Marcelas Owens watches on as President Barack Obama signs the Affordable Care Act.
When President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act five year ago today, he
said:
It is fitting that Congress passed this historic legislation this week. For as we mark the turning of spring, we also mark a new season in America. In a few moments, when I sign this bill, all of the overheated rhetoric over reform will finally confront the reality of reform.
Little did he know that Republicans were just getting warmed up. Listening to them five years ago today, via a Nexis search, the most striking thing is how little their rhetoric has changed. From The Hotline on 3/24/2010:
[Sen. Mitch] McConnell: "I think the slogan will be 'repeal and replace,' 'repeal and replace.' No one that I know in the Republican conference in the Senate believes that no action is appropriate." […]
[Rep.] Mike Pence: "I think House Republicans are determined to stand for both repealing and replacing Obamacare with an approach that gives Americans more choices instead of more government. ... We're talking about 'repeal and replace.' Don't leave out my 'and.'" […]
[Sen. Jon] Kyl: "Oh, I would love to see the bill repealed right now. ... Barack Obama is president. He would never sign a repeal law. We don't have the votes to get it passed right now. We're not going to waste our time on that."
In five years, none of that rhetoric has changed, other than the idea that they weren't going to waste time on repeal votes. They've wasted more than 50 votes—and
millions of dollars—on that one. Meanwhile, they are no closer to a replacement plan than they were five years ago.
On the other hand, the achievements of Obamacare just keep rolling in: More than 9.4 Medicare patients have saved over $15 billion on prescription drugs; Medicare’s trust fund has been extended 13 more years, to 2030; more than 16 million people have gained insurance, a drop to a 12.9 percent uninsured rate; health care costs have slowed to the lowest rate of increase in 50 years; 50,000 deaths have been avoided in hospital accidents and medical errors.
And on the fifth anniversary of the law, President Obama is again telling Republicans, "it's time to embrace reality."
"These aren't just numbers. […] There are Americans who, without this law, would not be alive today."
That's a reality Republicans are unlikely to ever embrace. Nothing has changed for them in the past five years, but most particularly their complete lack of interest in making life better or easier for the majority of Americans.