Political Consequences of ACA Repeal

Introduction

The legislature plays an essential role in the sustenance of democracy in the US as the elected people represent their electorate’s interests. Democracy is conceptualized as a citizen-driven governance system. Legislators play a vital role in developing policies that promote the best interests of the voters. An important caveat in understanding the role of legislators in policymaking is that they are politicians, and consequently, their primary concern is to increase their chances of being re-elected. The nearer the election period gets, the more legislators align their positions on pertinent issues to strengthen their re-election bids. This paper discusses the impact of the impending electioneering period on legislators’ approach to the subject of repealing or replacing the Affordable care Act.

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Challenges Hindering the ACA’s Repeal

The Trump administration came into power promising to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare (Quadagno & Lanford, 2019). However, the going has been much more challenging than anticipated as the GOP has struggled to find a practical solution to replace the Act. The main appeal of Obamacare has been its successful integration of millions of Americans into the healthcare system. People who would have otherwise been uninsured have been incorporated into the health coverage framework embodied by Medicare and Medicaid (Isola & Reddivari, 2020). Therefore, the administration has found it difficult to replace the ACA without tearing down much of the healthcare system and has faced sustained opposition (Himes, 2017).

How Re-election Bids Impact Efforts to Repeal the ACA

The uncertainty marring the ACA’s future embodies a cost-benefit analysis as it pits the legislator’s political inclination vis-à-vis the impact of his or her position on re-election chances. Every legislative choice has political consequences that boil down to securing another term in office or being ousted by displeased voters. Democrats and other legislators who support Obamacare have grown more vocal in supporting the health framework and castigation of the Trump government’s efforts to repeal the ACA (Miller, 2019). These legislators have been keen to highlight the adverse consequences of repealing the ACA as it would render many Americans vulnerable by increasing healthcare costs (AFFORDABLE CARE ACT; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 52, 2019). Given the high political stakes involved, the legislators who oppose the ACA’s implementation have expressed support for a repeal and delay approach to ensure that the anticipated action does not trigger a political backlash from supporters (Bryan, 2016).

Voters’ Analysis

Voters are bound to respond negatively when the policies advanced by legislators harms them. Voters’ analysis will not be based on the legislators’ intentions but the perceived outcome of their policy position. Given the intricacies of changing the healthcare system, legislators who support the ACA are bound to reiterate their stance to resonate with most voters’ concerns and improve their re-election chances. On the other hand, the people who oppose the Affordable care Act are likely to take a more pragmatic approach because pushing for rapid changes on the eve of elections may be disastrous for their re-election bids.

Conclusion

Healthcare is a sensitive issue to the electorate, and it influences their decisions at the ballot. Legislators have to find the correct balance in judgment to ensure that their policy positions do not cost them their jobs. As the paper aptly summarizes, a legislator’s primary consideration is securing his or her career by ensuring that their policy positions do not harm the electorate and the stakes are higher as the elections come closer.

References

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 52 (2019/03/26). (2019, March 26). [Legislation]. CONGRESS.GOV. https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2019/3/26/senate-section/article/s2000-6

Bryan, B. (2016, December 29). The GOP might not repeal Obamacare until after the 2020 election. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/republicans-possibly-delay-obamacare-repeal-until-after-2020-election-2016-12

Himes, J. (2017, January 13). House Moves to Repeal Affordable Care Act. CONGRESSMAN JIM HIMES. https://himes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-moves-repeal-affordable-care-act

Isola, S., & Reddivari, A. K. R. (2020). Affordable Care Act (ACA). In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549767/

Miller, J. H. (2019). Collaborative Leadership in Senate Democrats’ Opposition to Affordable Care Act Repeal Efforts. Journal of Contemporary Rhetoric, 9.

Quadagno, J., & Lanford, D. (2019). The Obama health care legacy: The origins, implementation, and effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act of 2010. In Looking Back on President Barack Obama’s Legacy (pp. 69–92). Springer.