Friday, July 06, 2012

"Obamacare" Explained

Even though I haven't commented on politics recently, the recent Supreme Court ruling narrowly upholding the "Obamacare" law (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) was actually a pretty big deal... with real results for millions of people.

On Reddit there's an excellent breakdown of some of important points of the legislation:


Whether you think it was good or bad is probably determined by your ideology & sources of editorial viewpoints. I try to analyze the facts & understand the arguments pro vs. con. With something as complicated and colossal as the health care system (or education / banking / etc.), there's alot of issues that need to be considered.

Although 'The Affordable Care Act' leaves the privatized health insurance shark pit intact, it does seem to begin to address some of the massive problems with the existing system. Most of the over-reaction to it is an echo of the hyper-reactionaries at Fox News or talk radio who scream about tax hikes & death panels. Ultimately, though, the law is only a band-aid for a festering situation in which our health is at the mercy of corporate greed & malfeasance.

In my American utopia, health care would be a totally nationalized health care system. Yes... government-run health care, providing for the public welfare, like most civilized countries. For some reason, this is considered a "liberal" position, even though it's the only one that makes sense.


Why do we give members of Congress & the heroes in the Armed Forces socialized government health care, if it's such a crappy, evil system? ...& how is the current corporate health insurance racket a better option, in any way?!? 

The private health insurance industry should be banned by an act of Congress & we should have single-payer. The status quo is complete nonsense & it's probably one of the most crippling aspects of our economy.

There is NO reason why an employer should be made responsible for their employees' general health insurance. It's f*ing crazy. If everyone was paying into a government system, the employers in this country, small & large, would be freed of the private health insurance burden...which is enough to crush some small businesses & would be completely unnecessary under a different system.

Would there be waste, fraud, & abuse in government-run health care? Yes! Of course!!! ... but the difference is it wouldn't be the insatiable for-profit vampire we have now, & we can vote for people who have ideas to change the public system. The current free-market solution is a disaster & completely indefensible. If you are defending it, you must be either an insurance executive or a lobbyist... otherwise it's insane.




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