If you like your health plan you can keep it. It was a nice soundbite; it also wasn't true.
My constituents have learned that the hard way. Like one from Perry, Iowa who wrote to me saying:
QUOTE My husband and I are farmers. For nine years now we have bought our own policy. We recently received our letter that our plan was going away and effective Jan 1, 2014 it will be updated to comply with the mandates of Obamacare. We did not get to keep our current policy. We did not get to keep our lower rates. I now have to pay for coverage that I do not want or will never use. We are the small business owner that is trying to live the American dream. I do not believe in large government that wants to run my life. END OF QUOTE
The President's failed promise is hitting home. But, more importantly, if the President promises something and doesn't keep that promise, it goes way beyond a promise to hurt an individual. It goes to the lack of credibility of all government. We instead need to build up the credibility of government and create trust. This in turn will strengthen our country.
So, where do we go from here?
For three years, the President has taken out his pencil and eraser and rewritten or delayed his law on the fly when it's not working. He's doing it again today. The President broke his promise that you can keep your health care plan if you like it. Now he's again got his eraser out and announced that his fix for the people hurt by this policy, like those who wrote to me from Perry, will last only one year. The insurance companies that sent four million cancellation notices did it to comply with his law. What will it take for the President to admit the law isn't working and at least call for a full delay? The President should work with Congress on something bipartisan that would address health insurance problems without disrupting what does work in our health care system.
