What’s good for U.S.

I recently renewed my driver’s license and took the opportunity to change my party designation to independent. I don’t believe either party’s extreme positions reflect who I am or what I believe is good for America.

To that point, I am amazed that after eight years of complaining about Obamacare, the Republicans have been unable to present a well-crafted, improved plan that really is good for American families. House Republicans passed a hurried mess that was so bad the Senate did not even deem it worthy of discussion.

The Senate decided they would develop a bill in “secret” and rush through a vote before people had time to realize it would be as bad as the House effort. Our senator, Tom Cotton, was a member of the all-male committee responsible for this wonderful proposal. When asked to comment, he said he needed to study the bill first. Really? You helped write it, you should understand every detail.

Tom Cotton and the Republicans have a problem—they swore they would “repeal and replace Obamacare.” The problem is they have nothing better to offer. Recently this newspaper presented facts showing that one third of Arkansans are covered by Medicaid. Medicaid paid for half of the births in Arkansas. Medicaid paid $800 million toward nursing home care in Arkansas. Under all plans presented by the Republicans so far, Medicaid gets slashed, assuming the states will pick up the cost.

I’m sure Tom Cotton knows this is a bad plan, and that is why he hasn’t really come out and endorsed it. John Boozman generally is a good GOP member, voting what is good for the party, not necessarily what is good for Arkansas.

This has always been about winning a political victory and destroying Obamacare. We need our senators to step up and do what is good for the American people, who have made it clear that they don’t hate Obamacare. We need a bipartisan plan that builds on what is in place and makes it work for the most people.

JOHN K. GREEN

Eureka Springs