The Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act--and the Republicans are not happy.
The facts -- Each state is required to set up an insurance exchange where the people of that state can compare policies and costs before joining a health care plan. If a state does not set up an exchange, the federal government will take over and set up an exchange for that state. Citizens making up to 400% of the poverty level will get a subsidy to help pay for their health care. Those at or below the poverty level would be added to the Medicare rolls with the federal government paying 100% of that cost for the first three years. After that, the federal government’s portion goes down by small increments each year until it reaches 90% where it will stay. Any state can refuse to expand Medicare.
#1 Mitt Romney says that the ACA puts the government between patients and their doctor.
what eye thynk: Mitt, buddy, think beyond your affluent circle of acquaintances for just a minute. Millions of Americans would love to have a patient/government/doctor relationship, but first they need a doctor…and they can’t afford one!
#2 Republican Governor John Kasich of Ohio spoke through Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor. "At this point, the governor and I agree--we discussed this today--he’s been fully briefed--that we do not see how running a state based exchange is good for Ohio. Ultimately we concluded that Obamacare is not consistent with our values…"
what eye thynk: So, the uninsured and the poor in Ohio don’t count in your “values”? Exactly how much money does an Ohio citizen need to have before he has value in your eyes, Mr. Kasich?
#3 Republican Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana says he will neither expand Medicare nor create a state based exchange for those wishing to purchase health insurance. He says he is waiting for November when he hopes that Romney will undo the law.
what eye thynk: Good luck with that. Romney’s promise to repeal the ACA on “my first day in office” is an empty oath. Only Congress can repeal the ACA, and that just simply is not going to happen. Even Louisiana’s hospitals and health care providers are begging Gov. Jindal to reconsider his stance. If Medicare is not expanded in Louisiana, the poorest of the poor will get nothing. The money that the federal government would have spent to help the truly poor in Louisiana will go to other states while Louisiana hospitals and free clinics, (free clinics like Planned Parenthood which is, of course, also anathema to today’s Republican politician), will be left to deal with the problem.
#4 Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky said "Just because a couple of people on the Supreme Court declare something to be ‘constitutional’ does not make it so".
what eye thynk: Does this man have any idea how our government is structured? Maybe a remedial course in Government 101 is called for.
#5 Glenn Beck is calling Chief Justice Roberts a coward and has begun selling t-shirts saying this.
what eye thynk: Is this man really an adult? Has anyone checked to see if maybe he’s just a 6 year old wearing an old guy costume?
#6 Michael Sanger, (spelling?), conservative radio personality said that Roberts ruled the way he did because he was taking epilepsy medication. “Neurologists will tell you that medication used for seizure disorders, such as epilepsy, can introduce mental slowing, forgetfulness and other cognitive problems. And if you look at Roberts’ writings, you can see the cognitive dissociation in what he is saying”.
what eye thynk: Whoooo, boy.
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The fact is that the Affordable Care Act is a LAW. Conservative pundits can rant against it all they want--this is, after all a country that guarantees their freedom to speak out.
However, the elected officials who are declining to uphold the federal statute need to be reminded that each of them put their hand on a Bible and swore to uphold the laws of their state and their country. There is no small print that says “except when I don’t want to”. Every one of these preening politicians is in contempt of the job he pledged to do.
And, finally, the disdain with which they view their own citizens is chilling...and disgraceful.
Unfortunately, from the ivory towers of many of these pundits and politicians, anyone who is in need of assistance is probably just lazy and reveling in how they have tricked the government into giving them hand-outs. Witness how many times one hears one of them imploring people to "pick themselves up by their bootstraps". So distant, so safe from misfortune, so cynical, so comfortably free of compassion. I am quite certain that their savior Jesus Christ would throw them all out on their collective tin ears.
ReplyDeleteI've been looking for some logic in the way that the Republican Party, under the evil hand Carl (or is that Karl) Rove. After extensive research the one logic that surfaces most often: Carl Rove's mother may not have loved him and as a result he hates all women.
ReplyDeleteAnd anything that is even remotely connected to women, childbirth, and/or vaginas is a fair target.
Unfortunately, many of the financially challeneged people out there, have vaginas, or knows some one who does.
So, now Karl & Kompany are after the Affordable Care Act. That's how I see it.