PROGRESSIVE DISCUSSION - TUESDAY 7/18

I guess this means JA is "very angry" this morning Two more Republicans grew a spine.

Now both sides just need to come together and fix the problems in Obamacare. The question is, will Republicans be willing to do that or will they instead force Obamacare to fail leaving millions of people stranded? Have we reached the point that the political divide is so great that it is impossible to work together for the good of the country over partisan politics?

I'm afraid you are right, Linda. How sad for our country! If we can't work together and fix healthcare, then we are doomed even without JA leading the band.

I'm all for universal healthcare with a single payer system, but don't see any chance of getting it. Still one can dream. Repeal only would be a total disaster. As for McConnell, he is the epitome of hypocrisy.

Linda, that's really bad news for your town. That's going to happen in towns all across the country I am afraid. The hospital in the small town where I grew up is on very shaky ground as well. It really scares me that Republicans want to slash Medicaid. I can't comprehend how anyone would be so reckless and so careless with the lives of so many people. As I've said before, I worry now all the time that my mom and dad's savings will not hold out as long as they do. As it is, I think we can make it for another 2-3 years with me chipping in and assuming prices and medicine costs don't go up too much. But already I know this new medicine that the doctor is trying to help control my mom's anger issues with the Alzheimer's will be very expensive, yet if it will help is a necessity. Even without that added cost and even though they have a drug insurance plan, their medicines already average between $400-$600 per month. That doesn't include the fact that currently Medicare pays for my dad's nebulizing meds which on their own run a little over $800 per month. I know you have issues about this with Jason also. It's a very scary world out there. I find myself waking up every morning with this on my mind, so I know I must be subconsciously thinking about it all through the night. I've depended on Medicaid as being the backup safety net for when their funds run out, and now I'm afraid that safety net is going to disappear. But even so my family is far better off than many, many others. Others will be left totally with nothing. How can Republicans even consider doing such a thing?

Those Republican voters who are for cutting Medicaid either 1) are wealthy enough they think it won't ever affect them or anyone they love; 2) are totally clueless about what Medicaid actually does, who receives it; or 3) are still young enough that they and their loved ones aren't yet thinking about future health issues and possible long term care needs. Yet even for those who are young in age, they have no way of knowing when they might have a special needs child or when they or one of their children will be involved in an accident that will leave them with special needs. People need to wake up and realize what talking about cutting Medicaid actually means. I believe that most of the people in my state truly don't realize what that actually means. Democrats need to get the message out there, because we most definitely can't depend on our Senators or our Representatives. And there is no way Tennessee as a state can make up the shortfall if federal Medicaid money is cut.

Anyone who would vote in favor of such an outrage simply has no heart, and I'd like to see them try to figure out how to care for their loved ones without the money and healthcare benefits that the rest of us are providing for them. I don't begrudge them those benefits. I just think the rest of us should be treated as well.