March 25, 2017 11:48 AM UTC

Democrats Won A Battle - Now Win the War

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• by: madmike

Democrats won a battle yesterday with the defeat of the Republican AHCA bill.  But this is just one battle in the war over healthcare in America.  Now they need to counterattack.  Obamacare is not perfect by any stretch.  And until Democrats get back in power, it is not likely to get much better.  In fact, with Tom Price in charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, things could get worse.  But at least 24 million people will still have health insurance.

Democrats can start their counterattack by proposing that a “public option” be inserted into the Affordable Care Act.  If people are faced with little or no choice of insurance provider, at least give them the option of buying into Medicare.  Put some real competition into the system with a program that is cost effective and comprehensive in scope.  Push Democratic members of Congress to either support a public option in the 2018 election season or expect a primary challenge from somebody who does.  Stop protecting Democratic congressmen and senators who want to continue the corporate friendly position of forcing people to buy health insurance from companies that pay their executives millions of dollars a year while you continue to have expensive premiums with high deductibles and co-pays.

Democrats stood together in their opposition to the AHCA and guess what?  They won!  Now take it to the Republicans and force them to say that they don’t want to give their constituents a simple choice – a public option in Obamacare.