https://youtu.be/zOOHXUOIaqk
Key elements of the GOP’s long-awaited Obamacare replacement plan have dribbled out this week, and it’s the utter mess you expected. Now Republican lawmakers have the insurmountable task of trying to sell a bogus bill to the American people, and that’s not going very well either.
Early Tuesday morning, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) went on CNN’s “New Day” and made this stunning argument:
“And so maybe, rather than getting that new iPhone that they just love and they want to spend hundreds of dollars on, maybe they should invest in their own healthcare.”
The new bill Chaffetz is pushing would do away with subsidies to help people purchase insurance, and by all estimates, would push millions of Americans off of their health care.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
But sure, iPhones — they’re the real culprits here.
Chaffetz swung by Fox News later in the morning to do some damage control:
“What we’re trying to say, and maybe I didn’t say as smoothly as I possibly could, but people need to make a conscious choice, and I believe in self-reliance,” he said.
“And they’re going to have to make those decisions. We want people to have access to an affordable healthcare product.”
Well, if the straight white guy from Utah believes in self-reliance, it must work for everyone in America.
Let’s just hope people take those “conscious choices” with them to the ballot box in two years so we can start to steer this ship back to port.
Chevelter
“A policy on the exchanges costs around $3500 in most states, would rise sharply under GOP plan. iPhone around $700” – Paul Krugman
DCguy
But see THIS is the narrative that the GOP HAS to push to keep raising taxes on the poor and middle class and lowering them and giving tax breaks to the super-rich.
The narrative “The poor really aren’t poor, they’re just lazy and they spend their money on crap, so they can afford to pay more.”
Remember, the ONLY tax the GOP Congress not only didn’t fight to lower, but fought to INCREASE was the Payroll Tax. Why? Because it ONLY hits the middle class and poor.
So OF COURSE Chaffetz wants to claim that ANYBODY can afford insurance if they just weren’t out buying a 40 ounce and an iPad.
whatevz
as long as republicans keep their stupid voters uneducated and force them to breed more coneheads, they’ll keep voting against their own self-interests forever!
Paco
The GOP healthcare plan…
Find a dark corner and die.
Peter
You’ve misspelled ‘Affordable Care Act’.
billbong99
That guy is as gay as pink ink.
captainburrito
Nothing wrong with self reliance but the phone won’t be enough to get healthcare. The flip side of this self reliance is that the government would also need to rein in the crazy healthcare prices so that it is actually within reach of consumers and it isn’t a choice if just die.
ChrisK
Remember when they whipped up their base with the death panel propaganda?
seaguy
Their replacement plan is that death panel they kept harping about.
1EqualityUSA
We should figure out a way to communicate vital info now, so that if we ever get to a point where our government blacks out social media, we will still know where to meet. Is there something off in Utah? Why, by such large margins, do these jerks keep winning there? Senator Mike Lee cast the deciding vote to deny help with Flint, Michigan’s Republican-borne water crisis. I thought he would be a goner. No, he won by a large margin. Jason Chaffetz is such a worm. I could see him sporting a caterpillar body, though not so cute and articulated, more a translucent, grey-white, taut, shiny, asexual annelid with an engorged crop that never shuts up. Yeah, who knew such a worm could exist? Utah has sand-worms, they came to Washington, D.C. via shipping crates. Brooks Brothers had difficulty getting their shirts to fit right, but then, as worms do, they wormed their way into Congress and over-stayed their welcome. In my high school, when it rained hard, worms would make their way up onto the cement walkways. The bell would ring and what was left afterward was not pretty. Let’s hope the same thing happens in 2018. Utah, please quit voting for this politician, he’s an embarrassment. The GOP abuses their power when they have it. Vote them out.
Kangol
What Chaffetz doesn’t say is that HE has Obamacare *and* his wealthy pals help him with his bills. What a cumbucket!
seaguy
Maybe Chaffetz and his a**hole GOP congressmates should forgo the next few pay raises and get rid of their generous health care plan and go with GOPCare, which is really akin to getting the death penalty for many because their plan is that bad.
natekerchel
‘Self-reliance’ is a concept that is as erroneous as it is heartless. Just like the idea that ‘all men are born equal’. People are not born equal in any sense of that phrase. People are born with disabilities, into rich and poor families, into different ethnic groups, and having different mental and physical abilities and so on. This is what will, for the most part, decide your position in life and your ability to ‘move up’ . No doubt I will be told that lots of people have ‘bettered’ themselves through hard work and self reliance. I agree. But many more are in exactly the same position as their parents, grandparents and great grandparents. Self reliance is all very well for those who have those abilities – how about those who dont? If someone is born with a genetic issue are they supposed to be self reliant? No. That’s why society expects that help will be available. It is shocking and disgraceful that we can spend countless billions on weapons to kill people but scream the house down when its suggested we use some of that money to save the lives and general health of our own citizens.
This man is a disgrace to humanity.
1EqualityUSA
And, yet, Utah keeps him in office? Is gay hate that savage, in Utah, that they would vote against their interests to ensure that we cannot be treated equally under the law? Chaffetz has got to go. Let him go and find a real job with or without insurance.
natekerchel
Unfortunately the answer is yes. Hate is a very strong emotion – it is as unifying for those who indulge in it as love is for others. I was listening to a gay man in who comes from London explain why he voted to leave the E.U. He said that his dislike of foreigners outweighed all other considerations. I was frankly shocked to hear that coming out of someone’s mouth – especially a gay man. The fact that Trump is in the White House is more evidence that hate is a popular commodity. But as the haters unite to gain power so can we.
1EqualityUSA
To have a population undereducated, undersupported when it counts, and financially scared, makes manipulation a powerful tool. That promulgation, the herd name for a pack of Goldman Sachs investors placed in decision-making positions by a man, uninterested in our retirement accounts, will see to our fate. When people are scared or made to feel vulnerable, they become less tolerant. It’s the same recipe the GOP uses over and over again, and still, there are those of us who believe them. Still.
natekerchel
Absolutely 1EqualityUSA. The constant tweeting shows that he understands the psychological impact of a constant drip drip drip of lies, half truths and distortions. Too generous – I am not sure he was clever enough to understand that before his advisers pointed it out. Its a well known political ploy – scapegoat the most vulnerable groups.
mhoffman953
Why is there no outcry when Obama said a very similar statement in the past?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijQIJAK0NFA
“OBAMA: ‘I guess what I would say is if you looked at that person’s budget, and you looked at their cable bill, their telephone, their cell phone bill, other things that they’re spending on, it may turn out that it’s just–they haven’t prioritized healthcare because right now, everybody’s healthy. Nobody actually wants to spend money on health insurance until they get sick.'”
whatevz
remember when republicans/conservatives weren’t all inbred homeschooled fake christian special needs greedy racist xenophobic bigoted womanizing polluting idiots?
1EqualityUSA
Those days are gone. The Walking Dead.
natekerchel
What people say and what people do makes the difference. The former President put in place a scheme to include millions more in health care. Was it a perfect system – no. What we are talking about here is a plan to exclude millions, to charge millions of other much more and to increase the profits of the providers. Totally different approach. The question is this – is it likely that more poor people will die or/and suffer more because of this ‘Trumpcare’? The health experts say yes to both. The ‘care’ in ‘Trumpcare’ is directed to caring for making greater profits only. It seems likely it will not pass, fortunately.
Dubyel
You’re trying to tell me that Obama said the same hateful, atrocious, out-of-touch thing as a Rethuglican? How dare you. The next thing you know you’ll be telling me Obama called slaves immigrants just like that Uncle Tom Ben Carson. Oh, he did? …on multiple occasions? ….Never mind.
1EqualityUSA
Prevent high blood pressure, rather than getting care emergently. Treat diabetes. It is more practical than end-stage treatments that span years. The cost analysis must include Monday, Wednesday, Friday dialysis, or neuro-rehab/care, or the ravages of poor circulation. Preventative medicine makes sense. A healthier population creates a more robust workforce. Medical neglect is a subtle genocide, leaving the most vulnerable further marginalized. We’re better than this.
mhoffman953
@natekerchel “What we are talking about here is a plan to exclude millions, to charge millions of other much more and to increase the profits of the providers”
Isn’t that what Obamacare currently does? Think about it, since its inception, healthcare premiums have risen for employers by 50% and for consumers an average of 20%. Isn’t that helping providers become more profitable if they’re making more money? Obamacare hurts small businesses. Employers can’t hire more than 49 workers otherwise they have to begin offering healthcare to their employees, but what if they can’t afford it? How are they supposed to grow their business and provide jobs if there are regulatory measures in place to stunt a small businesses growth?
Not only that, how does Obamacare benefit poor Americans when, since its creation, deductibles have risen into the thousands? If someone becomes ill and they’re poor, how can they afford the high deductibles? Additionally, why are poor uninsured Americans supposed to pay a tax penalty for not having insurance? If someone is so poor that they can’t afford insurance, how can they afford $600 or more in a tax penalty?
We were told that as more people sign on for insurance, the premiums would drop and this would be affordable. So far, more Americans have bought insurance but the premiums aren’t dropping. The authors of Obamacare even laughed about how stupid Americans are when they created it. Then you have people like Nancy Pelosi arguing that we have to pass Obamacare to learn what’s in it.
This bill was a mess from the start and it has created an even bigger mess.
1EqualityUSA
At first, the Massachusettes health plan was buggy, but they worked it out, and most everybody is happy with it. The GOP just said, “No. No. No.” but didn’t come up with any innovations on their own.
1EqualityUSA
sorry for the “e,” Massachusetts.
1EqualityUSA
There was no doubt that President Obama had the weaker members of our society in mind when Affordable Care Act was presented. It’s why he had fiduciary protections put in place to protect savers with 401 Ks and retirement accounts. Obama had our backs, so he can say things that the dark party cannot. The dark party wants only to serve the wealthy. Mhoff, you just don’t get it do you.
SonOfKings
His statement is stupid and uninformed on so many levels. Does the fool not realize that smart phones have already become an integral part of the collaborative relationship between patients and health care providers. My PCP, dentist, dermatologist, gastroenterologist, and therapist all use databases that send information, reminders, and messages to my smart phone. And I use my smart phone to remotely update their databases with unfirmation about my medications, medical history, and personal details. This is the digital age for crying out loud. Republicans are atrocious hyman beings.
Dubyel
Did you actually listen to his statement? He didn’t say “smart phone,” he said “new iPhone”, making a point about prioritizing necessities before luxuries, just like when Obama said in 2014, if a person says they can’t afford health insurance, they should organize their spending priorities better and put paying for health insurance before their cell phone and their cable TV. Why is that heartless? I spend hundreds of dollars a month on health insurance. My iPhone is 2.5 years old, and at about $1000, yes it was a luxury purchase. My mom got a basic Android smart phone from Cricket for $50.00. Sure, I would rather spend the money I spend on health insurance on other things, like a new iPhone, but I have to put necessities before luxuries. What’s evil about saying other people should do the same thing?
natekerchel
The old political ploy of counter accusation does not work mhoffman and dubyel. You have not explained how this current proposal will benefit anyone other than the cronies of the the man in the White House. No one will deny that Obamacare has problems that need to be resolved, that does not mean it has to be scrapped in its entirety. There is a pattern here of course – each time a Democrat President tries to reform health care to the benefit of the poorest people the extreme right wing scream and shout and threaten to undo it. Why? Because they can do better? No. Because they don’t believe that society should contribute to other people’s health care – they should be self reliant. They have no problem with spending billions on the military. But ask them to aid poor,sick and dying citizens of their own country – outrageous nanny-state behaviour.
These extreme right wing people devalue the most vulnerable sections of the community like the poor, unemployed, disabled – this leads to devalued and abusive treatment. How many of those poorest people will have the most expensive modern phones? A small percentage maybe. You don’t generalise about whole groups of millions of people based on the actions of a tiny minority of them. But then stereotyping is in the dna of the right wing.
natekerchel
and yes i know some clever dick will point out my last comment about dna is stereotyping the right wing – that was the not so subtle point being deliberately made.
1EqualityUSA
Subtle genocide is o.k. by the Republicans.
Dubyel
That all sounds very compassionate. Do you know anybody on Obamacare? One thing I’ve learned is that just about any time the government makes decisions for you “for your own good” you are screwed. My partner is actually on Obamacare because the law requires it, and it’s worthless. Our state has one provider left, and the health care professionals and hospital in our area don’t accept it. Before Obamacare, he had saved money for when he needed medical care. Now he has to spend that money on the worthless policy, so he goes without and hopes he doesn’t get too sick. He’s one of those people they brag about now being “covered” by health insurance, but he has less actual access to health care. Last year he pulled his own tooth because he can no longer save money for the dentist. He’s self-employed and doesn’t make much money, but he doesn’t qualify for a subsidy. Everything Obamacare promised him – choice, lower cost, better access – was a lie.
natekerchel
Dubyel – I am sorry to hear that about your partner. No one will fail to understand and sympathise with individual hardships that have occurred, and I hope that things will improve for you both. However, even in the best health care systems there will be issues for some people. That does not mean you replace the whole system with something worse, and which benefits the care providers most of all. You find solutions to the problems and fix the mistakes. The difference between Democrat health care plans and Republican health care plans is that Democrat health care aims to relieve the situation of the poorest – the Republican to boost the bank accounts of the health providers. Unregulated capitalism and rampant greed are the causes of expensive health care – not President Obama. Most other countries do not use the American system of health care – it does not work and it penalises the poor. A new radical solution is required.
1EqualityUSA
Yeah. Natekerchel, you make health care sound like a riveting story told ’round the campfire. Hey, would you toss another log on? It’s a lot easier to manage colon cancer in its early stage, rather than wait, letting it invades surrounding organs. Care is dignity. I’m almost positive the God that the Tedious Right rambles on about would approve of caring for the sick.
1EqualityUSA
I’m so dyslexic today. All I’m good for is cleaning. Enjoy your day, all of you.
natekerchel
Not a story told round the camp fire – but neither does it take a genius to recognise that the current system does not work for some people. I am a dyed in the wool Democrat but not blinded to things that need fixed. ‘Trumpcare’ is not an option – it’s not about care, it’s about profit. Most of the developed countries have a much fairer system than the USA – yes there is some kind of insurance, but State intervention is much greater. Maybe no system will please or work for everyone, but there has to be something better than allowing people to die because they are poor while we spend countless billions on weapons of mass destruction.
1EqualityUSA
Subtle genocide. It’s easy to lump the poor into one, amorphic blob of whatever adjective one’s mind has assigned to people enduring such a destiny. What is not evident is the wisdom, the sense of humor, the astute psychoanalytic capabilities, and heroic, spiritually mature multitudes out there. Some lines are just not crossed. Would we comfortable ones ever be tested so? Would we have the required constitution to endure? Shekinah glory is not found in high-end shops, nor in cars costing more than several college tuitions. The treasure is not a worldly kind. The worldly cannot see it.