New Black Voters break records at Florida polls
By Jeri Yonder
Donald Trump has made it clear that he will continue his assault on the Affordable Care Act (ACA). His Justice Department will plead with the Supreme Court later this year to end Obamacare and replace it with nothing.
Despite Republican efforts to repeal the historic law, Obamacare celebrated its 10th anniversary last week and serves as the primary health insurance for millions of Americans and has been a lifesaver to people of color and African Americans in particular. African Americans are disproportionately impacted by killer diseases: diabetes, cancer, heart disease and hypertension. Prior to the passage of the law, Blacks also had the highest uninsured rate but with the passage of Obamacare, the uninsured rate dropped significantly because insurers were required to provide affordable plans to communities across the country.
Instead of working to expand Obamacare, Trump and his administration are trying to end it. The President’s efforts to destroy the land-mark law comes during the worst possible time with the spread of coronavirus. Now, more than ever, people need access to affordable health insurance.
“The Affordable Care Act has provided the safety net for our most vulnerable people. And with the coronavirus pandemic, there is great cause for concern if it is degraded in any way,” according to Dr. Lauren Thornton, a pediatric anesthesiologist.
Trump and Congressional Republicans have worked openly to cut coverage of the sweeping healthcare law without offering an alter-native. Recently, Trump defended his attack on Obamacare, doubling down on plans to rip away protected insurance for 3.5 million Floridians with pre-existing conditions.
But Obamacare does more than just require insurance companies to give policies to people with pre-existing conditions. It gives tax breaks to small companies to help them cover the cost of employee health care and helps young people to remain on their parents’ health insurance until age 26. It mandates free preventive care and bans lifetime limits so that insurance companies can’t stop paying for care in the middle of a patient’s treatment.
“Donald Trump’s obsession with destroying the Affordable Care Act shows a total disregard for our health and well-being. Tragically, Trump has absolutely no plan for the millions of Floridians who have health insurance as a result of Obamacare and that will not change,” according to Florida Democratic Party Chair Terrie Rizzo.
“Florida has had the highest ACA enrollment in the nation. The disruption of that healthcare is estimated to increase the number of un-insured by 67%,” she said.
Trump’s lack of humanity, overall incompetence and what most deem racist policies make African Americans his most ardent opponents. Polls consistently show that between 93 – 98% of African Americans want Trump out of the White House. And they have voted that way against Republicans, playing a major role in restoring the US House of Representatives to Democratic control in 2018.
More than 60,000 African American Democrats voted for the first time in Florida’s March Presidential Preference Primary, that’s a very high number for new voters. It’s a sure sign that Black Floridians will be showing up on election day Tuesday, November 3, 2020.
