President Obama, with outgoing Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and his nominee to replace Sebelius, current Budget director Sylvia Mathews Burwell, in the Rose Garden Friday. (Photo/Susan Walsh)
With the news of Secretary of Health and Human Services Katherine Sebelius resigning, now that she’s essentially saved the Affordable Care Act from:
The relentless onslaught of GOP-led government shutdowns and threats of economic destruction, especially in the weeks leading up to, and during, Health.gov going live.
The Supreme Court’s mixed messages on states’ rights and expansion of healthcare insurance, as well as its continued questionable ethics in entertaining ideas of “religious liberty.”
Over fifty repeals to return to the good old days of health insurance industry death panels.
Half the country’s governors still refusing to expand Medicaid.
The spending and misappropriation of millions by right wing billionaires and their orbiting think tanks to launch anti-Obamacare ads on the public airwaves.
Countless hours of right wing radio talking heads blasting it like rhetorical warships firing off stupid bombs from the shores of Jim Crow era yesteryear.
We should be able to honor a modern day American hero and champion of the people, right? Someone who faced down numerous congressional oversight committees and public town hall gatherings and promotional appearances to see the greatest expansion of health insurance since Medicare?
As usual, the clowns in the crazy car have opted for mocking and deriding this monumental achievement by re-writing the history and the rules of success:
I thank Secretary Sebelius for her service. She had an impossible task: nobody can make Obamacare work.
— Eric Cantor (@GOPLeader) April 10, 2014
Other reviews have been mixed, but most of the reviews I’ve seen being widely disseminated seem to be reflecting in a vacuum where the Republican party is not at all a dishonest broker and merely acting as the “loyal opposition” to preventing people from acquiring health insurance, and never once obstructing its passage. Like, “No, no, this is her fight, so let her pick herself up from the jack-booted mob stomping.” This is why terrible people win– There’s no political cover and rallying support for recognizing and doing the right thing.
For Republicans still promising to repeal it, the sadistic idiot fight goes on. And, with Paul Ryan’s budget being voted on and passed by House Republicans this past Thursday(219-205), the GOP is looking beyond simple repeal and are instead voting to ‘drown the government in a bathtub’ and brag that all those defensive scratches on their arms and faces are just battle-scars, babe.
Rep. Paul Ryan said after the vote,
“What this budget comes down to is a matter of trust,” said House Budget Committee Paul Ryan, who authored the budget. Republicans put their trust in individual Americans while Democrats put more trust in government, he said. “Who knows better: the people or Washington? We have made our choice with this budget.”
Rep. Nancy Pelosi was quick to remind people that these maniacs are pretty much mental and emotional degenerates at heart, saying of this week’s passage of the Ryan budget,
“Some people think it’s so ridiculous to dismiss as a joke,” she said just before the House recessed on Thursday. “It’s not funny. It’s deadly serious. And it’s not good for children and other living things.”
It’s not funny and it’s about time the U.S. media woke up to the fact that Republicans have gone insane and are not snapping out of it anytime soon. When you’re voting to end Medicare, cut SNAP and funnel the proceeds toward the military and tax cuts for the wealthy, repealing Obamacare is the best of the worst that you can do.
Rather than reflect on the legacy of a glitchy website’s roll-out, why not reflect on the fact that Katherine Sebelius has done more good for the American people than the entire Republican party that is quietly voting to rob America’s poor and working class?
Anyone using the website glitches as the lasting legacy of Katherine Sebelius while conveniently glossing over Republican sabotage and continued efforts to destroy America’s last line of defense between sickness and starvation and unprecedented corporate profits, should be ashamed of themselves. Anyone using unflattering polls to gauge the popularity of the Affordable Care Act have the stink of misinformation on their hands.
Katherine Sebelius took on some of the most powerful forces in America, sometimes when it seemed like it was her against the world, and she won. We all won.