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I had such high hopes for Obama, I really did. I’ve never been uber-political: I am more into ideas than the party system and I don’t see what is productive about labeling every idea with words like “Liberal” or “Conservative”, “Democrat” or “Republican”, because those labels then give attributes to the idea that may or may not be true. “Divide and conquer”… to label is to divide.
That being said, ObamaCare is really starting to scare me. How could the same president who I thought understood the needs of the everyman stand so strongly behind a policy like this?
Criminal penalties… CRIMINAL! The House Health Care bill demands that you either buy health insurance or be subjected to up to 5 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.
In this video, Rep. Peter Roskam asks a valid question:
“Why do you need to criminalize people to coax them into a plan that’s fabulous?”
According to Rachel Maddow, a majority of personal bankruptcies in this country are caused by medical costs, and a majority of those people actually have health insurance.
Several studies estimate the number of uninsured Americans. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 47 million Americans, or 20 percent of the population under the age of 65, were without health insurance in 2008, their latest data available. [via] These people obviously cannot afford health coverage, and rather than actually help them, which should be the motivation of health care reform, we are going to corner them into paying $15,000 or go to jail? Because our jails aren’t already crowded enough.
To me, it sounds like we’d be better off leaving well enough alone than moving on to something so entirely flawed. ObamaCare is not the answer. I don’t need to be an expert on politics to see that.
November 14th, 2009 at 1:29 am
From the forced 10 percent tax now in California I lost 180 dollars from every check. With any warning I am not short 360 dollars a month.
Now I fear for my mother who is self employed. She cant afford Health Insurance as it is and current rules don’t allow me add her to my coverage. So, now I have a new fear that because she can not afford coverage she will now have to deal with debt for fines. If this is true. It will encourage people to attempt to stay off the grid and force them not seek help when they are sick.
#my2cents
November 14th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Dave thanks for commenting on this topic. As much as the politicos are talking about it, it seems the ‘everyman’ isn’t really paying attention. And we are the ones who will be the most effected by this!
I personally do not have health insurance. I am a self-employed, and in this economy it’s hard enough to make ends meet. Sometimes I worry about what would happen to me or my life, my apartment, my car… should something go wrong. I’d lose everything.
It sounds to me like your mother is in the same boat. I *thought* the point of health care reform was to make things EASIER for those who are already without, not put a further strain on their already tight budgets.
I am very disappointed. And a little bit scared.
November 14th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
There is no question that the US healthcare system is broken. For almost 50 million people to be without health insurance is ludicrous. The obvious solution which will never happen is a National Healthcare System such as the UK and Canada and many other countries in Europe. I have health insurance but I know that if I get a major health problem such as cancer then my insurance company will do whatever it can to cancel my insurance as soon as it can. So whats the point of the insurance? Criminal penalties for not buying insurance are ludicrous as well if people cant afford it. This is an issue that has been around for a long time and does not seem to be any nearer to a solution. I believe that the only solution is a national system based on a national tax which would cover everyone whether they are working or not.Obamacare is not the answer!
November 16th, 2009 at 12:07 am
I am disappointed that we simply don’t fix our current health care and eliminate laws that prevent competition. For example, why are Health Care companies exempt from Anti-Trust laws. I wonder if that is the main reason they feel they can continue their business model and not really be motivated to become better since little competition exists.
November 24th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
The healthcare reform is a joke, and a bad one at that. Although this reform sounds appealing and quite promising as first glance, it seems to me a bit like the poisoned apple, once you take the bait you’re in for it.
I work as a healthcare professional and have had the ability to discuss this topic with the physicians I work for, I have yet to meet a single one to agree with this change. The reason being not for pay cuts they may receive but for the patients they care for (one of which was born and raised in Canada, where they have socialized medicine). This seems like a trick, a trick to get large amounts of money out of the American population with the bare minimum in return- as we pay into it with the hope that our sick can be healed(and in a timely manor). If you look at the facts that support this motion individually, you will see that they are a bad idea for our nation as a whole. If you take a look at the entire picture, all little details and changes in mind, you will see that this will dramatically change American healthcare, and not in a good way. It will harm taxpayers, physicians, healthcare workers, and most importantly the patients quality of care and range of available treatments. I am, now and always have been, against this. As someone who has suffered from very serious conditions, I would not like to wait in line for treatment when I find out I have a brain tumor… Would you? Would you want that for your parents, your child, your friend, even your worst enemy?
Google the stories of Canadians coming here in order to survive. If we follow suit, where will the Americans go for their treatment in order to receive adequate healthcare?