Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security and now the Affordable Care Act constitute our social safety net.

Prior to their enactment, the disabled and elderly, sick and poor, were on their own. They were left to their own devices. Leave them to the churches, say the Tea Party people. Government is not responsible.

Regretfully, neither states, counties nor cities are equal in their application of compassionate programs. There are hard-hearted politicians who think like the Tea Party, that tax money is misused for these programs.

The Republican-dominated House of Representatives has voted more than 40 times attempting to repeal the Affordable Care Act. They have no qualms keeping the status quo, millions of Americans without health care.

They have convinced themselves and many Americans that it is a bad investment, but giving health care to people can only reduce serious illness, thus reduce the taxpayer responsibility in the long run. Taxpayers pay for uninsured patients anyway, we might as well catch illness in the bud.

Investment in health care and education, as well as nutrition, is necessary to a healthy future for the whole country.

Think how the present recipients would live without the safety net, and how would it affect our environment and the spirit of our country.

Dave Gebhard lives in Lakeport, Calif.