Repeal Obamacare, Congressman Fleischmann - And Response (2)

  • Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Chuck:

I'm writing to express my strong opposition to the plan that is being rolled out by Paul Ryan to replace Obamacare.
And as I'm writing this, I'm remembering all the times you and all of your Republican colleagues over the last six years campaigned on REPEALING Obamacare and used that call to action as the basis for your reelection. And I'm also remembering the many attempts you and your House colleagues made to REPEAL Obamacare over those years, only to have your efforts thwarted by a Democratic Senate and of course President Obama. 

Now though, when Republicans have complete control of Congress and the White House, that same energy, commitment and solidarity to repealing Obamacare has suddenly lost its steam and enthusiasm. What seemed so clear and obvious for Republicans between 2010-2016, suddenly seems so muddled and difficult for those same Republicans today.

Yet it should not be. 

Repeal. It's a very easy word. And a very simple step. Yet, for some reason Republicans are reticent, or perhaps feckless, to do what they promised... for six long, hard years. 

Why is that? Was it all just a ruse? Were voters simply being played? Must we once again be let down by a Congress that likes to fancy itself doing the will of the People? When given the opportunity to actually do what was promised while campaigning, will a Republican House ignore their commitments and thwart the will of the People?

I, along with tens of thousands of other voters from the 3rd District, and Tennesseans across our state, and Americans in all 50 states, are watching with great concern, anticipation, and hope. Our hope is that you and your colleagues will, on such a significant matter, do what you said you would do. 

Repeal Obamacare.

Will you keep your promise? Or will you turn on your campaign promises to do the will of Ryan?

I pray you will do the right thing. We are all watching... and remembering.

Chuck's Facebook Post on January 19, 2011 stated:  "I just cast my vote to Repeal Obamacare! I was proud to campaign on that issue, and proud to keep my promise to repeal the bill."

Respectfully...

Mark West 

* * *

Repeal the Affordable Care Act? With all due respect Mr. West, are you so misinformed as to believe it is acceptable to snatch insurance from 24 million people? 

It is hard for me to find the words needed to express my absolute disbelief and disgust with the actions of the Republican Party. 

You mention the number of times Republicans attempted to repeal “Obamacare” during the Obama Presidency. And you don’t see anything wrong with that? Amazing, absolutely amazing. Working with President Obama from the beginning to achieve a successful health care plan was apparently beyond the scope of reason and responsibility of the GOP. 

Well, you folks got what you wanted this time around albeit with the aid and assistance of the Russians and their American counterparts.  Your hero, Comrade Trump won over those people who are tired of feeding the poor who refuse to get a job. The people who chanted “lock her up” while displaying the Nazi salute are now willing to stop the after school care for working parents, Meals on Wheels, gut Social Security and Medicare. Privatize the prisons and public education and health insurance? Why of course, how else could money be made without taking it from the very people who were foolish enough to vote for a liar, a bully, a sexual predator, not to mention his lack of experience to govern.  

The rest of the world is laughing at America except for those who are afraid of how the Trump administration will damage our international relationships. They are all too aware that the ability to lead extends far beyond one’s ability to “tweet”. 

Mr. West, we are in very dangerous territory under Trump’s leadership. Repealing Obamacare is only one such danger to Americans.  

If Chuck Fleishman does the right thing and loses you vote I will happily step up and vote for any man or woman who has the integrity and concern for America to do what is in the best interest of all Americans.  

Cecilia Lewis
Ooltewah 

* * * 

What to do we do about the magical thinkers, the rigid ideologues, and the “I got minies?”  There are still some of us who believe that this country can do great things, and solve big problems and lead the world in all endeavors.  On the other hand, we have congress creatures and the above magical thinkers, etc., who say we can’t.  Yes, this is about health care in the USA.  We’ve seen the statistics, we barely qualify for a participation trophy when it comes to the level of health care we provide a large portion of our citizens.   

Allow insurance to sell across state lines?  Ain’t gonna cut it.   

Free market will take care of it?  We have never had a pure free market. We cannot even legally buy drugs from Canada, instead remaining hostage to the pharma industry and to politicians who try to tell us that it’s for safety reasons.  As if we don’t have counterfeit drugs in our system.  As if all of our prescriptions are manufactured in the United States.   

Discourage the “takers?”  What about Medicare -and please don’t make the claim that you are somehow not dependent on those who are presently employed to make up shortfalls in your contributions.  Actually, especially if you are a woman, you will use more in benefits than you ever paid in given expected lifespan and lower average pay.  If I disappoint a few people and live a long life, there’s no way I will have paid even close to the benefits I’ll use.   

Any self-employed person of a certain age is going to have a preexisting condition, or two.  Prior to the ACA, those who bought private insurance couldn’t get coverage for that/those conditions. Those who work for companies that don’t provide benefits are out of luck for medical care if they are working for low or even average wages.  Anyone who feels comfortable now with employer-provided benefits shouldn’t get too comfortable.   The currently employed and covered are one pink slip away from no health coverage. We live in a right-to-fire state, and recessions have a nasty habit of reappearing.  And to the captains of industry as well as the Mom and Pops – business doesn’t like uncertainty and neither do consumers.  Do you really want more and more of the consumer spending pie directed to health care?   

Yes, we have problems.  But it seems as though we have those who won’t acknowledge that those problems preceded the ACA.  I still remember the chart my congressman presented showing the increases in insurance premiums since the implementation of the ACA.  He failed to include the part of the graph that showed the increases prior to the ACA, increases which became alarming as far back as the early 90’s.  If he can’t present a graph without showing the statistics out of context, how are we to believe that he has the will to work to get this country on par with the rest of the developed world in terms of health care coverage?   

I still have faith that if our elected people would actively and sincerely listen to all stakeholders (and this includes those of us who aren’t lobbyists), and if they would quit playing stupid zero sum political games, we could go back to being the country that can come up with reasonable, logical solutions to our big problems. And providing health care is a big problem. If we are exceptional, we should expect no less than exceptional from those we send to Washington.  If, for whatever reasons, they can’t cut it, we need to keep trying until we find those who can.  I believe the ACA can work, if it isn’t continually sabotaged, and if Congress works in good faith to overhaul what needs to be overhauled.  

Melissa Cantrell

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