On this issue, Trump never even pretended to be on the conservative side. He even openly blasted conservatives from the campaign podium. I don’t disagree with your assessment of the bill that was put forward, but your pretending President Trump’s own fingerprints weren’t all over it is absurd. If anything he was forced partially to the right on this...he proclaimed that it was government’s job to “take of everybody” and conservatives were just going to have get used to it. Those words came straight out of his mouth...so why act surprised and put all of the blame on Ryan like the President was hoodwinked? And President Trump is the one openly blasting conservative members of Congress and conservative organizations for not supporting the bill. You don’t even acknowledge this as part of the equation for how people are reacting.
As you know I’ve never been a big Trump fan - but - if he continues to appoint conservative judges, and so far he has, he will have kept enough of his promises. But this issue is one of the big reasons I was against him in the primary...saying it was the government’s job to take care of everybody and blasting conservatives “We’ve got to take care of everybody - get used to it, conservatives!” was not exactly a line indicating he is in line with conservative ideology and not a line making me inclined to support him - if he’s openly going to attack conservatives and what they stand for that is not appealing. However, his supporters in the crowd cheered the line.
If you’ll think about it, Trump was addressing the poor.
He wasn’t addressing the folks who can pay their own way.
Ryan’s bill was addressing the folks who can pay their own way, and he still couldn’t get it right.
Trump was talking about getting government out of health care, but when it came to the poor, he was warning that everyone would have access.
We have taken care of the poor through Medicaid and grants. When Trump said everyone would be covered, it’s nothing more than we’ve done for the last 30-40 plus years.
A poor person goes to the E. R. They don’t have funds. States and the federal government have been covering them.
This is why it didn’t bother me a lot when he addressed this. I knew it had been taking place for a very long time.
What can we do about the poor? Should we just let them do without services? It’s a real dilemma and I don’t think anyone has a great solution for it.
I think this group can be focused on and the numbers could be reduced, but eliminating to all probably can’t be done.
Get them to work. Get them insured. That’s what has to be done IMO.