Republican trying to stop Obamacare
As the rollout of Obamacare nears, the Republicans are panicking. They should be. That repealing or even delaying Obamacare is their primary ransom demand as they threaten to shut down the government proves how desperate they are.
The public is confused, and with good reason. Big changes are coming, and some are complicated. But once Obamacare is fully implemented, a few things quickly will become apparent. Like that there won't be death panels. Like that the deficit will go down, not up. Like that most people will have more insurance coverage at lower expense. In other words, the years of Republican lies about what Obamacare will do will be proved to have been lies. The hardcore GOP dead-enders won't notice, but people with functioning brains will.
But the bigger reason why the Republicans are justified in their panic isn't because of the good things Obamacare will do, it's because of the good things Obamacare won't be able to do. Because the problem with Obamacare isn't that it goes too far, it's that it doesn't go far enough. And once people realize that the Republicans were lying about Obamacare, that government can do good things, and that Obamacare does good things but not enough good things, they will want more. They will realize that Obamacare was just one step along a larger path, and they will want the next step. They will want all the steps, until we reach the destination of quality health care for everyone. And they will realize that the Republicans who were so wrong and so dishonest about Obamacare are not the people to take us down that path. They will realize that the Democrats are.
But the biggest reason why the Republicans are justified in their panic is that Obamacare will demonstrate, yet again, that good government is good for people. Government intervention in the health insurance racket will make things better. This is not exactly a secret, given the overwhelming success and popularity of Medicare and Medicaid, but the entire Republican anti-government schtick is about to be exposed, yet again. People who believe government can do good things prove it, by making government do good things. People who believe government is bad don't make government do good things. People who believe government is bad provide bad government, which the Republicans prove again and again. But people want good government. That's what this whole democracy and republic thing is all about. And there is nothing more terrifying to Republicans than democracy and republic.
Good things are coming. Better things will be demanded. And that will lead to better things. The Republicans will not be part of it. And they know it. And they are reacting accordingly. The Republicans live to tear government down, and a functioning government that serves the public good is their worst nightmare.