- Joined
- Jul 1, 2011
- Messages
- 67,218
- Reaction score
- 28,530
- Location
- Lower Hudson Valley, NY
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Independent
Regardless of why I oppose the law, I oppose the law. It is that simple. I think it is quite flawed and will end up hurting more than it helps, quite cut and dried. A lot of people try to work their politics into it, I don't. If I thought it was a good law, it would have my support, but I do not. There is quite a lot about the ACA I do not like, but the mandated insurance doesn't bother me. I think expanding medicaid is basically a waste of time and give people false hopes when they see they have insurance. But can they see a doctor? that is the question, will they be able to get healthcare? If only 60% of doctors nationwide accept medicaid patients today, before the expansion, how many of those with medicaid insurance will have just a piece of paper?
Yes the ACA is politicized. But a whole lot of people read more into the opposition or try to read more into the opposition so they can say some of those opposed are really for the ACA. Listen, if I was for the ACA, I would say so. I think it is a half way measure that is making things worse. We talked about the VA healthcare system before to take care of the poor, I would have loved to see that. I would rather have everyone or the poor who can't afford proper insurance go on medicare even if the medicare tax has to be doubled or raised higher. I dislike the ACA as it comes across more as a political statement than an attempt to help people. I knew the ACA was flawed before it was even voted on, if you look at the public support for social security, 65% plus of all Americans supported it prior to its introduction and it passed on its merits with bipartisan support. Medicare, over 60% of all Americans supported it prior to its introduction and it passed on its merits with bipartisan support.. With the ACA only around 35% of all Americans supported it prior to its introduction and it passed with strong arm tactics of the Democratic leadership exerting on its own members, not the merits.
Now I am not arguing the fact that according to the polls a lot or perhaps even a majority of Americans thought something needed to be done with healthcare. But what I am arguing is the ACA was not the answer and still isn't the answer. Do away with it, repeal it, then keep what works and what is good and put that into new legislation. If it is a 100% government plan so be it, if it is a VA style healthcare system, fine. If we could put everyone on medicare and up the medicare tax to pay for it, fine. If we are going to keep medicaid, then we need to up the reimbursement rate so all doctors can accept it without losing money. My bottom line is the ACA is a bastard child that makes no one happy, why defend it?
I have no problems with you stating your personal opinions. However, when you discuss the polls, it is misleading to describe people as if they belong to only one of two groups - opposed to ACA, or supportive of ACA. It leaves the impression that people either agree with you (and oppose ACA), or they disagree with you (and support it). The truth is, there really are several groups.
For example, I agree with you that creating a govt run plan to cover the uninsured would have been preferable to this whole mess of exchanges and mandates. However, I disagree with you about many other things, like the expansion of Medicaid. Dividing everyone up into one of two groups, when there are really several, does not represent the diversity of opinions that exist.