CNN held a town hall meeting with Speaker of the House Paul Ryan on Thursday evening, and one member of the audience had some choice words for Ryan and his GOP buddies who are vowing to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Jeff Jeans told Ryan that he was opposed to Obamacare at first, but changed his mind when he received a life-changing diagnosis:
“When it was passed, I told my wife we would close our business before I comply with this law. Then at 49, I was given six weeks to live with a very curable type of cancer. We offered three times the cost of my treatments, which was rejected. They required an insurance card. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, I’m standing here today alive.”
Jeans then added:
“I want to thank President Obama from the bottom of my heart because I would be dead if it weren’t for him.”
Ryan tried to assure the man that he and his GOP colleagues want to replace the ACA with something much better, but his weak response fell flat.
Finally, the House Speaker repeated his pledge that the replacement for Obamacare the Republicans have in mind would be “better,” but he offered no specifics, probably because he has none.
House and Senate Republicans are on the verge of ripping away healthcare from 25-30 million Americans. Some, like Jeff Jeans, have had their lives saved as a result of the ACA. A friend of mine is a diabetic and without Obamacare will have to try and come up with $900 a month for insulin or else she will die.
Republicans say they want to get the government out of people’s lives, but fail to realize only the government can do some of the most important things in our lives. Things that make us healthier and guarantee us one of the most basic rights of all: The right to decent healthcare.
Paul Ryan is a heartless asshole, and he should know that if he breaks apart the ACA and leaves millions to fend for themselves, he and his Republican cohorts will have to pay a steep political price.
Tell your congressman how you feel about them repealing Obamacare. You can locate your congressional representative at this website, WhoIsMyRepresentative.com.
Featured Image Via CNN Screengrab
