easily.
- more -
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/gop-struggles-obamacare-surge
Long Lines As Obamacare Enrollment Deadline Fast Approaches (PHOTOS)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024754810
So, Ted Cruz has a poll about "Obamacare" on his Facebook page:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024753680
tanyev
(42,552 posts)riqster
(13,986 posts)Wouldn't that be spectacular? If all Dems stood tall and loudly said they support it...and will continue to work towards making it the best system in the civilized world?!?
Well...one can dream.
DCBob
(24,689 posts)Unfortunately many of them have trashed it to a point of no turning back.
RKP5637
(67,107 posts)dem in texas
(2,674 posts)Times never change, all the repubs care about is lining the pockets of their rich contributors. As far as they are concerned, the poor can go off and die. I am glad we finally got the ACA, but think of how much better it would have been if the repubs had been willing to compromise instead of trying to find ways to make it enrich the heath insurance business.
RKP5637
(67,107 posts)wave the flag and call themselves patriots.
mc51tc
(219 posts)Last edited Mon Mar 31, 2014, 12:37 PM - Edit history (1)
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-obamacare-uninsured-national-20140331,0,5472960.story#axzz2xVvqEstcAt least 9.5 million previously uninsured people have gotten health insurance since Obamacare started, surveys and reports show.
The GOP will be in panic mode by April 15th re Obamacare
Very long lines at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX
https://twitter.com/TheJbarr/status/450638907051241472/photo/1
Also, from healthcare.gov: Serving consumers. 1.7M+ visits and 364k calls Sunday. Deadline is today for coverage this year.
Pete got covered the Alamodome! First time he's had coverage in 10 years! #ACASurge @EnrollSA @GetCoveredTX pic.twitter.com/ljo39O0Bi3
ProSense
(116,464 posts)http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/graham-mccain-ayotte-special-committee-benghazi
Oh...
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)DAMN, this is about Clinton or any other Dem running for president.
Cha
(297,184 posts)albino65
(484 posts)There are more and more negative articles about the ACA. It is law and it is not going away, but every little jab at it is going to affect voters and turnout at the midterms. We are fielding more questions locally about these articles and have to answer the same questions over and over again. It is distracting from the main issues...GOTV 2014/2016.
Trust Buster
(7,299 posts)......of the ACA when they have never forwarded healthcare reform legislation themselves in my lifetime. Oh yeah, these Johnny come lately's tried to put together an "alternative" but, when the CBO laughed it out of the building, they thought the less risky route was to concentrate on the ACA hate. That takes less courage and involves less political risk. Only a fool would listen to them.
Bandit
(21,475 posts)Health Care Proposal. What is especailly interesting is the current ACA is very similar to the Republican proposal they put forth in '94. It originated from the Heritage Foundation. The MANDATE is a Republican idea. Hillary's proposal wanted all business's to be responsible for everyone's health care and Republicans wanted it to be the individual's responsibility. I personally disagree with both ideas. It should be the Government's responsibility to "Maintain the Health and Welfare of the Nation". What exactly is a Nation? Is it the people that live there or the land mass they live on? Or both?
Trust Buster
(7,299 posts)The 1993 Republican alternative was never brought to a vote. Anyone can do that.
jwirr
(39,215 posts)ACA. So if they think the books are cooked they can just wait and see.
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)These so called Christians will go way low to lie to the American people with the corporate media's help.
jwirr
(39,215 posts)know better. There is always a point at which propaganda is useless and outdated.
progree
(10,904 posts)nxylas
(6,440 posts)Oh...um, really?
Well, how many of them were called Dennis? We have decreed that if the number of enrollees named Dennis falls short of some number that I just pulled out of my ass, then Obamacare is a FAILURE!
(What do you think? Reckon The Sunday Morning Talking About Stuff Show would hire me as a pundit?)
Phentex
(16,334 posts)the old one falls apart.
Just today on the local news...the talk is all about falling short of the 7 million goal. As though 6 million is a mere drop in the bucket! 6 million is the new failure?
IkeRepublican
(406 posts)This crop of Republicans are like a cheating wife who tells everyone complete falsehoods about her husband so she can continue her hotel rendezvous with her man on the side.
Hey...what's the plural form of "rendezvous"?