Donald Trump didn`t have any major legislative victories during his first 100 days in office; his first attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare was a dismal failure. This was a major embarrassment considering that the Republican Party controlled both chambers of Congress.
Desperate for a victory the Republicans cobbled together a misogynist bill that makes it easier for insurance companies to charge women more if their medical histories include pre-existing conditions, including a rape or a Caesarian section.
Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY) didn`t even bother reading the legislation that dismantles Obamacare that will result in millions of people losing access to affordable insurance, before House Republicans voted to pass it on Thursday.
Collins was the only congressperson who admitted publicly that he didn`t read the bill, I`m sure he wasn`t the only one.
TrumpCare also allows insurance companies to gauge the elderly and anyone with a pre-existing condition. Trump`s plan screws women, the elderly and the chronically ill, although it does include generous tax benefits for the wealthy.
When this abomination of a health plan passed the House by the slimmest of margins, Donald Trump, the Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and every congressman and congresswoman who voted for it should have hung their heads in shame.
Instead they assembled for a photo-op in the White House Rose Garden, the first time that a president celebrated when a bill passed only one chamber of Congress. That`s like football team guzzling champagne because they`re ahead at halftime.
It will be much tougher sledding in the Senate; we only need three Republican senators who care more about the health and well-being of their constituents than political victories to kill this wretched bill.
Look at the photograph, Trump the billionaire is gloating in front of millionaire congresspersons. There`s only one woman in the group, the rest are white, middle-aged men.
These one-percenters are celebrating a political victory, certainly not a legislation that ensures that the poor and the disabled will finally have accessible and affordable health care.
When the mid-term elections roll around, I hope that every person of color who voted for Trump will take a good look at this photograph of these politicians with shit-eating grins on their fat faces.
Pic:
http://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/trump-health-care-rose-garden
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