What to do?
I've always identified myself as a democrat, leaning toward the Progressive side at that, but found that I have issues with both sides. Nobody was more supportive of President Obama than me and, after it became obvious Bernie was not going to win the nomination, I became equally supportive of Hillary. Even before that occurred (on Super Tuesday) I did not speak ill of Hillary because doing so would damage her if she won the primary. Did I have issues with Obama, Hillary, and Bernie? You bet I did but focusing on those is not the way to win. It seemed important to win. Especially since I've believed Goldfinger to be owned by Putin since last July.
But having not won has opened up some interesting conversations and readings with those who don't agree with democrats. To be sure, these are folks who don't like Goldfinger anymore than we do (I don't read Breitbart and am surprised if I’ve even spelled it correctly) but they are not, in general, fans of our side and have explained why. I can't say that I'm always in disagreement with them, either. I like that democrats are humanitarian, less religious, and trend more toward regulations which remove hatred from opportunity. That gives everyone a fighting chance to become all we can be despite what we are. That is noble and, I believe, worth fighting for.
As a devout Atheist I have discovered a huge backlash, even among democrats (whom are not thought of as big supporters of public religion), to decrying publicly honoring Christmas, Passover, or any other religion’s holiest day. Unitarians, Lutherans, Unity, and other liberal org's love their Christmas and Easter as much as Evangelicals, Southern Baptists, or other Christian Taliban extremists. Even many Atheist's love Christmas although they think religion is harmful. Christian hymns are "comforting" to many who claim to question the story’s validity. We who disagree are simply wrong and need to get over being butt hurt. That is an area of disagreement with democratic sympathies.
I bring this up to highlight how people will espouse nonsense to hold onto what they like and become militant in preaching against what they don't. Both are extremes and I am more of a realist than an extremist (though, sometimes, it takes me a while to get off a soapbox). When what I think is the way things ought to be clashes with the way things are then I tend to step back and think outside the box about what can be realistically achieved. My once militant stances have yielded to the ways of Zen because I do not like being angry all the time.
All of this background leads me to what I wish to say about the idea of working with GOP on healthcare. It's important you know the background because this view will, otherwise, seem cold. I think it merely conforms to accepting what can’t be helped or, to quote Zen, letting go.
Ryan shot down Trump’s idea of working with Democrats to push through health care reform in an interview with CBS, which aired Thursday. "I don't want that to happen," he said, referring to the president’s claim that the “the Democrats will make a deal” with him after Obamacare spirals out.
I would suggest that democrats not try to change his mind.
They (the GOP and Koch-Federalist Society backed Freedom Caucus, or FC) have demanded ownership of our healthcare system since before 1993, when they fought tooth-and-nail against Hillary Clinton's single payer plan. That plan really solidified their hatred of democrats more than anything else. It's that hatred which made them scream about the ACA for seven years. Their objection to Obama was only transiently about Obama. It was mostly about him being a democrat. They demand their way or the highway on healthcare so this is a pivotal moment. Without full rejection of their ownership The States Of America (SOA) will not peacefully transition into a single payer system. It will always be contested as a "monstrosity" born of misguided democratic minds.
How, then, do we get such rejection? Well, we largely already have it. Most people born after 1957 desire single payer. Our problem is making them know how much they desire it. Nothing creates demand like certainty + urgency.
Some Democrats have said they are willing to work with Republicans on health care reform. On Tuesday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) sent a letter to the Democratic conference asking for ideas to improve the Affordable Care Act.
The best idea is allowing GOP/FC failure to create that certainty. Urgency, and demand, should follow. Yes, there will be great pain getting to that point but it can't be helped. Tragedies will befall many among us. All liberals can do is say, "Look at this, GOP'ers. It doesn't have to be this way, you know." Hopefully they'll agree quickly and the pain will stop. That will only happen if we bow out of the healthcare fight, though. Give it to the GOP/FC so that ONLY THEY can be blamed for not improving the ACA or a bad plan--whichever comes first. The ACA will force them to come up with something, however, because it’s better than what once existed.
Even harder will be defending this strategy against those who want to avoid the tragedies. Again, tragedies can not be avoided. Even a single payer system will have some. Democrats are not good at accepting the reality of tragedy. We seem to feel that we can create a world in which they don't happen. Not only is that world impossible but it should be impossible. Tragedy teaches us things that are important. It creates character and prepares us for the tragedy our own passing will bring upon others. If we've fought the battle well enough then we will have ultimately lessened the world's tragedies and given those who mourn us a reason to.
Let’s stand aside and let the demon destroy itself.