Former President Barack Obama took to his Facebook page after the release of the Senate version of Trumpcare to call everyone to action on the bill.
He wrote, "The Senate bill, unveiled today, is not a health care bill. It’s a massive transfer of wealth from middle-class and poor families to the richest people in America. It hands enormous tax cuts to the rich and to the drug and insurance industries, paid for by cutting health care for everybody else. Those with private insurance will experience higher premiums and higher deductibles, with lower tax credits to help working families cover the costs, even as their plans might no longer cover pregnancy, mental health care, or expensive prescriptions. Discrimination based on pre-existing conditions could become the norm again. Millions of families will lose coverage entirely."
"Simply put, if there’s a chance you might get sick, get old, or start a family – this bill will do you harm. And small tweaks over the course of the next couple weeks, under the guise of making these bills easier to stomach, cannot change the fundamental meanness at the core of this legislation."
The former President called upon people to call their Senators, visit their offices, and speak out against this terrible bill. His call was an optimistic one.
"To put the American people through that pain – while giving billionaires and corporations a massive tax cut in return – that’s tough to fathom. But it’s what’s at stake right now. So it remains my fervent hope that we step back and try to deliver on what the American people need," he wrote.
"That might take some time and compromise between Democrats and Republicans. But I believe that’s what people want to see. I believe it would demonstrate the kind of leadership that appeals to Americans across party lines. And I believe that it’s possible – if you are willing to make a difference again. If you’re willing to call your members of Congress. If you are willing to visit their offices. If you are willing to speak out, let them and the country know, in very real terms, what this means for you and your family."
I'm pretty sure President Obama missed this article where Sarah Kliff of Vox interviewed one of these Senators, who was perfectly fine with the fundamental meanness of the core legislation because, well....they WON.
The way I look at is there is no question we're getting inundated with calls and emails and protests. There is all this energy and anger on the left. The people who lost are the ones who are angry. We won the entire elected government. So I remind my staff after a long day of hostile calls, it was less than six months we got more votes than a person on the other side in [my state]. The people who voted for me are still out there.
We are going to have to fight hard to keep this bill from getting through the Senate. Their incentives are huge for passing it. It serves their billionaires, provides huge tax cuts, and sets the table for Son of Huge Tax Cuts, also known as "tax reform."
They have lots of reasons for doing it, they're cynical as all get-out and they really don't give a damn about anyone but themselves. So I think President Obama may be optimistic. But I'm certainly willing to make this as difficult and painful for Republicans as I can anyway, and you should be too.
