Dr. Manny: Republicans must talk to Obama’s loyal supporters face-to-face

U.S. President Barack Obama pauses while delivering remarks on the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, at an Organizing for Action grassroots supporter event in Washington earlier this month.

Over the past few weeks, the President has taken significant heat for the ObamaCare debacle. And now for the first time, Americans are realizing that the propaganda put forward by the president and his aides regarding the Affordable Care Act was predicated on false assumptions, poor planning and what clearly feels like lies.

As a person who grew up under a socialist agenda in Cuba, I can tell you what the playbook is for socialist politicians who are losing momentum on their agenda. Men like Hugo Chavez and Venezuela’s current president, Nicolas Maduro, would bypass proper legislative machinations and take their arguments directly to their political groupies in the streets.

This is exactly what President Obama will be doing this evening when he delivers an online speech to his supporters at Organizing for Action, formerly known as Obama for America – his ongoing campaign arm.

Obama will try to use this opportunity to campaign for his health care act, knowing perfectly well that what he needs to do is to start considering changes to the Affordable Care Act, based on the suggestions being put forth by both the left and the right.

Beyond garnering support for ObamaCare, the president is also reaching out to his Democratic base to remind them that if they don’t protect his agenda, they may lose more ground in the midterm elections in 2014. It’s about keeping control of the party.

After Obama’s speech tonight, I bet you will see a new wave of election-like frenzy, spear-headed by the president and his supporters. This new movement will be aimed at scaring the American public about how terrible their lives will be without ObamaCare and claiming that proposals from the right are just ideas that would benefit the rich.

In other words, Obama is going to try to do what he does best: divide and conquer.

But where is the opposition? The Republicans cannot afford to stand idly by. They must also start reaching out to Americans at the grassroots level, in order to create awareness of the problems with the health care law.

This grassroots movement cannot be based on conservative ideals or moderate ideals – or even liberal ideals. This grassroots movement has to involve talking to Americans and coming up with concrete solutions that will really enhance their chances of getting health coverage, without destroying the few good things that the health care system has created in this country.

Republicans need to get out of Washington and go to the same neighborhoods where the President and his political allies are now running to seek support.

Meanwhile, the Republicans have got to stop tooting their own horns about how they predicted this health care debacle several years ago. It’s time for the Republicans to add more talking points to their arguments, instead of simply sticking with the mentality of, “I told you so.”

Both parties need to be on the ground – including the Republicans. And they must build their credibility by bringing viable solutions to the table, rather than just saying, “No.”

Believe me, if you ask any opposition politician in Venezuela today, they would claim that they should have been in the streets sooner, before the socialist movement propagated by Chavez and Maduro became a reality. And now, they’re fighting for their lives.