The ACA passed with zero Republican votes. The reason the ACA is garbage is not because of Republicans.

So incredibly disingenuous. Are you claiming that Democrats never once modified that bill in an attempt to negotiate with a Republican for their vote? They never conceded a single thing in an effort to gain Republican support? Republicans never made any public claims about the bill that made Democrats in conservative districts or states have to push back against provisions in the original bill?

...and that is all ignoring the fact that if a few Republicans had supported the bill as a single payer solution, conservative Democrats would still have ruined it?

Now, I am honestly of the opinion that Congress is half theater and that many times far more Democrats, if necessary, would work against progressive ideas if they didn't have blue dogs to conveniently do it for them. To take the heat for stabbing their constituents in the back and refusing to give them what they want because they are bought and paid for, or simply brainwashed by the billionaire class and out of touch, thinking they know better than progressive peasants. I just despise bullshit arguments that Republicans don't also contribute heavily to the effort of fucking up progressive policies.