If you were a senator or congressman/woman and had spent the last 7 years staking your reputation on destroying Obamacare, how would you feel today?

I would be really sick, health-wise, and feel as if my health insurance just crapped out.

I would be actively engaged in blaming Clinton, Obama, McCain, Ryan, Preibus, Bannon, women, the poor, the Russians, Socialism, hooligans and anyone else I could think of instead of focusing on my own inadequacies and inability to have put together a coherent plan over the past seven years.

I’d be blaming Ryan and McConnell and Trump for weak leadership, and let my constituents know that.

Everyone mentioned above. The people I probably wouldn’t blame who most deserve blame are the poor deluded voters conned into electing a cold, cruel egomaniac who couldn’t care less about his party or the Americans he was sworn to defend.

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I am careful about the news sources I choose to read. I stick to ones that are highly reputable, The Guardian, NY Times, Washington Post.

I do not remember which one reported it yesterday, but one of them said they had credible information that at least 3 Senators told McConnell they would only vote in favor of skinny repeal if he promised them it would not become law. To put it bluntly, they did not want it to pass, but for less than honorable reasons, they voted for it. What utter bullshit!

The Republicans have proved their agenda will harm the average voter, and they are scared of being voted out of power by those voters they wish to harm.

Let’s back up a second and look at a likely outcome had skinny repeal passed the Senate. The only thing the House would have to do is pass it, too, and then Trump would have signed it. That was a distinct possibility that 3 Senators feared. They feared it, because they knew it would lead to more chaos in health care causing their demise.

Health care in the US is a shambles. We pay vastly more than other advanced countries for the same results. It’s not hard to understand why. There are people getting rich off our health care system. The powers that be wish to protect those rich people.

^Simple. Every time. Follow the money.

I would look at my state and go, “Huh. My constituents have really changed their perspective now that they see the alternatives. Maybe I should, too.”

I would look at the most popular healthcare promises from the last election and go, “Huh. What my constituents really want is better coverage and lower costs. And actually, as I think about it, that’s not very surprising.”

I would look at all the testimony from people who would be dead today if not for Obamacare and go, “Huh. This Obamacare thing, despite its flaws, has saved the lives of hardworking citizens. I’m not going to be part of taking away those lives, or future ones.”

I would look at my calendar and go, “Huh. Seven years. This thing has roots now, and if I’m being honest, it’s not all bad. Maybe it’s time to get out the pruning shears, to put away the chainsaw. Repealing Obamacare now isn’t the same as repealing it seven years ago, and I’d be foolish to keep pretending that it is.”

But that’s just me…

Well, if I were such a person, I’d find I had woken up in the body of someone awful, and I’d start figuring out how I can do the most good from my position, before people figure out I’ve completely changed political orientation. I’d probably become an informant on all the nasty corrupt dealings I could find out about.

My sister has been battling cancer for about five years. She has limited income, and provisions under Obamacare have allowed her to receive regular chemo treatments and still be alive today.

Ironically, she is a huge Trump supporter. In a recent email, I indicated that this was a little confusing to me.

She has not responded….

If I had been staking my reputation on destroying Obamacare, I’d probably move on to other topics right now.

I am hardcore hoping that they’ve figured out that trying to destroy the ACA is just going to become more and more embarrassing for them and that they should stop. Bipartisan healthcare reform efforts would be so welcome.