As both parties react to the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act, PoliticsNation’s Rev. Al Sharpton spoke to the woman whose letter to Obama inspired the president throughout his fight to pass the law.
Obama read cancer survivor Natoma Canfield’s letter about her incredible struggle with the health care system in a March, 2010 speech, and mentioned her again on Thursday after the Court’s decision. He said, “I carried Natoma’s story with me every day of the fight to pass this law. It reminded me of all Americans, all across the country, who have had to worry not only about getting sick, but about the cost of getting well.”
Rev. Al asked Canfield what the Supreme Court ruling meant to her, and how she’d like to see the country rise above the partisan divide on health care.
“I thought it was a great victory for the whole United States,” Canfield said. “I think people just have to do it. It’s a good thing for our country, it’s a good thing for individuals. And once people find out what it’s going to do for them, in particular, they’ll have a better understanding of why we need it.”
Natoma’s letter now hangs in the Oval Office. Meanwhile, despite the outpouring of stories like Natoma’s, several Republican governors have said they have no plans to implement Obamacare in their states – even though it’s the law.
Under Obamacare, states have until Jan. 1, 2013 to show the Department of Health and Human Services that they’ll have exchange programs in place, designed to help Americans set up health care benefits and buy insurance, by Jan. 1, 2014.
Governors Scott Walker (Wis.) and Bob McDonnell (Va.) have said their plan is to get Mitt Romney elected and have the law repealed before it can come into effect.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal told reporters Friday morning, “We’re not going to start implementing Obamacare. We’re committed to working to elect Governor Romney to repeal Obamacare.”