CERDAFIED-President Obama’s handling of the Affordable Care Act has become a Shakespearean Tragedy. America was highly suspicious of Obama’s perpetual promises to provide affordable healthcare, after all we have been trained to expect something far more heinous from legislation with names that all but promise some deliverance of good will.
As Republicans repeatedly attempted to negotiate a better deal for America, they were met with an absolute defiance. In all fairness, the debate over abortion and contraception was the biggest stumbling block. But eventually the individual mandate and affordability took center stage. The Democrats did not budge. They were married to a bad idea and a less than honest President.
Despite a filibuster and a government shut down, Obama refused to negotiate with the Republicans. In essence, he refused to listen to a large portion of America. He said, "The greatest nation on Earth shouldn't have to get permission from a few irresponsible members of Congress every couple of months just to keep our government open or to prevent an economic catastrophe." But Mr. President, you weren’t listening to the inhabitants of the greatest nation on earth or our representatives.
The Tea Party Republicans were “villainized” by the POTUS and even other Republicans who feared the repercussions of a lengthy stand off. But they won in the end by two acts that defined them; they stood up to a dictatorial president who continuously bypassed congress, and their analysis of the impact of ACA was accurate. The villain becomes the hero. This is a very Shakespearean turn of events.
This Tea Party transformation was only achievable because of a new breed of Congressmen. Senator Mike Lee and Ted Cruz were considered fresh faces and far more eloquent than the other, better known, TP members. They were able to sell a more palatable message….Make DC Listen.
All the posturing by Obama to not negotiate with the TP Republicans has given way under pressure from Democrats who would like to be reelected and who face the scorn of voters and the blistering media attacks. So now Obama deems it appropriate to make changes to ACA and announced that insurance companies, for one more year, have the option to offer their customers the renewal of their former plans. Insurance companies may decide to not offer coverage to those, most in need, with health problems.
Will this attempt to avoid voter wrath work? Obama would never rely on it alone. He will look for a fresh supply of Democratic voters benefiting from the amnesty bill. That is IF the republicans let that happen.
Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI), delivered a scathing assessment of Obama in his weekly Republican Address.
“It is also obvious that you didn’t inadvertently misspeak when you promised Americans they can keep their doctors and health plans – and do it all at a lower cost. Those assurances weren’t slight exaggerations or innocent shadings of the truth. They were statements that were fully vetted, coldly calculated, and carefully crafted to deceptively sell your health care plan to a trusting public. It was a political fraud echoed relentlessly by House and Senate Democrats who should be held accountable for the disastrous consequences of their grand deception.
“Consumer fraud this massive in the private sector could – and should – bear serious legal ramifications. For President Obama, however, it helped secure enough votes to pass Obamacare, and win reelection.
“Now America must face the truth, and Congress must work to limit the damage that Obamacare will inflict on our health care system and people’s lives. The systemic failure of the healthcare.gov website and cancelled policies are only the tip of this destructive iceberg.
“Does anyone really believe their personal information in the hands of federal bureaucrats will remain private and won’t be abused, or that Obamacare will actually reduce federal debt and deficits?
“The federal government is dysfunctional. It is broken, ineffective, and inefficient. Do you really want Washington taking over a greater share of our health care system – getting more involved in your health care decisions?
“A good place to start would be supporting the bill I introduced in the Senate called ‘If you like your health plan, you can keep it Act,’ or a similar measure just passed in the House. Unfortunately, the implementation of Obamacare has progressed to a point where millions of cancelled plans cannot be reinstated. But the freedom of millions of Americans to keep doctors, treatments, and health plans they do value can still be preserved if Congress acts swiftly and decisively.
“I also plan to introduce a new bill titled ‘Preserve Freedom and Choice in Health Care,’ which will attempt to protect liberty and the rights of individuals to make their own health care decisions. We need long-term solutions to the Obamacare debacle, not short-term political fixes like those recently proposed by the President and Senate Democrats that simply will not work.
“Democrat Senators must help Republicans pass legislation to limit the damage of Obamacare. If not, those who choose to ignore the plight of millions of Americans should be replaced next November by those who will act.”
Obama warned his political opponents not to try to overturn the ACA. But actually that warning falls on its citizens who suffer the burden of this law. Let’s not forget that the congress is not subject to the ACA. Our voices of bellowing discontent will not be silenced short of repeal of the ACA. We have the right to oppose unjust legislation, and in fact we have a duty to refuse compliance.
I understand that there are those who have no choice but to participate due to a health care crisis. America can stand up for you while you focus on recovery.
Perhaps the biggest lesson’s to be learned is; If the bill is too big too read…It is too big to pass. Turn over Citizens United so we can get corporations out of the government process. Never under estimate the person who reads “Green Eggs and Ham” during a filibuster.
The national enrollment of 106,000 sign ups when there are 317 million people in America, is as telling as the number of states refusing to participate, while during the same time in October, 1,687,599 Americans who went through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) to purchase guns.
The firing of insurance commissioner William P. White for vocalizing his concerns that Obama’s delay of full implementation “undercuts the purpose of the exchanges, including the District’s DC Health Link, by creating exceptions that make it more difficult for them to operate,” and it “threatens to undermine the new market, and may lead to higher premiums and market disruptions in 2014 and beyond,” shows how precarious the whole system is for enrollers.
So much bad news coming out about the ACA that Obama will be wearing egg face for time in perpetuity.
(Lisa Cerda is a contributor to CityWatch, a community activist, Chair of Tarzana Residents Against Poorly Planned Development, VP of Community Rights Foundation of LA, Tarzana Property Owners Association board member, and former Tarzana Neighborhood Council board member.)
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 11 Issue 93
Pub: Nov 19, 2013
