Thank you for serving me when I didn’t vote for you’: A Republican writes the president after Obamacare saved his life

[Janelle2002 3,865]

Thank you for serving me when I didnt vote for you: A Republican writes the president after Obamacare saved his life

Alison Griswold 3 hours ago

Youre welcome. (Reuters/Carlos Barria)

The White House on Thursday published a letter that Brent Brown, a Republican from Wisconsin, wrote to president Barack Obama in June.

Brown, who has voted Republican his entire life, wrote that he had been very vocal in his opposition to Obamaespecially on healthcare.

That was before he got treatment for a serious autoimmune disease through the Affordable Care Act.

I am so very sorry, Brown writes. Put simply to not take up too much of your time if you are in fact taking the time to read this: I would not be alive without access to care I received due to your law.

Browns letter was released ahead of Obamas appearance in Milwaukee today to recognize the city for signing up 89,000 people for health coverage through the ACA. The White House also published a more recent message from Brown. Before the Affordable Care Act, I was unable to pay for an incredibly expensive drug that helps to stabilize my condition, Brown wrote. Afterward, I was finally able to receive the quality of care that had eluded me for years.

Read Browns full letter to the president below:

To My President,

I sincerely hope that this reaches you, as far too often praise is hard to come by. Apologies to people who deserve it perhaps even less so.

I did not vote for you. Either time. I have voted Republican for the entirety of my life.

I proudly wore pins and planted banners displaying my Republican loyalty. I was very vocal in my opposition to youparticularly the ACA.

Before I briefly explain my story allow me to first say this: I am so very sorry. I understand written content cannot convey emotions very wellbut my level of conviction has me in tears as I write this. I was so very wrong. So very very wrong.

You saved my life. I want that to sink into your ears and mind. My President, you saved my life, and I am eternally grateful.

I have a pre-existing condition and so could never purchase health insurance. Only after the ACA came into being could I be covered. Put simply to not take up too much of your time if you are in fact taking the time to read this: I would not be alive without access to care I received due to your law.

So thank you from a dumb young man who thought he knew it all and who said things about you that he now regrets. Thank you for serving me even when I didnt vote for you.

Thank you for being my President.

Honored to have lived under your leadership and guidance,

Brent Nathan Brown

http://qz.com/630806/thank-you-for-serving-me-when-i-didnt-vote-for-you-a-republican-writes-the-president-after-obamacare-saved-his-life/?utm_source=YPL

[jyaku 138]

Could it be we're waking up to that we will miss this beautiful dream we've had over the last 7 years? Truly Amazing.

[Janelle2002 3,865]

Could it be we're waking up to that we will miss this beautiful dream we've had over the last 7 years? Truly Amazing.

There are those who feel that people who didn't ask to be born should just die. They don't understand unless they are a 1%er they are just as dead to these people. Things like ACA help from the highest to lowest socio-economic status.

Kudos to the President for standing his ground on this issue and to the man who realized the President wasn't trying to kill him.

[Dakine10 5,452]

[ExPatty 502]

Could it be we're waking up to that we will miss this beautiful dream we've had over the last 7 years? Truly Amazing.

beautiful dream, lol no, this country is massively divided. It will get worse regardless of who wins in November.

As for obamacare many republicans were led down a path of stupidity over it. Health care is a complete mess but gop hasn't come up with any good ways to fix it.

[Janelle2002 3,865]

beautiful dream, lol no, this country is massively divided. It will get worse regardless of who wins in November.

As for obamacare many republicans were led down a path of stupidity over it. Health care is a complete mess but gop hasn't come up with any good ways to fix it.

Finally admitting your party's shortcomings eh?

We need a universal system

[ExPatty 502]

Finally admitting your party's shortcomings eh?

We need a universal system

Mine? lols, I'm not registered as a republican

[OriZ 3,157]

Trust me, nobody understands the perils certain people with health issues have to go through better than my wife and I. I've mentioned before that she's suffered from several problems throughout her life and seriously the list is just too long to mention here - but lets just put it this way - we've recently looked into getting life insurance for both of us. While I was able to get the best policy available(despite the fact I told them my deepest dive has been 120 feet lol) nobody would even touch her. Not even for $10,000 a year. Just plain no, which we already figured was going to be the case but thought we should try anyway.

So to make a long story short - while I certainly understand everything some people have to go through - and while not through my own experience but through her own personal experience I know what it's like to have nobody insure you(back in Wisconsin in 2008 I paid her premiums after she had left her job for COBRA insurance which was highly expensive but was the only option to cover her and also only for a short time), and I know what it's like to have to go through procedures either without insurance or with insurance but still have to pay alot of money for them. Having said all that and while I acknowledge that the ACA allegedly attempted to target all those issues - I think the ACA is a complete failure and the way it was done was totally wrong. I think the person that wrote this letter has no idea what they are talking about.

I have said it before I am all for affordable and even more importantly accessible health care to everybody. But there are much, much better ways to do this.