Mogul Russell Simmons is not putting up with anyone, especially Democrats, sidling away from Obamacare just because they fear repercussions if linked to the struggling HealthCare.gov website. Oh, no.
In a scathing piece published Thursday on Global Grind, Simmons called out Democrats who "couldn’t handle the hate" from Republicans when the backlash came. "So, their knees wobbled. Their brows glistened with sweat. Their stomachs growled. Their fear of losing their job over a website took over their every move," he wrote.
He slapped down arguments against Obamacare, including the one posed by outraged customers who saw their insurance plans canceled even after the president promised that they could keep those plans if they liked them.
"Don't tell me this about people whose healthcare was canceled … because that healthcare is predatory and it is unconscionable that we would allow anyone in this country to own such policies," he wrote.
As for the actual website problems? Simmons sees the hoopla largely as an effort to make an issue about a nonissue, saying it's a problem that can and will be fixed. He added that the Affordable Care Act was a "damn good piece of legislation," so it didn't make sense for the American people to just give up on it.
"I run websites. I have built websites. I certainly understand the complications of servers and load times and 404 errors. THIS CAN ALL BE FIXED! And it will be fixed. But what cannot be fixed, is the fact that for over 100 years we have tried to reform our healthcare system, and EVERY President before Barack Obama FAILED!" Simmons wrote in his piece. "Yes, we initially wanted single payer, and we had to compromise back in 2009 for the Affordable Care Act. But, it is a damn good piece of legislation that has already saved hundreds of thousands, if not millions of lives. So, let us not give up now."
It's not that Simmons doesn't sympathize with those who are frustrated by the slow progress, but what he does not understand or respect is anyone, from any party, wanting Obamacare to fail. He dubbed those individuals the "death panel," alluding to what he views as the end awaiting people who are denied "good medical treatment."
"If you are a Democrat who no longer supports the Affordable Care Act because of the complications with the website, then you deserve to join the unemployment lines with your friends on the other side come next November," Simmons declared.
Read more at Global Grind.