Trump Threatens Affordable Care Act, Lives At Risk

President Barack Obama (C) is applauded after signing the Inexpensive Well being Look after America Act throughout a ceremony with fellow Democrats within the East Room of the White Home March 23, 2010, in Washington, DC. | Supply: Win McNamee / Getty

I’ll be trustworthy, when the twice impeached and four-times indicted former president Donald Trump revived his calls to repeal and substitute the Inexpensive Care Act (ACA) final week, a part of me did just a little dance.

In spite of everything, practically 60% of Individuals help the ACA and even a powerful majority of Republicans help key provisions that eradicate pre-existing situations and stop insurance coverage corporations from charging sick individuals extra simply because they’re sick. In reality, the final time Republicans went on the warpath in opposition to Obamacare, they not solely failed regardless of controlling Congress and the White Home, they misplaced the Home, the Senate and the Presidency for his or her hassle.

MORE: How Ending Obamacare Would Harm Black Individuals

Oh, please throw me in that briar patch.

However as that a part of me felt giddy on the prospect of Trump’s unforced political error, I noticed that one thing larger was at stake.

You see, I keep in mind pre-existing situations. I keep in mind when turning 19-year-olds meant getting kicked off your dad and mom’ insurance coverage no matter your state of affairs. I keep in mind when there was no Sufferers’ Invoice of Rights, when insurance coverage corporations have been allowed to refuse protection to pregnant girls each time they wished or deny vaccinations, mammograms, colonoscopies, or numerous different important companies for any cause or no cause in any respect.

I keep in mind what life was like earlier than the ACA and I’m not going again. What about you?

In accordance with the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers, greater than 40 million Individuals have protection below the ACA and that’s not one thing you bojangle round with. However that’s scratching the floor of all of the American lives Trump desires to place in danger by dismantling the ACA.

Do you wish to observe his lead?

Do you wish to convey again pre-existing situations placing 135 million Individuals in danger and kicking 54 million Individuals off of their plans completely? Trump does.

Do you assume we must always kick 21 million hard-working Individuals off Medicaid by rolling again Medicaid growth and lift prescription drug prices for 49 million American seniors by reopening the “Medicare Donut Gap?” Trump does.

Ought to we increase taxes by eliminating the premium credit that assist individuals pay for insurance coverage via {the marketplace}? Trump does.

Trump desires to kick 23 million grownup youngsters off their dad and mom’ insurance coverage instantly and let insurance coverage corporations cost girls greater than males. He desires to shut rural hospitals getting key help from the ACA and placing lifetime caps on the advantages you pay for. He thinks insurance coverage corporations shouldn’t must cowl pharmaceuticals and maternity care and that increased prices and new disruptions for 61.5 million Medicare beneficiaries are completely value it to attain a couple of political factors. What about you?

You see, whereas it’s true that a part of me is simply itching to beat Trump and the MAGA Republican Occasion over the top with all these details and figures from now till Election Day. However, for me, that is about greater than marketing campaign technique and political gamesmanship. It’s about lives. It’s about my mom and my father, all of the family and friends and the numerous others whose lives dramatically improved on March 23, 2010, the day President Barack Obama signed the ACA into regulation.

Donald Trump is prepared to place these lives in danger. He and GOP already tried as soon as the identical factor and I adopted Maya Angelou’s rule, “When somebody exhibits you who they’re. Imagine them the primary time.”

What about you?

Antjuan Seawright (@antjuansea) is a Democratic political strategist, founder and CEO of Blueprint Technique LLC, a CBS Information political contributor, and a senior visiting fellow at Third Means.