Those of us who voted on fact-based information should embrace the Trump voter like this man who is now genuinely concerned that they made a mistake.
Concerned Trump voter sees the light
It is not the time to waste energy scolding the Trump voter who realizes they made a mistake. Embracing them and bringing them into the fold is best.
Sanjay Gupta: Back in 2013, Bob Ruscoe, 53 years old, was a familiar story in America. Too familiar. He was more than 100-pound overweight. At risk of heart disease and diabetes. He was also self-employed, and no company wanted to offer him health care insurance. He was considered too big a risk. Was that tough to go uninsured?
Bob Ruscoe: Well, it doesn’t make you warm and fuzzy. But I didn’t like it, but it was the reality of the situation.
Sanjay Gupta: When did you first hear about the Affordable Care Act?
Bob Ruscoe: It was all over the news.
Sanjay Gupta: Reporter: What did you think?
Bob Ruscoe: I thought it was a good idea. Even though I’m conservative.
Sanjay Gupta: So when did you first sign up for Obamacare?
Bob Ruscoe: When it was first available. It was October, I remember, and I wanted to be covered because it’s important.
Sanjay Gupta: And as a result, starting in 2014, Bob was able to get insurance after subsidies. It was finally within reach and a big relief. …That repealing Obamacare would be good for the economy. It’s a common refrain. But the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget suggests the opposite. They say fully repealing Obamacare would cost roughly $350 billion over ten years and would also increase the number of uninsured by 23 million. If he does repeal Obamacare as he’s promised to do, what is that going to mean for you?
Bob Ruscoe: No insurance.
Sanjay Gupta: No insurance. That was a big problem for you before.
Bob Ruscoe: I wasn’t happy about it.
Sanjay Gupta: Truth is, some of the states that most benefited from Obamacare had a majority who voted for Trump. Like Ruscoe’s home state of Florida. In fact, Florida has the highest percentage of enrollees in the nation. 1 in 10 Floridians under 65 signed on for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.
These are the type of voters we can team up with to start the actions that will force Senators and Representatives to think twice before committing to repeal a law that benefits many of their constituents. It is not the time for recrimination. It is time to find new avenues to win.
(h/t MediaMatters)