Don't Look Now — But Ted Cruz Was Exactly Right About ObamaCare

Investor's Business Daily ^ | Bob Maistros

[IBD editorial writer]

He was selling "snake oil," "making a false and politically damaging promise," committing "a fraud on the American people," and "(doing) his country a major disservice." He was "creating a huge distraction" by pursuing "a fool's errand" and "the dumbest idea" one Senator claimed he had ever heard. He was a "false leader" engaging in "government terrorism."

In sum, he was a "joke, plain and simple," and as one especially distinguished colleague affectionately recalled, "Lucifer in the flesh."

And those were all descriptions from his own party.

Oh, by the way: Ted Cruz was also right.

The vilification Cruz endured from fellow Republicans back in October 2013 stemmed from his to-the-mattresses battle to shut down the government in hopes of defunding the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or ObamaCare, before it could take full effect.

Now, Fox News is reporting that the once-hated program is more popular than the GOP's signature initiative — the recent tax cut. Which should be no surprise.

Because the lonely stand of the Lone Star State's junior Senator stemmed from his apprehension that "(President Barack Obama's) strategy is to get as many Americans as possible hooked on the subsidies, addicted to the sugar. ... If we get to January 1 (2014), this thing is here forever."

[Uncle Miltie]

Wait!

I bin told rite hear Cruze be deville.

[SteveH]

gavin newsom

[Alberta's Child]

None of this should surprise anyone. You couldn't even find a solid majority of people here on FreeRepublic who would support the repeal of ObamaCare.

[Chode]

unless you get the FREE welfare version, it is completely useless

[Teacher317]

And their beloved John McCain, freshly re-elected on promises of ending ObamaCare, cast the one vote that saved it last year.

[DoodleDawg]

It’s the GOP’s own incompetence that have brought them to this point.

[DoodleDawg]

And their beloved John McCain, freshly re-elected on promises of ending ObamaCare, cast the one vote that saved it last year.

In fairness, McCain voted against a repeal and replace. Had there been a clean repeal would he have voted differently?

[texanyankee]

I’m betting Cruz was ‘not invited’ to McCain’s funeral as well. lol

[Alberta's Child]

I'm not sure about that. ObamaCare basically screws younger people (who tend to be Democrats) on behalf of older people (who are the core of the GOP's support).

Repealing ObamaCare would be a political disaster for the GOP. You'll find plenty of evidence for that right here on FR -- where most of ObamaCare's provisions are very popular.

[shelterguy]

My buddy who is an old uneducated white deplorable like me lost his insurance a few years ago. For some reason the $1800 dollar premiums with the 10k deductible wasn’t all that affordable.

[odawg]

Cruz was not the only one who warned about Obamacare. Ronald Reagan warned about what would become known as Obamacare in 1964.

This is a piece wrote exclusively to promote Cruz.

Obamacare is over.

[miss marmelstein]

I would take that viciously executed thumbs down as proof of what McCain would have done “with a clean repeal.”

[marktwain]

I do not see anyone supporting it here.

[Moorings]

I doubt it. McCain was a petty, vindictive betrayer. He wanted to get at Trump at any cost, including breaking this major promise to his voters. The bonus for him was the adoration he got from his democrat friends.

[Alberta's Child]

I have a guy in the same building where my business is located. He is about 60, and a die-hard Trump supporter. He was complaining last week that his premiums are now $1,200 per month, his annual deductible is $8,000, and he now pays $150/month in copays for his prescriptions.

All told, he's out of pocket almost $25,000 per year ... and he's complaining about it loudly.

I happen to know he has a chronic medical condition, so I asked him how much his recurring annual medical expenses have been for the last few years.

His answer: "About $55,000."

So there's your problem in a nutshell. A strong conservative and die-hard Trump supporter is actually b!tching that he has to pay $25,000 to get $55,000 worth of medical care.

THIS IS WHY OBAMACARE WILL NEVER BE REPEALED.

[miss marmelstein]

And maybe that $55,000 is worth about $250 in medical care. Who knows?

[shelterguy]

You maybe fell on your head or something and are confused.

Who can afford 25k per year in premiums?

[Alberta's Child]

Read through any thread on this subject, and read the posts carefully:l. Here is what you will typically find posted here repeatedly:

1. "I hate ObamaCare but I think insurance plans should be forced to cover pre-existing conditions."

2. "I hate ObamaCare but I think insurance plans should be forced to cover Procedures X, Y and Z."

3. "I hate ObamaCare but I think insurance plans should not have annual or lifetime benefit caps."

Well, no sh!t. These people all claim to hate ObamaCare, but they actually love three of its defining features (coverage of pre-existing conditions, minimum essential coverage, and no limits on coverage).

[Alberta's Child]

He has $55,000 in medical expenses. He can’t afford NOT to pay $25,000 per year for his coverage.