Cheryl K. Acton, a member of the Utah House of Representatives, shared several opinions and recommendations on her Twitter account on March 24, 2026.
In one post, Acton commented on language used in public discourse about affordability, stating: “True. ‘Affordable’ is some kind of newspeak euphemism. This needs to change.” (March 24, 2026).
Later that day, she referenced a well-known memoir and offered a reading suggestion: “‘The Lord will give you the train ticket…’ (If you haven’t read her memoir, The Hiding Place, you should. Many say it’s their favorite book.)” (March 24, 2026).
In another tweet posted in the afternoon, Acton discussed transparency in government policy-making and cited an architect of the Affordable Care Act: ‘”The lack of transparency is a political advantage.” This man, who drafted Obamacare, understood that, in order to pass the ACA, it would be necessary to obscure how it works. He goes on to speak about the stupidity of Congress and American voters, but I’m not posting this to’ (March 24, 2026).
The term “newspeak,” mentioned by Acton in reference to “affordable,” originates from George Orwell’s novel “1984,” where it describes deliberately ambiguous or misleading language used for political purposes.
“The Hiding Place,” recommended by Acton in her second tweet, is a memoir by Corrie ten Boom recounting her family’s efforts to hide Jews during World War II and their subsequent imprisonment.
Discussion around transparency related to the Affordable Care Act has been ongoing since its passage in 2010. Critics have sometimes pointed to comments made by Jonathan Gruber—an economist involved with drafting the legislation—about strategic communication during its rollout.
