Jason Easley, of Politicus USA writes Sanders Sends Republicans Into Cold Sweats With a Truth Bomb About Obamacare, transcribing an interview Senator Bernie Sanders (I - VT) gave to MSNBD Ed Schultz, where Sanders tells it like it, which Easley paraphrases as the Republican's worst nightmare of seeing a successful ACA as their worst nightmare.
Let's let Sanders speak for himself:
The Republicans have opposed the Affordable Care Act from day one. It is their nightmare that it succeeds. These are the same guys that want to end Medicare as we know it. Convert it into a voucher program, who want to make massive cuts into Medicaid. Who had eight years under Bush to do something, even a little thing, about healthcare, and they did nothing.
So these guys have nothing at all to say, and their nightmare is that as millions of people begin to get affordable health insurance, as the Medicaid program expands and people who have never had health insurance in their lives finally are able to go into a doctor. For the Republicans, this is a nightmare. Imagine, if the United States government does something for ordinary people and not just billionaires. What kind of nightmare is that. That is what their biggest fear is, Ed.
Easley goes on to elaborate:
Sen Sanders (I-VT) nailed it. Republicans are terrified that more people are going to be able to see a doctor. They are scared that people will realize that the government can make positive things happen, and they hate the ACA because it is an example of the government doing something for someone other than wealthy billionaires. ...
The ACA shatters this ideology. The Afforable Care Act demonstrates what happens when government acts in the best interests of the majority. Once people figure out that the Republicans were wrong about Obamacare, there is nothing stopping them from demanding that their government does things that benefit them.
The vision of a functional government that is responsive to the majority of its people gives billionaire controlled Republicans nightmares and causes them to break out into cold sweats. Bernie Sanders laid it out plain and clear. Obamacare could be just the beginning, and Republicans are terrified by the prospect of a government that works for the people.
We fought a long painful battle for the ACA and won. We work hard to implement the website, and after a few hiccups have enrolled over 7.1 million. Now it's time to take this story to the voters in November and explain to them what it means and clobber the GOP with the fact that they've got nothing, and fought this tooth and nail every step of the way. Our goal should be to see another 20% improvement in ACA favoribility and 20% (See Update Footnote) drop in GOP favorability as we remind voters what exclusions for preexisting conditions, recission, life-time caps, kicking 19 year old off their parents policies. etc. all meant in terms of real life stories.
Yes, think of it as a new horror movie -- "The Republican Nightmare That Ate Came For Thanksgiving" - Coming to a voting booth near year. Check you newspapers for local times and listings. Isn't it sort of curious that one of our mos inspiring Democratic electoral cheerleaders is an independent from Vermont? Thanks for getting us into the election spirit Bernie. It's time to be gearing up for the November 2014 elections folks. Let's not wait until August this time!
7:36 AM PT: Swapped Video at top for official photo of Senator Sanders for improved layout and possible courtesy for those with bandwidth issues on their cell phones. Is this still an issue? It may have been long ago, I don't know if it has been fixed while I was gone so I thought some my prefer this layout. Video is now at bottom still accessible for those who want to watch it. Sander's ability to articulate deep point with such simplicity, and clarity, never ceases to amaze me. Also, does he have copy editor living inside his brain? An impressive speaker.
7:58 AM PT: (Foot Note on Goal of 20% Improvement) All right, we can compromise with the skeptics and Party realists and say 7% - 10% - I'm nothing if not reasonable. My understanding is we need at least and 55% to 45% plus advantage in national poll average to win back the House so that's where I draw the line in the stand, though. And, we should have some margin for error!
This is doable. If you saw President's Obama Speech Friday, (or was it Saturday) he was fired up like the old days, and so was the crowd. We did it folks. This was the "Worse before Better" dynamic. We paid the price, now we can cash in some chips. (Provided we keep implementing well.)
The arguments are our side. And, the Republicans have been pigs about this, and the American people know it. We Democrats just have to have the courage to stand up and call them out on it. If we don't and hide out, people will think they are right, and we have something to hide, but if we come out confident, proud, and aggressive I think we have a good chance at whipping their sad butts.
And, Lord knows folks, the GOP deserves a good ass-whipping. Yes they do. They deserve it because, they have been intentional destructive to America for crass partisan gain, and that just isn't right. They've been trying to sabotage the ACA, the economy, employment, etc.. And, I don't think most Americans think that is right to hurt America so Republicans can gain partisan advantage in the 2014, and 2016 elections, especially not independents, and even not some Republicans, who may be secretly ashamed at what the Republican Party has been doing to our great nation.
So Bernie Sanders is giving us a heads up wake up call that we may be getting a second change at the once in a generation chance we all saw in 2008, to set these Republicans back on their heels and show America what we could do with a Democratic President, House, and Senate between 2014 and 2016.
It's worth our best try. Let's do it.