Perhaps one reason the GOP is having a tough time moving forward with health care is that they’ve done little to convince the American people of the benefits of their legislation, says Mark Dion.
As the Republican Senate struggles to cobble together 50 votes from the conservative and moderate wings of their party to repeal and replace Obamacare – barely getting enough votes to even proceed to considering it – what is again noticeably absent is an aggressive and coordinated pitch to the American people of why this needs to happen now.
The trouble with the GOP’s healthcare reform effort can be traced back to November 8, 2016. No one expected Trump to win the White House, and so they weren’t ready to move on real reforms that would be signed into law. In addition, there seems to be a conventional wisdom that the electorate gave Republicans a mandate during the 2010, 2014, and 2016 elections to eliminate Obamacare; however, stump speeches and campaign ads make for lousy legislative language.
Republicans missed an opportunity to hold hearings, consult experts, and build coalitions and consensus early in the process.