Trumpcare failure is an opportunity to end the divisiveness that hampered the Obamacare era.
The failure of Trumpcare last week can be seen as a rejection of policies that Americans judged would move the country backwards. But it also presents the opportunity to end the divisiveness that hampered the Obamacare era and move forward in a bipartisan direction that focuses not on destructive rhetoric, but squarely on reducing premiums and expanding access for all Americans.
The policies and the politics of Trumpcare were extreme and favored by only 17% of voters as compared with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which enjoys support from 50%. The central plank of the bill cut care for the neediest children, elderly and disabled to pay for a large tax cut for the wealthy. The process, likewise, began with the most partisan approach possible. Republicans skirted Democratic input, avoided public hearings, and ended up rushing a bill without enough time for impartial evaluation.
