First of two parts

Since Obamacare passed in 2009, Republicans have attacked it. For eight years, they called it a “job killer” and a “disaster” that created “death panels.”

Through four election campaigns – 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016 – they promised to repeal it. And replace it with something better, cheaper and, as Comrade Trump vowed, “beautiful.”

Then they won the White House. They won both houses in Congress. They made repealing Obamacare their first order of business.

And they fell on their faces. They flopped. They whiffed.

They went down without even swinging. They couldn’t even bring a bill to the House floor for a vote.

They licked their wounds for a while. Then they said they’d try again. And they struck out again.

But never fear. Trump says he’ll try again. Maybe this time he’ll even learn what’s in the bill before he orders Republicans to pass it!

Here’s their problem: Republicans can’t agree on how many Americans they want to throw off health insurance.

Paul Ryan’s plan would have thrown 24 million Americans over the cliff. But that wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy Mark Meadows and the Freedom (to Die) Caucus. They wanted even more people to lose insurance. They wanted to take away even more protections. Things like maternity child, mammograms, pre-existing conditions, young people under 26 staying on their parents’ insurance.

Even some Republicans couldn’t swallow all that.

Here’s the truth: The Trump-Ryan plan wasn’t just a job-killer. It was a people-killer. It didn’t have death panels. It was a death penalty.

Is that a bit harsh? Extreme?

Well, what happens when people don’t have health insurance? When they don’t get medical treatment?

They get sick, and they die.

But don’t worry: Trump promises to try again.

Which gives Democrats a great opportunity. Which will be our topic next time.

NEXT – Rx: the Democrats.