Posted on 03/25/2015 9:15:17 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
President Obama slammed Republicans Wednesday for continuing to war against his signature healthcare law five years in.
"It's working, despite countless attempts to repeal, undermine, defund and defame this law," Obama said in a speech commemorating the Affordable Care Act's anniversary of passage.
"We've made our share of mistakes since we passed this law, but we also know beyond a shred of doubt the law has worked," he said. "Deficits have been slashed, lives have been saved."
It's been half a decade since Democrats in Congress passed the healthcare law and it remains arguably the most controversial piece of legislation passed during Obama's tenure. Democrats spent this week touting its provisions extending coverage to millions of Americans, while Republicans aired their many ongoing complaints about the law.
There's one thing members of both parties agree on: Major reforms are still needed in how healthcare is delivered and paid for.
Obama focused on that common ground in the first part of his speech, announcing a network of healthcare providers, payers, advocates and localities his administration is trying to bring together to share ideas on how to improve the quality and cost of care. More than 2,800 organizations — including seven of the country's 10 biggest insurers — have signed on to the network so far, officials said.
But he also addressed the continuing disputes over the law that Republicans have focused on for years.
He reminded Republicans that some of the ideas behind the Affordable Care Act — most notably its individual mandate to buy coverage — were once supported by some conservatives, although its Medicaid expansion and some other big parts of the law stem more from liberal thought.
"The Affordable Care Act pretty much was their plan before I adopted it," he said.
While the law has extended health coverage to millions of Americans — and no serious experts dispute that — Republicans charge that it's still causing more problems than it's solving.
But Obama sharply criticized the GOP for trying to undermine the law but failing to introduce their own comprehensive alternative. Republicans have introduced many separate bills aimed at reforming healthcare, but have been unable to unite behind one big plan.
And the president condemned the proposed GOP budget the House is voting on this week, which would repeal the entire healthcare law and cost millions of Americans federally subsidized health plans they've purchased in the law's new insurance marketplaces.
"For folks who are basing their entire political agenda on repealing the law, you gotta explain how kicking people off their health insurance is supposed to make us more free," Obama said.
If it’s working, then there is no need to make any “fixes,” right?
Do you hear that, Congress?
Obamacare is working very well, as long as you understand that it’s intended purpose is to destroy the U.S. healthcare system with a system that is so bad that the sheeple will beg for socialized medicine.
But yet not one republican voted for their Idea? Try again ya lyin’ muzzie.
hillary ran on the individual mandate in the 2008 primaries, and BHO pretty much declared her to be an enemy of the human race on that account. he forgets that part, of course.
It makes one wonder just how many times this man has read “1984”.
The Oath of EXEMPT RINOs:
"We bow before and serve you, our most beloved King and Caliph
who has deemed to make us, our families and our staff EXEMPT from this tax, deathpanels and fines."
It certainly was Romney’s idea.....Brilliant move by the GOPe to run the one guy against Obama who practically invented ObamaCare.
“He reminded Republicans that some of the ideas behind the Affordable Care Act — most notably its individual mandate to buy coverage — were once supported by some conservatives”
LIE# 166,666
If it had worked 0bozo would have taken all the credit but since it’s a disaster 0bozo steps back and says it’s the Republicans fault ....
Psychotic loser on the loose!!!!!! Be aware.
“He reminded Republicans that some of the ideas behind the Affordable Care Act — most notably its individual mandate to buy coverage”
I refuse to allow the liberals get away with this verbal sleight of hand.
First the article says “some of the ideas”, plural. When in reality it was only ONE idea.
Then, to prove its point about those “some ideas” (plural), as its example, it points to that one and only idea: the insurance mandate.
It was the Heritage foundation that came up with the idea. And yes, a few notable conservatives embraced it at the time. But for the most part the mandate idea got trounced on by most conservatives (one employee of the heritage foundation said: “I thought we were for freedom”). Due to the backlash, the heritage foundation eventually backed off. Admitting it was a terrible idea.
Now the question is why liberals, when they hate all conservative ideas, embraced this bad idea and enshrined it into law. And when it predictably fell miserably on its face, point to conservatives and say, “but, but, but....it was their idea!”
Actually, Republicans proposed amongst themselves the concept of making Americans have to have health insurance. After ample debate and analysis, they rejected the concept as a very bad idea.
That’s how it’s done.
Obama and the Democrats had a partisan draw up a Bill, did not read or debate it, and then passed it in a somewhat legal way without any Republican support.
That’s how an insane person does it.
This law will be so reviled in ten years the democrat media will have revised its’ history as having been passed by ONLY republicans. Only the brave Obama and his democrats stood against the republicans but failed because of the Koch brothers.
I thought was netanyahu’s fault?
Keep in mind that in the late 1990’s the Republicans along with, I think, The Heritage Foundation had a plan for a single payer system run by the Government.
So I take almost everything I hear about Defunding or Repealing Obamacare with a huge grain of salt.
The whole objective was to pass a unworkable program like Obamacare with the ultimate objective of compromising on a Government Run Single Payer System, Medicare and Medicaid fo everyone.
Use to be when you passed a BILL it was actually written...
and you could READ IT BEFORE VOTING ON IT
Look back far enough and meddling in the healthcare system by politicians goes back to the start of Medicare.
One would have if the vote was needed but Harry just flouted the rules so the designated traitor could avoid being identified.
Never underestimate the willingness of GOPe to reach across the isle, but only when absolutely needed.
Nope. Not a single GOP vote. The President is a liar. Again.
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