Dear Paul Ryan,
Just a few short months ago, Republicans were swept back into full control of the government on a huge groundswell of populist support. Full repeal of Obamacare was one of the cornerstone planks of the platform that led to that support.
Now, you want to foist off your own "lite" version of an abysmal, abomination of a law that was passed through deception and outright lies. Then you have the audacity to tell the press: "Obamacare is collapsing. If we just did nothing, washed our hands of the situation, we would see a further collapse of the health insurance markets. So we feel an obligation to step in front of that collapse and replace this law with one that works, that has more freedom."
I strongly urge you to rethink that plan. Stepping in front of that collapse will get you crushed like a bug by a pissed off electorate. I'm not saying do nothing. Quite the opposite. By all means necessary, REPEAL BUT DO NOT REPLACE. Please allow me too explain further.
Prior to Obamacare's inception, I had decent healthcare coverage paid for by payroll deduction through my employer. Not the Cadillac coverage congressmen and administration officials enjoy, but functional and usable. Deductibles were either $500 or $1000. Premiums for me and my family were manageable and within our budget. Since Obamacare, the lowest deductible my (now former) employer offers is $5000 at essentially triple the premium.
Let me be clear, this makes my healthcare plan functionally unusable to me and my family. I have no choice but to take it unless I want to be penalized for not having health insurance.
No where in the constitution is healthcare listed as an inalienable right. It is not the government's business to mandate healthcare or be involved in it in any way. Government involvement in healthcare (or any industry for that matter) is antithetical to the principles of freedom upon which this country was founded.
If you want to do something productive, figure out a way for health insurance carriers to sell coverage across state lines so that something approaching free competition is possible.
So, again, I urge you and your fellow Republicans to REPEAL Obamacare and let the free market sort itself out.
Sincerely,
Daddy Hawk
Gotta agree, get big government out of the way and let the market work.
ReplyDeleteFlugelman, thanks for the comment. If it were only that easy.
DeleteNo one seems to get it; it's not about insurance; it's about the COST OF HEALTHCARE...
ReplyDeletePete, frankly, Obamacare has nothing to do with costs or insurance (although the insurance industry lobbied hard in support of it in hopes of being a "winner" when the bill was passed). Obamacare was a blatant wealth redistribution scheme from the beginning. It was NEVER about bringing costs down despite what President Obama and Congress said. You can go back and listen to what they said none of which was even remotely true. I mention my costs and coverage simply as an example of the negative impact the law has had on me, and I am in the middle class who was supposed to benefit from lower costs and premiums. Quite the opposite happened.
DeleteYES! EXACTLY!! The congress/president all ran on repeal Obamacare. I don't remember anything about "repeal and replace" while the election was going on.
ReplyDeleteAnd the entire argument is about costs...cost of care and insurance to regular folks. I had to go to the doctor's as I was lucky enough to get the plague that was going around early January, and went to the billing gal on the way out the door...they couldn't tell me what the bill would be for someone with no insurance, seen by a NP for 15 minutes with blankity blank diagnosis. Which is a crock, as this is how they figure out the bill.
The government needs to repeal the ACA and get the hell out of the way. Let the free market work. If they insist on expanding the Medicaid, then do block grants to the states, but I feel that if the jobs market open back up again, health insurance should be more affordable for everyone. It certainly isn't affordable now!
And I agree that what Obama was trying to do was redistribute wealth across the country from those who work, to those who wont. I just don't want to see the same thing happen again, this time from the Republicans.
Suz, I'm trying to decide if I agree or disagree with you on the costs bit. I absolutely believe that the increase in costs of both care and coverage are a big part of the reason everyone is pissed off about ACA; however, I really think the biggest argument is who is in control of the biggest economic take over in American history. The democrats under Obama wanted to increase the welfare state and advance their progressive/socialist agenda. By taking over the healthcare industry, they took control of 1/6 of a $14 trillion annual GDP and used it to pick the winners and losers. Anytime the government gets involved in something, it's about the money and who gets it (and I don't care if it's an R or a D in control of the administration, it's all the same game).
DeleteI'm copying and pasting to my congressman (hope you don't mind). Thanks.
ReplyDeleteK, absolutely. Bonus points if your congressman is Paul Ryan
DeleteTom Cotton, but only had to change a few words. Thx again
DeleteK, no, thank you. From our lips to their ears....
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