If the constant bombardment of ACA negativity is taking its toll on ME

[TheKentuckian]

7. heh...I'm pretty well established as no fan

But in a lot of conversations, I am the voice of reason because I at least understand how bad things are were in the individual market and don't hesitate to poke a bit to help folks come closer to realizing that their support for what we had is about a millimeter deep, especially since everyone knows someone who got a raw deal one way or the other.

This is what happens when pragmatism is redefined to mean the path of least political resistance rather than practical execution.

True enough that you can only execute what you can pass but it is deadly peril to ignore what happens when the rubber meets the road because the folks that get run over will not be eager to give you the keys again.

The lack of debate about the "how" makes this much more dangerous because this has been framed as all us. All the compromise for no votes is suicidal.

If you are going to do something massive then the benefits have to be broad and OBVIOUS. You aren't usually going to get away with even inconveniencing more than you help and it will make bad worse is if it comes out that the folks that are supposed to be helped are having significant issues as well, like not being able to afford care.

This is why we have had to say no to similar and even arguably better deals in the past, because the cost of screwing the pooch and having to chum it up with and deeply depend on unrepentant and unaccountable saboteurs is higher than the broad benefit that can be extracted in the exchange.

Sometimes real pragmatism requires not taking the step forward when the price is two back and understanding that no matter how desperate the need for shelter, if you build your house on a foundation of sand it is liable to fall down on you.