REPUBLICANS AND HEALTH CARE FOR THE POOR

So the electorate in its wisdom has turned congress over to the party that caused the problems.  But all may not be lost.  For example, President Reagan instituted the rule that Emergency Rooms had to take all comers.  This was huge.  I think it was one of the two most major things of his presidency (the other was breaking the Air Traffic controller's Union).  Having Emergency rooms be the primary care source for the poor was maybe as large as the ACA, though it drives up the cost of those that can pay.  And then President Bush (43) got passed (if barely) Medicare D, the prescription drug provision.  Of course it had the weird "doughnut hole" that wasn't covered but it was huge too.  A benefit of having Republican  presidents pass health care provisions is that they remain unopposed.  You don't hear of any opposition to Emergency Rooms having to take all comers even though it clogs the emergency rooms.  You also don't hear opposition to Medicare D.  Neither of these had any attempt to cover the costs.  It is only the ACA that is opposed, certainly because it was passed by Democrats even though it was a conservative bill and attempted to cover the costs.  Like Medicare D, it is flawed but was the best bill that could have passed.