Making sure we’re here to help during difficult times

We posted our Wednesday story about overdose deaths in Nashua on Facebook, and it reached more than 2,000 people in a single day.

Among them were two local residents who took the time to comment.

One was Nancy McWilliams Bernard, who had this to say: "Hopefully in 2017 we will see a huge decrease."

It appears this could indeed be the case. Staff writer Damien Fisher reported that in December, the 23 overdoses represented the lowest montly total since August 2015. (Unfortunately, the total did include three fatalities.)

Nashua’s Safe Stations program most likely is a key to the turnaround. The program is a partnership among Nashua Fire Rescue, the American Medical Response ambulance service and Harbor Homes; it allows people to go to any fire station in the city to seek help with their addiction without fear of arrest, according to advocates of the program.

Alas, not everyone believes the city is doing the right thing for those who are addicted. Mike Black posted this comment on our Facebook page:

"The mayor called this his No. 1 priority when he was elected. Lots of money wasted on junkies. How’d that work out?"

Apparently, there still are people who don’t understand that addiction is a disease.

As Mayor Jim Donchess said:

"It’s scientifically shown that addiction is very, very difficult to free yourself of without medical assistance."

Just who would we be as a society if we didn’t help with that assistance?

Taking a look at Obamacare heading into the new year

Haste makes waste, especially in Washington, D.C. There, undue haste to replace the Affordable Care Act – Obamacare – could make it or something worse permanent.

As its unofficial name implies, the national health care takeover law is President Barack Obama’s baby. Reportedly, he and Democrat strategists are making plans to stymie a Republican campaign to rescind and replace the law.

It has been reported the Democrat strategy will be to exploit differences of opinion among Republicans in Congress about a replacement for Obamacare.

That will not be difficult. The law is so complex and now, so entrenched that it may prove impossible to craft a substitute fully acceptable to all conservatives in Congress. The Democrats’ task will be to make GOP lawmakers forget the old advice that politics is the art of compromise.

But give and take in politics requires time. Both President-elect Donald Trump and Republican leaders in Congress have said repealing and replacing Obamacare will be one of their top priorities this year.

Thoughtful GOP strategists have suggested the obvious: Don’t try to do it all at once. Phase in desirable changes, a little at a time.

Attempting a massive remake of Obamacare all at once risks playing right into liberals’ hands. Disagreements among Republicans could scrap the whole project.

Perhaps the best advice for those seeking to get rid of Obamacare, for the good of millions of Americans hurt, not helped, by it, is this: Don’t bite off more than you can chew.