In his weekly address, the President spared no obstructionist and debunked Republican lies and threats. One of my favorite lines:
If you’re one of the 85% of Americans who already have insurance, you’ve already got new benefits and protections under this law that you didn’t before. Free checkups, mammograms, and contraceptive care. Discounted prescription medicine on Medicare. The fact you can stay on your parents’ plan until you turn 26. And much, much more. And it’s okay if you’re not a fan of the Affordable Care Act – you can take advantage of these things anyway.
It's about time someone pointed out to these old white folks who whine about it that they're getting better benefits for less cost than they ever did before.
Another favorite:
Many Members of Congress, in both parties, are working hard to inform their constituents about these benefits, protections, and affordable plans. But there’s also a group of Republicans in Congress working hard to confuse people, and making empty promises that they’ll either shut down the health care law, or, if they don’t get their way, they’ll shut down the government.
Think about that. They’re actually having a debate between hurting Americans who will no longer be denied affordable care just because they’ve been sick – and harming the economy and millions of Americans in the process. And many Republicans are more concerned with how badly this debate will hurt them politically than they are with how badly it’ll hurt the country.
A lot of Republicans seem to believe that if they can gum up the works and make this law fail, they’ll somehow be sticking it to me. But they’d just be sticking it to you.
Last week I had a bit of a Twitter tussle with Groundswell participant and Maryland Congressional candidate Dan Bongino, who was tossing out the usual Americans for Prosperity nonsense talking points about the ACA. When I asked him why he is so determined to deny my son the liberty to be self-employed in his chosen profession, I heard nothing. Silence. And then he resumed the usual barrage of tweets about how the scary black dude in the White House wants control over everyone's health care.
To which that not-so-scary black dude in the White House replied:
So I’m going to keep doing everything in my power to make sure this law works as it’s supposed to. Because in the United States of America, health insurance isn’t a privilege – it is your right. And we’re going to keep it that way.
Amen to that.
