Five years after its passage, the Affordable Care Act, better known as ObamaCare, is as unpopular as ever – only 37 percent of Americans view it favorably. Throughout Alabama and around the country, this ill-conceived mandate has led to cancelled insurance policies, dramatic spikes in premiums and copays, reduced work hours for wage earners and tax increases that affect middle class families.
Adding insult to injury this week was Jonathan Gruber, an MIT economist and one of the chief architects of the Obamacare law. Videos surfaced of Gruber acknowledging the lack of transparency and outright deceit it took to pass Obamacare through Congress five years ago. From one of the tapes:
If you had a law that said healthy people are going to pay in, that made it explicit that healthy people pay in and sick people get money, it would not have passed. Okay?
…Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage. And basically, call it the stupidity of the American voter or whatever, but basically that was really, really critical to getting the thing to pass.
You read that correctly: the crafters of Obamacare thought you were too stupid to understand why your taxes went up, hours at work got cut, health care policy got cancelled, or premiums skyrocketed. In fact, they were counting on it. Because, by Gruber’s own admission, even a Democratic Majority in Congress would not have passed a bill that truthfully explained what the effects of Obamacare would be.
I’m not surprised, really. Obamacare was built on a foundation of lies. Remember “if you like your health plan, you can keep your health plan”?
What this revelation lays bare is the Administration’s contempt and disrespect for the American voters. To be so willing to obfuscate, distract, and outright lie about a proposal that would negatively affect millions of Americans takes next-level hubris and callousness; an “Audacity of Hoax.”
Of course, Administration officials and Democratic leaders are trying to walk back Gruber’s statements. In fact, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi– who repeatedly touted Gruber’s analysis when passing the law– has gone so far as to claim that she doesn’t know who Gruber is.
Facts are stubborn things, and the camera doesn’t lie. Not only did Obamcare’s designers craft intentionally deceptive legislation, they considered that deception and the gullibility of Americans central to their ability to pass it.
I believe most Americans see through such political games. My conservative colleagues and I remain committed to dismantling ObamaCare and replacing it with sensible health reforms that are patient-centered, competition-driven and actually work to reduce costs.
Martha Roby represents Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives.
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