Full disclosure: After today’s announcement from the CBO, I am beyond discouraged. In order to counter these emotions, I am watching Park and Recreations to lift my spirits. Watching a group of government officials who work to improve their community gives me great peace. I hope that Leslie-isms do not creep into my work, but alas, you have been warned (and hopefully sympathize).

Are you ready?

To begin, let’s take a minute to remember that the ACA was signed into law in 2010. Arguably, the Republican Party began its fight against the legislation in 2009, if not sooner. I think we can agree that, conservatively, lawmakers have had seven years to collect data, consult experts and draft the perfect revision. Then, their big moment final came! They control it all with big wins for the Executive Branch and Congress. Everything was coming up GOP after the 2016 election cycle.

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Let me ask you a quick question: If an organization that has millions of members, armed with endless resources spent seven years preparing for a single moment, you would expect big results, right? Seven years of fighting ObamaCare, and what do they have to show for it? Approximately 24 million people could lose coverage over the next decade. In the first year of the proposed plan, 14 million people will lose coverage. But the good news is that the wealthy could financially benefit from the millions who lose coverage. That is what they created after seven years. My initial responses:

[Writer takes deep breath. Acknowledges what you already suspect- I switched to 30 Rock.]

And when asked about the findings of the study, they called to disband the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Someone alert the CDC, because Kill The Messenger-itis is an epidemic that is sweeping the Trump Administration.

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I don’t think people oppose revisions that would increase efficiency, lower costs, expand enrollment, etc. Really, any improvements that address actual issues would have been better received…in my humble opinion. The outcry comes from the frustration that we are backpedaling. It is 2017. We are one of the strongest, wealthiest countries in the world. It is unacceptable that we still debate whether healthcare is a right or privilege. Driving is a privilege. Gun ownership is a right. How is healthcare a privilege?

Correct me if I am wrong, but generally speaking, the same political philosophy that believes in the sanctity of life opposes universal healthcare. I don’t mean to be callous, but if a fetus has a right to life, why do you deny your neighbors the right to life? Not all anecdotes about the uninsured are so dramatic as to hinge on life and death, but some do. In many scenarios, health coverage determines the quality of one’s life. Pick a side. If you believe life is valued above all else, then support that principle. Don’t apply philosophies when it is convenient and withdraw them when they no longer serve you.

Let’s let our elected leaders know that it is time to make healthcare a right.