Yes! Finally a non-soccer related thing, for Once! All it took was a monumental piece of legislation to pass the do-nothing Congress, which finally did something.
America, welcome to the civilized world! Yes, you now (or at least close to almost) provide some sensible way for (most?) of your citizens to access affordable healthcare. Suck it second/third world!
But lets not get ahead of ourselves, this bill is certainly a camel. And no, not this colorful character:
But rather a camel in the sense that it was designed by committee, literally made of compromises that in aggregate make something that none of the people who had a hand in the creation are 100% happy with. I mean look at a camel, seriously, those things are bizarre.
Anyways, its a step in the right direction, even if its far from perfect. Other outlets could surely to a much better job of getting into the wonkery of the matter, so I will leave that out of this post. What I will include is my conversation tonight with someone who was displeased with the reform, and how her view is illustrative of how the Dems and President Obama need to continue to sell this here camel as the November elections grow closer:
D*: well, then that doesn't upset me. lol. it's not fair, i know. hell, i have two health insurance and until about 3 months ago, i had three. i shouldn't have 3 when others have none, but i shouldn't have to pay for yours
9:32 PM me: well, the merits of the healthcare part of the reconcilliation thing yesterday aside
the part that was SAFRA
was laudable
9:33 PM I will not debate the hcr part with you, but I do suggest you read carefully up on what it does and does not do
9:34 PM I don't suspect you will be paying much more in taxes
for whatever was done
unless you have some windfalls
that I am not aware of
D*: it's not so much about cost to me as it is principle. it's not the govt's responsibility to take care of people.
9:35 PM me: I understand and respect your view
and to a large extent agree
but "take care of people" is a pretty broad umbrella phrase
9:37 PM gotta take care of people, by you know, fighting wars against enemies
who would like to do harm to us
and take care of people by making sure companies don't sell shit products that could kill or hurt lots of people
9:38 PM but I think I understand what you are talking about
9:40 PM D*: im not very eloquent when i try to say what i mean. and yes i agree with you. someone has to check things. but in my head, we're giving things away. lots and lots and lots of just "giving" away. are the ins co corrupt? probably. because of bureaucracy, are the costs inflated? probably. i dont know the right answer, but i dont think this is it
9:42 PM me: it may very well not be the best answer
but its an answer
an answer that has not come in literally 90 years
D*: is a shitty answer better than none?
9:43 PM me: if you before could not afford insurance
and now can
or
because you were born with an expensive to treat condition
are now allowed to get insurance
I would imagine it is
9:44 PM as a relatively healthy person
who makes good decisions
with health
I can't say that it really does a lot for me
D*: dont even start me on 90 years ago. i dont have enough time tonight. lol i see your point in both examples. however, my fear is that this is going to become a runaway program similar to what happened almost 80 years ago. i honestly believe it's worse for you, brendan
9:45 PM me: but for someone who has a really sick kid and now insurance companies can't reject their child because they are too expensive to treat
well
yes
9:46 PM I understand if you don't have time to go into it now, and really I don't want to try to convince you of anything
but I do suggest you read about what was passed, just to make sure
that you are sure
that things are being given away
9:48 PM D*: i meant i don't have time to discuss 90 years of healthcare fiascos. but, i must retire anyway, but i will promise to review the bill and what it includes. i won't lie. i rely on glenn beck for a lot. i'm just highly skeptical. i do suppose i'm in a happy hc bubble and i dont see the outside. but i dont like change. i dont like govt telling me what to do or spending my money on things that arent about me. but i will mull this over. and we will discuss soon.
9:49 PM me: definitely
and
please
whatever you do
and whatever you believe
9:50 PM please find someone else to get info from other than glenn beck
Okay, you might be thinking that the Glenn Beck thing makes the whole conversation a moot point. I would caution that my friend is not a crazy wingnut in any sense. My friend represents a few commonly held views, namely that there are huge giveaways in this bill and that the ability to get affordable insurance may not be all that essential.
The challenge for Dems will be to highlight the immediate and long term benefits of the bill, while also providing evidence that those above points are the wrong way to think about HCR.
Also, SAFRA. Yay!
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