Just one month ago, this segment would have been the usual train wreck served up with all of the panelists predicting Obama's demise over the ACA while clutching their pearls over Democrats' chances for 2014 midterms and even 2016.
But not today, thanks to The Nation editor Katrina Vanden Heuvel. Watch as she forces the entire panel to pivot away from the horse race into the policy, no thanks to GSteph, who is eager to have the same old boring conversation about Obamacare hurting Democrats. Enter Katrina, who sets all of that aside:
VANDEN HEUVEL: First of all, I think this has been a really important week or month for ObamaCare. Rough patches, yes, but it is broadly working -- 1.1 million have enrolled, a higher proportion of younger people, premiums are down, more are insured, insurance companies cannot deny preexisting coverage.
What we're going to see in 2014 and what we're seeing now are Republicans lying, scaring people, actually keeping people from health care coverage. The governors -- Scott, Jindal, Perry, that's cruel.
I think what we need to focus on is to say the broad mass of Americans are not interested in repeal. Mend it, don't end it. Fix it. Embrace it and -- and...
(CROSSTALK)
VANDEN HEUVEL: -- what's the Republican plan?
Vote for me and I won't give you health care.
(CROSSTALK)VANDEN HEUVEL: Now, that's compelling.
That's the perspective we've been missing on Sunday mornings. She takes the abstract and puts it right into the context of reality, where the Repeal Chorus is hopelessly out of tune with what people want and need. In fact, it was so effective that GSteph quickly shut down the discussion and moved on to Syria.
This is where your signature on my petition demanding diverse voices on these shows made a difference. If you haven't signed it yet, please do, because they're hearing you.
