http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/aca-opposition-frays-little-further
There are more signs that Republicans are finally realizing their fight against the Affordable Care Act is one they are not going to win."When Kit Bond was in the Senate, he absolutely hated the Affordable Care Act, and voted to reject and kill the law. As he was getting ready to retire, the Missouri Republican said the impact of the reform law, especially expanding Medicaid, would be 'horrific.'
Last year, Bond went so far as to describe the Affordable Care Act as 'a pile of manure.'"
Very classy, Mr. Bond."Now, however, it appears Bond...has changed his mind, at least about one key aspect of the law.
(Mr.) Bond has been hired as a lobbyist by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry. His goal will be to persuade a General Assembly skeptical of all things Obamacare to go along with one of the law's central tenets--adding 300,000 uninsured Missourians to the public health insurance program for the poor.
Dan Mehan, the Missouri chamber's president, told the Kansas City Star that the business lobbying group 'opposed Obamacare,' but the organization believes it will remain the law of the land."
I'm thinking this comment deserves a big "Duh.""And as such, Mehan added, 'We should take the opportunity to get an enormous amount of investment back into our state and, while we're at it, improve Medicaid for everyone."
Talk about a Johnny-come-lately justification. Think of all the money Missouri could have saved if they had not passed their anti-ACA laws--laws they then had to defend in federal court where they ultimately lost their case just this past week. http://whateyethynk-politics.blogspot.com/2014/01/quick-note-missouri-obstructionist-aca.html"And why did he change his mind? Bond told the Associated Press, 'While I was and still am one of the loudest opponents of Obamacare, I'm getting involved in Medicaid reform now because if our state sits on the sidelines, I'm concerned hospitals in rural and inner city Missouri won't survive.'"
He didn't think of this when he was a U.S. Senator?"To be sure, that's a perfectly good reason to support a perfectly sensible policy. But Bond's 180-degree reversal reinforces a larger truth about the nature of ACA opposition: it's fracturing in ways that spell trouble for conservatives...
...And it's not just Missouri. Dylan Scott had a good report this morning on West Virginia, where Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R), a leading U.S. Senate candidate, has voted to repeal the law, but is now comfortable leaving Medicaid expansion in place.
The conventional wisdom is that Republicans running in 2014 will be campaigning against Obamacare, attempting to recreate the 2010 magic that saw them make massive gains in Congress and state governments...
...That's the narrative, and that's what Republican strategists would have you believe. But comments--or the lack thereof--from some GOP candidates in state and national elections suggest that opposition might not be as ironclad as previously believed."
With nearly 3 million Americans now signed up for ACA coverage, Republicans are waking up to the reality that "Elect me because I promise to take away your health insurance" is not the best road to take if you want to be a working politician."Utah's Republican governor just endorsed Medicaid expansion in his state, and Republicans in Michigan and Iowa are considering following suit.
For the last few years, the full repeal of the Affordable Care Act has been a staple of Republican rhetoric, but it's becoming increasingly obvious that the GOP's posture is evolving. At this point, the Republican position appears to be, 'We hate Obamacare with every fiber of our being, except for (some) parts.'...
...This isn't a sustainable approach to health care policy...
...The ACA opposition, in other words, is fraying, which is generally a precursor to defeat."
Somebody tell Ted Cruz.
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