6 Reasons Donald Trump Of The Past Would Hate Donald Trump Today
5. Healthcare
Healthcare in the United States is one of the most contentious and polarizing issues of the last half-decade. For outsiders looking in, its baffling. How the wealthiest and most advanced nation to ever grace the Earth cant look after its most vulnerable citizens is perplexing. Yes, there is a lot of backroom opposition from powerful lobbyists who try to kill medical reform bills via donation threats. But its their fear mongering, with terms like death panels and socialism taking over America, which really strangle true progress. President Obama discovered this hostility when he attempted to implement his version of healthcare reformObamacareand was met with stiff opposition. Countless political favours, a nationwide tour, an election seen as a referendum on the issue, and 2 Supreme Court decisions later, Obamacare appears a permanent fixture of the U.S. social safety net. Perhaps one of the reasons for the strong opposition against Obamacare is that its seen as a step towards socializing Americas healthcare system. Socialism, a quarter-century after the fall of the Soviet Union, is still a dreaded word in the U.S., like portion control or subtitled documentary. During the lead-up to the Obamacare vote, citizens and public officials in opposition littered the airwaves and town halls with speeches and signs claiming the new law was part of a communist takeover. It was far from it, as it kept insurance companies largely intact, though there were new regulationspatients couldnt be denied on pre-existing conditions, children could stay on parents plan until 26that stymied unfair industry practices. And who was in favour of socialized healthcare? Donald Trump in 2000, who advocated for universal health coverage in his book The America We Deserve. In the book, and succeeding interviews, the former TV host noted that America should have full government care, even if that meant doctors were paid less. The number of uninsured Americans, at the time 42 million by his estimate, was another point of discontent for Trump, as he deemed it unacceptable. He even went on to praise neighbouring Canada for their approach to looking after ailing citizens. Fast-forward 15 years, and Trumps moral imperative has changed a little. Trump has called Obamacare, which covers millions of formerly uninsured Americans and lowers everyday insurance costs through state and federal exchanges, a filthy lie, unconstitutional, and bound to destroy America. Trump further noted that he wished to repeal the Presidents signature legislation. He went on to claim that he could replace it with a plan that was better and cheaper, but skimmed on the details. Maybe that better plan he mentions is a single-payer plan, or maybe its a case of the tail wagging the dog.
