I don't generally tell people to shut up because doing so is rude. And I honestly don't think I've ever told anyone to STFU because, well, it's even ruder. But, seriously, Republicans need to STFU about health care now.
In a sane world, Republicans would be crowing about the passage of PPACA and it's mandate provision. After all, the mandate was their idea, their alternative to Clinton's approach back in the 90s. And of course Romney - one of their guys and their presidential candidate - even got such a program going in Massachusetts and it seems to work fairly well. Republicans talked up the individual mandate for right at two decades, if I have my math right.
Then, Obama and the Democrats essentially caved and agreed to do it the Republican way. Hell, we didn't even get a public option. In a sane world, this would be seen as a slam dunk Republican win. If Republicans were serious about health care reform, they'd be crowing about this policy victory from every rooftop. Their presidential candidate would never shut up about being father of real health care reform. He'd be making the pitch every day at every stop that America would be better off with the party that came up with the idea and the man who got it running than a bunch of copycat Democrats with no leadership of their own.
But of course that isn't the world we live in. The minute Democrats acceded to the Republican plan it was suddenly toxic, unconstitutional. And now that the mandate is constitutional, Republicans want to repeal the whole kit and kaboodle. "Repeal and replace," they keep saying. Replace. Yeah, right.
Well, I've got news for you, Republicans. The mandate was your "replace." If it were up to me, we'd take the death machine known as the American health insurance industry, rip it up by the roots, and cast it into the sun, never to be seen again. If it were up to me, we'd have single payer. And the furthest I personally wanted to go in compromise was to at least keep the lowly public option. But, no, all of that got "replaced" with the mandate. And now you want to repeal everything? And replace it with ... what exactly?
Just how stupid do you think we are? We've seen Lucy pull the football away from Charlie Brown too many times to trust you assholes any more. So shut up. Shut the fuck up. You have nothing to contribute to this debate. We've tried to meet you halfway, all the way, any possible way we could think of, up to and including adopting and implementing the plan you came up with. And now you want to set the clock back and do it all over again? While people continue to die? Needlessly?
The answer is no. I don't care what you have to say anymore about health care, the answer is no. You've demonstrated beyond any remaining doubt that you're not serious about solving our health care problems. I personally don't think Republicans are serious about solving any real problems, but now, at least as far as health care is concerned, there can be no doubt. We did it your way and still you attack us.
So shut up. Just shut the fuck up.