Democrats try to go on offense for 4th anniversary of Obamacare
In what this article in The Hill says is a "tightly coordinated final push" between the White House and congressional Democrats, the administration is attempting to put lipstick on a pig in order to tout the benefits of Obamacare.
The White House has provided members of Congress with packets that detail state-by-state benefits of the law, and what the cost of repeal would mean for constituents within their districts. A White House official says the data can be used to “amplify” the new effort ahead of the March 31 deadline.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) also provided members with data and sample language for members to use on new Medicare drug savings data.
Federal health officials reported Friday that nearly 8 million seniors have saved $9.9 billion on medication since ObamaCare's passage, a message Democrats hope their candidates will use on the campaign trail.
President Obama and other senior administration officials will mark the anniversary through efforts to highlight the individual stories of consumers who say their families have benefited from the Affordable Care Act.
White House staffers will also tweet a series of six graphics highlighting provisions of the law that eliminate lifetime limits, prohibit denial of coverage because of pre-existing conditions, and mandate free birth control and mammograms, among others.
There is nothing that gets me more incensed than anyone, anywhere referring to "free" benefits. All together now: There is no such thing as "free" birth control." Someone, somewhere has to pay for it - and that someone is you and me.
And where did all this information come from all of a sudden? Just like that, the White House releases reams and reams of info about Obamacare. Contrast that with the top secret manner they usually deal with Obamacare information.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who has spearheaded the effort in the Senate, appeared on a call with Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) hosted by the Center for American Progress on Friday. The lawmakers argued that it was possible to run on — and win — by touting the benefits of ObamaCare.
“Now that the ACA is working, now that we've gotten beyond those early months, we have a really good story to tell,” said Murphy.
“The election isn't tomorrow,” Boxer added. “We had a terrible rollout. It slowed us up. But it's falling into place now. The Republican answer is, let's repeal it and take away these benefits from people. That’s going to be very bad for them at the end of the day.”
The Democratic National Committee also released a memo saying they were “ready - and eager - to have” a debate over the health care law.