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Resistance Works The Health Bill’s Failure: Resistance Works
(35 minutes later)
This article is part of the Opinion Today newsletter. You can sign up here to receive more briefings and a guide to the section daily in your inbox.This article is part of the Opinion Today newsletter. You can sign up here to receive more briefings and a guide to the section daily in your inbox.
Over the July 4 recess, most Republican senators decided not to hold town hall meetings with their constituents. One of the rare exceptions was Jerry Moran, a second-term senator from Kansas.Over the July 4 recess, most Republican senators decided not to hold town hall meetings with their constituents. One of the rare exceptions was Jerry Moran, a second-term senator from Kansas.
And the opposition to the Republican health care bill was ready.And the opposition to the Republican health care bill was ready.
Moran held his meeting on July 6 in Palco, a town in western Kansas with fewer than 300 residents. Yet more than 100 Kansans showed up, and they had one overwhelming message for their senator: Don’t take health insurance away from people.Moran held his meeting on July 6 in Palco, a town in western Kansas with fewer than 300 residents. Yet more than 100 Kansans showed up, and they had one overwhelming message for their senator: Don’t take health insurance away from people.
As Allison Kite of the Topeka Capital-Journal reported:As Allison Kite of the Topeka Capital-Journal reported:
“Advocacy groups Planned Parenthood Great Plains Voters and Indivisible KC worked to bring attendees from across the state to the event. Other groups, such as AARP, the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas and the American Cancer Society have urged volunteers and members to tell Moran and U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, a fellow Kansas Republican, to reject the bill.”“Advocacy groups Planned Parenthood Great Plains Voters and Indivisible KC worked to bring attendees from across the state to the event. Other groups, such as AARP, the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas and the American Cancer Society have urged volunteers and members to tell Moran and U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, a fellow Kansas Republican, to reject the bill.”
You may recognize Moran’s name from the news this morning. He was one of two Republican senators, along with Mike Lee of Utah, who appeared to doom the health care bill last night by announcing their opposition.You may recognize Moran’s name from the news this morning. He was one of two Republican senators, along with Mike Lee of Utah, who appeared to doom the health care bill last night by announcing their opposition.
I’m not suggesting that the Palco meeting was the main reason for Moran’s decision. Yet he clearly felt political pressure to oppose the bill, and his recent meetings with constituents were a big part of that pressure.I’m not suggesting that the Palco meeting was the main reason for Moran’s decision. Yet he clearly felt political pressure to oppose the bill, and his recent meetings with constituents were a big part of that pressure.
One of this newsletter’s themes this year has been the potential effectiveness of grass-roots political organizing. The Tea Party showed as much in 2010, and the so-called Trump resistance has showed the same in recent months.One of this newsletter’s themes this year has been the potential effectiveness of grass-roots political organizing. The Tea Party showed as much in 2010, and the so-called Trump resistance has showed the same in recent months.
“The nation owes incredible gratitude to @Indivisible_KC @Indivisible_LFK @KansasACSCAN,” Topher Spiro, of the Center for American Progress, tweeted last night (referring to the Kansas chapters of both the Indivisible organizing group and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network). “It’s unbelievable what they’ve done.”“The nation owes incredible gratitude to @Indivisible_KC @Indivisible_LFK @KansasACSCAN,” Topher Spiro, of the Center for American Progress, tweeted last night (referring to the Kansas chapters of both the Indivisible organizing group and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network). “It’s unbelievable what they’ve done.”
The fight to allow Americans to keep their health insurance still isn’t over, as Andy Slavitt, the former administrator of Medicare and Medicaid, noted last night. But the collapse of this bill is no small thing.The fight to allow Americans to keep their health insurance still isn’t over, as Andy Slavitt, the former administrator of Medicare and Medicaid, noted last night. But the collapse of this bill is no small thing.
It would be excellent news if Congress now turned its attention to fixing the real problems with Obamacare and the health care system.It would be excellent news if Congress now turned its attention to fixing the real problems with Obamacare and the health care system.
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In related matters, my column this morning comes with a specific suggestion for readers: Resist the coarsening of Trump-era discourse by grappling with a political issue that you find vexing.In related matters, my column this morning comes with a specific suggestion for readers: Resist the coarsening of Trump-era discourse by grappling with a political issue that you find vexing.
President Trump’s approach to the presidency requires principled opposition, as the health care fight has shown. But political battles — even just watching such battles — can be exhausting. They can also aggravate political polarization, causing people to turn every political debate into a nasty fight.President Trump’s approach to the presidency requires principled opposition, as the health care fight has shown. But political battles — even just watching such battles — can be exhausting. They can also aggravate political polarization, causing people to turn every political debate into a nasty fight.
My suggestion this morning is that, whatever your beliefs, you also find ways to nourish your political soul during the current period.My suggestion this morning is that, whatever your beliefs, you also find ways to nourish your political soul during the current period.
To do so, remind yourself that not every issue is straightforward. Look for an issue that you find difficult and nuanced. It can be an economic issue, a social policy or a matter of foreign affairs. Whatever it is, don’t just look for ideological ammunition. Go searching for tradeoffs and uncertainty. Above all, consider changing your mind about something.To do so, remind yourself that not every issue is straightforward. Look for an issue that you find difficult and nuanced. It can be an economic issue, a social policy or a matter of foreign affairs. Whatever it is, don’t just look for ideological ammunition. Go searching for tradeoffs and uncertainty. Above all, consider changing your mind about something.
In the column, I describe three issues I’ve decided to grapple with this summer — immigration, abortion and education. But the exercise doesn’t depend on the specific issues. If you find the notion intriguing, email me at leonhardt@nytimes.com and tell me about your nourishment issue.In the column, I describe three issues I’ve decided to grapple with this summer — immigration, abortion and education. But the exercise doesn’t depend on the specific issues. If you find the notion intriguing, email me at leonhardt@nytimes.com and tell me about your nourishment issue.
As part of the reporting for the column, I enjoyed brushing up on some of the reasons that changing one’s mind is so difficult. I recommend this 1991 column from The Journal of Economic Perspectives, by Daniel Kahneman, Jack Knetsch and Richard Thaler.As part of the reporting for the column, I enjoyed brushing up on some of the reasons that changing one’s mind is so difficult. I recommend this 1991 column from The Journal of Economic Perspectives, by Daniel Kahneman, Jack Knetsch and Richard Thaler.