Weary of GOP cries of failures of the ACA

I am weary of the venomous outcries by Republicans of the supposed miserable failure of the Affordable Care Act.

A bit of history is in order. A predecessor idea to the ACA was first proposed by Republican President Richard Nixon. His two attempts at pushing through legislation failed because, surprisingly enough, Democrats didn't feel it went far enough, although it's plan would have gone farther than the ACA does.

Following that defeat Republican politicians were stone-silent about the issue of providing health care for those citizens who otherwise cannot affordably get it. The Clintons tried to promote it when Bill Clinton was president, but again the idea was shut down. Again, no alternative ideas from Republicans to help our citizens.

Finally President Obama succeeds in providing care to low-income families and other vulnerable citizens with the ACA. And boy, are the Republicans furious. But they could not get their minds off defense budgets, transgender bathrooms and reducing big business taxes to think about the vulnerable in society. They've pounded their fists about rising premium costs of the ACA.

Hey, I've seen my share of double-digit premium increases with my employer's' group policies over the years. Now they want to repeal and supposedly replace the ACA with something that works. Fact is, the ACA does work, but like so many new ideas, it needs tuning and adjustments. President Obama had the guts and drive to do what no Republican has bothered to try.

Ken List

Wheaton