This is a response to David Marquis’ letter (March 24) which disputed my claim (March 19) of the failure of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).

The concept started during the Clinton presidency when Hillary Clinton tried to formulate a national health program (a public policy) behind locked doors and omitted practicing doctors from the planning. The program is not affordable.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi presented the Affordable Care Act, a 2,000-page document, and demanded the Democratic majority vote on it in three days. It was implied that lawmakers should vote on it and then read it later. Plan architect Jonathan Gruber said it lacked transparency and was accepted because of “the stupidity of American voters.”

A Supreme Court challenge failed because the ACA was deemed a “tax” rather than an illegal requirement to buy a product.

Now, half of the state insurance co-ops have failed and others have needed to raise premiums by as much as 35 percent. The co-pays and deductibles are very high. The requirement to insure everyone includes expensive users.

The U.S. probably could afford to have national health insurance if it did not need significant national defense. But, if this nation doesn’t defend itself, people won’t need to worry about health insurance.

Are the Democrats proud of what they have done? Subsequent Republican majorities in Congress have passed repeals of the ACA more than 35 times, only to be blocked by a Democratic Senate majority and later by the Democratic president.

We can do better.

Thomas Shields, Auburn

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