Republicans Finally Have a Plan...for Obstructionism

All House Republicans received a memo this week.  In simple and clear language, their leadership presented the talking points they expected them all to follow:

• "Because of Obamacare, I Lost My Insurance."
• "Obamacare Increases Health Care Costs."
• "The Exchanges May Not Be Secure, Putting Personal Information at Risk."
• "Continue Collecting Constituent Stories."

The memo even includes a sample opinion article that Representatives can offer to their local newspapers.

what eye thynk:     This is the latest "plan" by Republicans to keep Democrats on the defensive.  Republicans call this a sequenced and multi-layered plan of assault.  The idea is to focus on one anti-ACA topic, (the loss of insurance, for example), until public outrage reaches a crescendo, then to quickly move on to the next, keeping the public in a constant state of frenzied negativity.

A special website has been set up for members to share their constituent anecdotes, (no need to vet them first--fact checking isn't as important as getting the story out).  In case anyone thinks to stray from the current Party-speak, another memo will be sent at the beginning of each week reminding members of their "Message of the Week."  Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Washington) explains the plan as a way of using "Republican voices we have in the House, the media markets in all the districts we represent, to take our message all over the country."

Cathy, we've heard your message ad nauseum.  The ACA is the law of the land.  If you want to change it, you have to do that through the legislature, which you've tried 40+ times to no avail.

While I can admire your Party's organization and attention to detail, (to say nothing of your dedication to your one-note message that, in five years, has yet to yield one positive outcome), I can't help but wish that you'd give as much time and effort to thinking about something positive for a change.    Where is the detailed plan for moving forward?  Forward on immigration reform?  on tax reform?  on the Farm Bill?  on education?  on the environment? on infrastructure? on job creation?  Or, here's a thought, how about some positive ideas on how to make the ACA work more efficiently--you know, for the little people back home.

I've said it before:  Governing in reverse will yield no progress and you can't move forward if you keep your face to the past.

What the plan doesn't do is explain what they expect to accomplish.  Repeal the ACA?  They've tried that 40+ times.    

States with their own exchanges report that people are signing up for the ACA at an accelerated rate.  So, once all the people in Republican run states get themselves high on Republican negativity, then what?  Do they look at the people living across the border who are enjoying affordable health insurance for the first time and continue to scream, "Wrong!" at the top of their lungs?  Or do they look at their Republican congressman and realize they've been fooled into denying themselves access to good health care and wonder "Why"?