I've got health care on my mind. Is anyone really surprised the GOP Obamacare repeal bill collapsed in the Senate? I, for one, am not. Why?

I believe its fate was certain because, even though scores of Republicans won elections with a promise of repealing and replacing Obamacare, they had no plan to replace it-even though they had seven years to devise something better.

They failed even though the party controls the House, Senate and White House. It's embarrassing, but not unexpected. It's as if the whole pitch to repeal and replace was a charade. It played well. It got votes. But then the unthinkable happened: Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton. After the shock and surprise started to fade, I'm sure it occurred to some that they would actually have to come up with a solution to fix the mess, not just criticize Democrats.

Before I continue, I know some of you might not know me well and might be thinking, "Damn, that Morris-he's just another left-wing media hack knocking Republicans." Pardon my French, but au contraire! The Obama years were the most painful, ideology-wise, in my lifetime. It's going to take decades to get out from under the damage that was done.

While the current administration's ideology might be more in my wheelhouse, that doesn't mean I'm a fan of the way Republicans are governing in the Trump era. I think one can be true to traditional Republican values without supporting the way Trump is governing. As I said during last year's campaign, "Please don't make me choose between Trump and Clinton." We were presented with a bad choice, and nothing I've seen since January has changed my opinion.

Having said that, there is this brief window of opportunity, while Republicans hold the advantage, to make some headway in reversing what I feel was a lot of bad legislation enacted over the last eight years.

The "Unaffordable" Care Act is one of those colossal pieces of bad policy. I'm sure everyone remembers this was passed without a single Republican vote. And a lot of Democrats who voted for it never read the bill. I call that ramming an ideology down everyone's throat. But you've got to give the devil his due- the Democrats banded together and got the job done while they had the numbers. Once an entitlement like that is enacted, the chances of getting rid of it are slim.

The Republicans have the numbers now, if only for two years. So far, they can't seem to get out of the way of themselves. They don't need to worry about fighting Democrats because they're too busy fighting one another. The attitude I see within the Republican Party is too many legislators saying, "It's my way or the highway." There's little collaboration.

Back to health care. While I wholeheartedly believe Obamacare should be repealed and replaced, there has to be a plan to move forward. A pure, single-payer, governmentrun health care plan would be the worst of all solutions. I realize this is the direction many would like to head. If that is where we end up, I will know we have officially failed as a country to find a way to continue providing the best health care in the world. It will be sad if we're all forced to depend on government-run health care. Don't believe that? How's the Veterans Administration model working? Is government functioning on any level at the moment?

And yet I'm not saying the Republican Senate plan was the proper path forward. It seemed mean-spirited and hastily put together. With seven years to come up with an alternative plan, one could reasonably expect something better. But that would take some collaboration.

What should be done? I've "progressed" on the issue. I've come to believe the government should overhaul Medicare and Medicaid and provide "basic" health care to all U.S. citizens. We just need to figure out how to pay for it without all the "soak the rich" rhetoric. If we're going to provide basic health care to everyone, we'll have to cut spending elsewhere. But I'm no single-payer convert. Those with the financial means should be able to pay to enrich their health coverage-to receive care comparable to what they get now.

Yes, I know this is simplistic, without any of the necessary details provided. But if this isn't the best plan, what is? I'd love to hear some civil dialogue on the topics

BELLEVUE, Wash. & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Symetra Life Insurance Company, a leading provider of life, retirement and employee benefit insurance products, and Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA), a long-standing leader in lifetime income, today announced the launch of Mariner Re Ltd., a Class E licensed reinsurer domiciled in Bermuda.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261026485030/en/

Mariner Re will provide committed growth capital to support Symetra’s annuity business through a flow reinsurance arrangement, effective Oct. 1, 2026. As part of the transaction, Mariner Re will be supported by a $750 million equity investment from TIAA.

Symetra Investment Management Company (SIM) and Nuveen, the global asset management firm wholly owned by TIAA, will serve as Mariner Re’s investment managers. The dual-manager structure combines SIM’s established insurance asset management capabilities with Nuveen’s institutional expertise, providing Mariner Re with broadened access to asset classes and investment strategies.

“Symetra’s strategic relationship with TIAA, a well-regarded company, pairs our combined financial strength and insurance expertise with a strong cultural alignment and collaborative approach,” said Margaret Meister, president and chief executive officer of Symetra Financial Corporation. “Mariner Re supports our ability to grow annuity sales, enhancing our competitive positioning and enabling us to serve more customers.”

“This transaction allows TIAA to expand and diversify our balance sheet, strengthening our ability to meet the long-term obligations we have to the retirement plan participants who count on us, while deepening our long-standing relationship with Symetra and its parent company, Sumitomo Life,” said Dave Dowrich, chief financial officer at TIAA.

Symetra Chief Investment Officer Nicholas Mocciolo said, “SIM’s lead role as investment manager reflects our commitment and investment partnership with Mariner Re and Symetra. We are pleased to be working with Nuveen, a strong investment partner that brings breadth and depth to this relationship.”

"This mandate demonstrates the continued growth of Nuveen's insurance asset management capabilities," said Bill Huffman, CEO of Nuveen. “We're proud to bring the breadth of our public to private capabilities to Mariner Re's portfolio and to deepen our long-standing relationship with Symetra and Sumitomo Life."

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. acted as structuring agent and placement agent for the transaction. PJT Partners served as financial advisor for TIAA. Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP served as legal counsel for Symetra and Mayer Brown LLP and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP served as co-lead legal counsel for TIAA and Conyers as Bermuda counsel for the transaction.

About Symetra

Symetra Life Insurance Company is a subsidiary of Symetra Financial Corporation, a diversified financial services company based in Bellevue, Washington. In business since 1957, Symetra provides employee benefits, annuities and life insurance through a national network of benefit consultants, financial institutions, and independent financial professionals and insurance producers. For more information, visit https://www.symetra.com/.

About Symetra Investment Management

Symetra Investment Management Company (SIM) is a Registered Investment Adviser offering discretionary investment advisory services to institutional clients. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Farmington, Conn., SIM manages approximately $93.8 billion in assets across Investment Grade Corporate Credit, High Yield, Bank Loans, Commercial Mortgage Loans, Private Placements, Structured Credit, Hedging and Alternatives. SIM is a wholly owned subsidiary of Symetra Financial Corporation. For more information, visit https://www.symetra.com/symetra-investment-management/.

About TIAA

Our mission is to provide a more secure financial future for all. As a leading retirement, wealth and asset manager, the company has delivered investment options and guidance to help people pursue prosperity that lasts across market cycles and generations. TIAA has nearly $1.6 trillion in assets under management (as of 06/30/2026)*. For more information, visit www.tiaa.org/about.

About Nuveen

Nuveen, a TIAA Company, is a global investment leader, managing $1.4 trillion in public and private assets for clients around the world, as of June 30, 2026. With broad expertise across income and alternatives, we invest in the growth of businesses, real estate, infrastructure, and natural capital, providing clients with the reliability, access, and foresight unique to our 125+ year heritage. Our prevailing perspective on the future drives our ambition to innovate and adapt our business to the changing needs of investors — all to pursue lasting performance for our clients, our communities, and our global economy. For more information, please visit www.nuveen.com.

*As of June 30, 2026, assets under management across Nuveen Investments affiliates and TIAA investment management teams are $1,599 billion.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261026485030/en/

Symetra
Diana McSweeney
Diana.McSweeney@symetra.com

TIAA
John McCool
John.McCool2@tiaa.org

Source: Symetra Life Insurance Company