Obama says Sanders' supporters helped undermine Obamacare

[boston bean]

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN14Q2E5?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social

President Barack Obama said on Friday that criticism from the left wing of his own Democratic Party helped feed into the unpopularity of Obamacare, his signature healthcare reform law.

Obama has been spending part of his last two weeks in office urging supporters to speak out against plans by Republicans - who will soon control both the White House and Congress - to dismantle the 2010 Affordable Care Act.

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. This was posted yesterday.

And no, they didn't.

[bravenak]

2. They absolutely did, Boston

And I, for one, and GLAD you posted this post election analysis. These things remind us to never ever ever let an indy into our primary. For one, they trash the party, for two, they are sore fucking losers, and for three, they never stfu, even MONTHS after they lost.

Another thing that I believe was harmful was the way he ratcheted up the anger in his base to 100, and then left us to deal with the fall out.

I still wanna see them taxes too.

[Gman]

3. In fact, you can trace the GOP everything

Back to 2010 when the far left threw a fit because the ACA didn't have A public opinion. So they were going to "teach the party a lesson" So they stayed home. And openly encouraged not voting. What they never considered was that 2010 was a redistricting year and Democrats got screwed for at least 10 years, or at least through 2020.

[TreasonousBastard]

4. He's right-- the constant bitching about how it wasn't good enough rotted the foundation...

It makes no difference whether single payer is the best way or not-- the ACA is the best we could get at this particular time.

Like Medicare, accept it for now and every year do something to improve it.

But, the same big mouths are going to end up helping the Republicans take it down.

Hope they're proud of themselves. As bad as Trump, they will never admit they are part of the problem.

[R B Garr]

11. +1000. Now watch them turn around just because

Bernie's suddenly into compromising. The media spotlight seems to be the priority.

[lostnfound]

5. If you like Obama, why put false words in his mouth?

I think the world of him. Don't make up stuff about why he said.

[Ron Green]

6. People around the country who actually have worked

for universal, publicly-funded health care have NOT weakened Obamacare. Every organization has gone through discussions about messaging and policy, concluding that the ACA, in providing coverage for millions, has been a net positive - but one that must be improved upon.

This OP uses a serious policy process, one that's still being developed, as a political football. The only reason I can see for this is to discredit Bernie Sanders and his supporters.

[aikoaiko]

7. A headline not supported by Obama's statement.

This is what Obama said,

"In the 'dissatisfied' column are a whole bunch of Bernie Sanders supporters who wanted a single-payer plan," Obama said in the interview.

"The problem is not that they think Obamacare is a failure. The problem is that they don't think it went far enough and that it left too many people still uncovered," Obama said.;


Bernie voted for the ACA, always supported the benefits of the ACA, and wanted health care legislation that did more.

[marked50]

9. Agree. Thank you for clarifying what the OP was conflating.

[alarimer]

10. Just more opportunity for Sanders bashing.

And a complete distortion of what Obama actually said.

Obamacare is not a failure, but it is not enough and will fail, eventually, because of the flaws in its system.

Why are people allowed to lie about Sanders and his supporters?

[loyalsister]

19. It's still a disappointing statement

There really are still people who are working more than one minnimum wage job, and having difficulty paying rent and feeding their kids- let alone buying health insurance. They are paying the fines, instead. These are people who like they have not been helped, or even heard by this administration.

Some of those voters might have responded to Bernie, but others were attracted to the burn the government down rhetoric of Trump.

[Lucinda]

12. KNR

[Motown_Johnny]

13. He also said, in his farewell address..

(paraphrased)

that he would support any health care plan which covers more people at a lower cost than the ACA.


So, doesn't that mean that he now supports Single Payer (what Bernie was supporting all along) ?

[Adrahil]

16. I sure hope not...

No single payer so long as the reactionary GOPee is near the control of anything.

[Motown_Johnny]

17. Do you not agree that Single Payer would cover more people and be more cost effective? n/t

[Adrahil]

18. Well, if you don't cover anything, sure it'll be cheap.

I'm not of fan of no choices at all, especially if the skinflint GOPee has anything to do with it.

I DO want a public option.

[mnhtnbb]

14. No, Obama did NOT say Sanders' supporters helped undermine Obamacare. OP is disingenous.

Here is what the article quoted him as saying:

"The problem is not that they think Obamacare is a failure. The problem is that they don't think it went far enough and that it left too many people still uncovered," Obama said.

and

Michael Briggs, a spokesman for Sanders, agreed that many people would rather the government "take on the private insurance industry and the pharmaceutical companies" and play a bigger role in providing healthcare.

"There are many millions of Americans, including many of Bernie's supporters, who don’t understand why we are the only major country on earth that does not provide healthcare as a right and they don’t understand why we pay more but get less for what we spend on healthcare," Briggs said.

[Cha]

15. I saw here in 2010.. it was so horrrendous.. I

left for two years.

They didn't have the votes for single payer..

"But Obama also said Liberals like former Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders had contributed to the program's unpopularity."

President Obama went with what was possible.. it had never been done before..

"More than 20 million previously uninsured Americans gained health coverage through Obamacare, according to the White House. Coverage was extended by expanding the Medicaid program for the poor and through online exchanges where consumers can receive income-based subsidies."

In addition those with pre-existing conditions couldn't be turned away.. now all of these people are going to be thrown overboard.