--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Who knows what exactly changed Tom…" description: "\"Who knows what exactly changed Tom Cotton's mind. I mean, maybe it was that woman who said her husband was dying and only alive thanks to the Affordabl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa7/rachel-maddow-1240_affordable_who-knows-what-exactly-changed-tom-cotto_2955776.png" --- # Who knows what exactly changed Tom Cotton's mind. I mean… ![“Who knows what exactly changed Tom Cotton's mind. I mean, maybe it was that woman who said her husband was dying and only alive thanks to the Affordable Care Act. Maybe it was the young woman on your right side of your screen who said that without the treatment she could only receive through the…” quote by Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa7/rachel-maddow-1240_affordable_who-knows-what-exactly-changed-tom-cotto_2955776.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa7/rachel-maddow-1240_affordable_who-knows-what-exactly-changed-tom-cotto_2955776.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa7/rachel-maddow-1240_affordable_who-knows-what-exactly-changed-tom-cotto_2955776.png) > “Who knows what exactly changed Tom Cotton's mind. I mean, maybe it was that woman who said her husband was dying and only alive thanks to the Affordable Care Act. Maybe it was the young woman on your right side of your screen who said that without the treatment she could only receive through the Affordable Care Act she herself would be dead.” [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Personal stories about healthcare illustrate how the Affordable Care Act can be life‑saving. **In simple terms:** Real cases show ACA’s impact. Key Takeaway Consider human stories in policy debates. Themes healthcare politics personal narrative Mood empathetic persuasive Type political human When to use this quote - legislative discussion - media framing - empathy building Key Concepts policy analysis public health Questions to Reflect On - How do stories shape policy views? - What data supports these narratives? A Different Perspective May rely on anecdote over data. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Husband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/husband/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Treatment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treatment/) [Young woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-woman/) [Young women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-women/) ## Related quotes > [ \[Tom Cotton\] has been an absolute champion of the idea of getting rid of Obamacare, scrapping the Affordable Care Act. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/tom-cotton-has-been-an-absolute-champion-of-the-idea-of-getting-rid/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [The idea of being a widow brings the thought of your husband dying. I don't really feel that way. I have higher confidence in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-marley/the-idea-of-being-a-widow-brings-the-thought-of-your-husband-dying-i/) [Rita Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-marley/) > [“I seem to remember sitting on a golden bench, and she started chattering about the sunset, or something. She seemed quite happy so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-downie/i-seem-to-remember-sitting-on-a-golden-bench-and-she-started/) [Ruth Downie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-downie/) > [In the Senate, I will defend the protections in the Affordable Care Act, and expand health care to more Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-cunningham/in-the-senate-i-will-defend-the-protections-in-the-affordable-care/) [Cal Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-cunningham/) > [I don't think it's any secret I've never been an advocate for the Affordable Care Act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-sandoval/i-don-t-think-it-s-any-secret-i-ve-never-been-an-advocate-for-the/) [Brian Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-sandoval/) > [“If the federal government really wanted to provide affordable, quality healthcare to as many citizens as possible (including the poor), they would be deregulating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hambleton/if-the-federal-government-really-wanted-to-provide-affordable-quality/) Chris Hambleton > [The Affordable Care Act was passed in large part because of recognition that our nation's health care system is not working. The act is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hickenlooper/the-affordable-care-act-was-passed-in-large-part-because-of/) [John Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hickenlooper/) > [I am on the Health Education Labor Committee. That committee wrote the Affordable Care Act. The idea I would dismantle health care in America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-am-on-the-health-education-labor-committee-that-committee-wrote-the/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [The Affordable Care Act is no longer affordable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-affordable-care-act-is-no-longer-affordable/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The Affordable Care Act has failed its promises to lower costs, to let people keep their doctor and to let people keep their plans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mast/the-affordable-care-act-has-failed-its-promises-to-lower-costs-to-let/) [Brian Mast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mast/) > [I hope the new health care exchanges created under the Affordable Care Act will provide some help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-kotlikoff/i-hope-the-new-health-care-exchanges-created-under-the-affordable/) [Laurence Kotlikoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-kotlikoff/) > [The Affordable Care Act has been designed to provide health security by driving competition, lowering premiums, and protecting families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-b-rangel/the-affordable-care-act-has-been-designed-to-provide-health-security/) [Charles B. Rangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-b-rangel/) > [The White House approved an exemption in Obamacare coverage for Congress and members of their staff. Members complained that the Affordable Care Act will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/the-white-house-approved-an-exemption-in-obamacare-coverage-for/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [My biggest fear, that 27 percent of Americans under 65 have an existing health condition that, without the protections of the Affordable Care Act,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/my-biggest-fear-that-27-percent-of-americans-under-65-have-an/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [Building great public schools and universities, a strong health care system, including keeping the Affordable Care Act, and then an economy that works well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-castro/building-great-public-schools-and-universities-a-strong-health-care/) [Joaquin Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-castro/) ## More by Rachel Maddow > [ Ben Carson also denounced \[Donald\] Trump's ban all Muslims proposal saying we do not and would not advocate being selective on one's religion. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/ben-carson-also-denounced-donald-trump-s-ban-all-muslims-proposal/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [ Senator \[Tom\] Cotton has campaigned on wanting to kill Obamacare. He voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act back in January, but he now… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/senator-tom-cotton-has-campaigned-on-wanting-to-kill-obamacare-he/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [ \[Tom Cotton\] has been an absolute champion of the idea of getting rid of Obamacare, scrapping the Affordable Care Act. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/tom-cotton-has-been-an-absolute-champion-of-the-idea-of-getting-rid/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [If you're working on better conditions for prisoners, if you make that a popular issue and you invite mainstream media to weigh in on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/if-you-re-working-on-better-conditions-for-prisoners-if-you-make-that/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [Liberals say that we are secular country with a majority of Christians, absolutely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/liberals-say-that-we-are-secular-country-with-a-majority-of/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [What's insulting to the American people, the Senate, to this whole process is that the Republicans, with all other nominees, have said Democrats are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/what-s-insulting-to-the-american-people-the-senate-to-this-whole/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [Oswald Mosley's movement, it was a big movement. It was obviously anti-immigrant, anti-Semitic, it was populist. Mosley wanted to replace the parliamentary system of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/oswald-mosley-s-movement-it-was-a-big-movement-it-was-obviously-anti/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [Pentagon dollars are essentially seen as a different kind of funding that doesn't have to stand for itself and make an argument for itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/pentagon-dollars-are-essentially-seen-as-a-different-kind-of-funding/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [Military preparedness is absolutely a form of strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/military-preparedness-is-absolutely-a-form-of-strength/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [When Conservatives crusade against government while they are trying to be appointed to head the government, I think that's weird!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/when-conservatives-crusade-against-government-while-they-are-trying/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [One of the manifestations of depression for me is that I lose my will. And I thereby lose my ability to focus. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/one-of-the-manifestations-of-depression-for-me-is-that-i-lose-my-will/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [There had been a proposed plank for the platform that said the Republican Party believed the United States should support Ukraine in any way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/there-had-been-a-proposed-plank-for-the-platform-that-said-the/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [John McCain has refused to ever criticize Sarah Palin, to ever admit there was anything wrong about her choice. He has been capital "L"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/john-mccain-has-refused-to-ever-criticize-sarah-palin-to-ever-admit/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [ The more you push back on Donald \[Trump\], whether you're in the media or whether you are in the GOP establishment, the stronger his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-more-you-push-back-on-donald-trump-whether-you-re-in-the-media-or/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) [Explore all 268 Rachel Maddow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) ## More Affordable quotes > [At LearnVest, we're working to make financial planning both accessible and affordable so that everyone has the opportunity to get on track financially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-von-tobel/at-learnvest-we-re-working-to-make-financial-planning-both-accessible/) [Alexa Von Tobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-von-tobel/) > [Along with a livable wage, many parents are desperate for quality affordable child care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gillibrand/along-with-a-livable-wage-many-parents-are-desperate-for-quality/) [Kirsten Gillibrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gillibrand/) > [Building great public schools and universities, a strong health care system, including keeping the Affordable Care Act, and then an economy that works well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-castro/building-great-public-schools-and-universities-a-strong-health-care/) [Joaquin Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-castro/) > [ Senator \[Tom\] Cotton has campaigned on wanting to kill Obamacare. He voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act back in January, but he now… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/senator-tom-cotton-has-campaigned-on-wanting-to-kill-obamacare-he/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [To protect our country's economic future and the health and well being of all Americans, we must find a way to rein in out-of-control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bennet/to-protect-our-country-s-economic-future-and-the-health-and-well/) [Michael Bennet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bennet/) > [To the millions of Americans whove attempted to use HealthCare.gov to shop and enroll in health-care coverage, I want to apologize to you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-tavenner/to-the-millions-of-americans-whove-attempted-to-use-healthcare-gov-to/) Marilyn Tavenner > [ \[Tom Cotton\] has been an absolute champion of the idea of getting rid of Obamacare, scrapping the Affordable Care Act. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/tom-cotton-has-been-an-absolute-champion-of-the-idea-of-getting-rid/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [My biggest fear, that 27 percent of Americans under 65 have an existing health condition that, without the protections of the Affordable Care Act,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/my-biggest-fear-that-27-percent-of-americans-under-65-have-an/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [The White House approved an exemption in Obamacare coverage for Congress and members of their staff. Members complained that the Affordable Care Act will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/the-white-house-approved-an-exemption-in-obamacare-coverage-for/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [The people who are working, paying their taxes are put into the system so that affordable housing could be built in neighborhoods that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bolling/the-people-who-are-working-paying-their-taxes-are-put-into-the-system/) [Eric Bolling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bolling/) > [There's a major underlying idea as you grow up that you need to just save your money and get that affordable housing at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/there-s-a-major-underlying-idea-as-you-grow-up-that-you-need-to-just/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [Whatever it is that you're successful at, that has to be the No. 1 goal. In my case, it's accessibility. So all of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-ray/whatever-it-is-that-you-re-successful-at-that-has-to-be-the-no-1-goal/) [Rachael Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-ray/) > [The smart way to improve broadband is not to junk the existing network but to make the most of it. It’s to let a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/the-smart-way-to-improve-broadband-is-not-to-junk-the-existing/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [So much for Obama's promise of 'quality, affordable health care.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deroy-murdock/so-much-for-obama-s-promise-of-quality-affordable-health-care/) Deroy Murdock > [The Affordable Care Act has been designed to provide health security by driving competition, lowering premiums, and protecting families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-b-rangel/the-affordable-care-act-has-been-designed-to-provide-health-security/) [Charles B. Rangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-b-rangel/) Browse all 436 Affordable quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Who knows what exactly changed Tom Cotton's mind. I mean, maybe it was that woman who said her husband was dying and only alive thanks to the Affordable Care Act. 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