It's time now to clear the air, and from the very moment that this president decided to tackle the country's inadequate system of health care, Republicans have been repeatedly dishonest and deceitful.
It began early with Sarah Palin suggesting that the act would produce "death panels" which could ultimately decide upon a patient's treatment. Of course, this was utterly untrue, but this deliberate campaign of lies and smears has continued virtually every day since, culminating in a recent ad by Americans for Prosperity—funded in large part by Charles and David Koch:
"If we can't pick our own doctor, how do I know our family is going to get the care they need?" But, there's nothing in the law that prevents you from selecting your own physician. Then again, this hasn't stopped Republicans from peddling another nasty untruth.
And the third lie concerns the latest ridiculous claim: that the Affordable Care Act is now responsible for a sharp rise in part-time workers for the month of June. But Republicans know that it's the sequester (that they love so much) that is forcing workers into furlough, thus producing more part-time employees. It has nothing to do with the Affordable Care Act.
But that doesn't seem to be stopping Sen. Ted Cruz, who recently said, "If there is ever a time to defeat Obamacare, it is now. Moreover, we have, I believe, the best opportunity we will have—and possibly the last good opportunity we will have—to defund Obamacare with the continuing resolution."
So, there you have it: three lies and a government shutdown—the Republican approach to the Affordable Care Act.