Post what you are thinking right now, part two

[Semicolon]

It sounds like Obamacare is a very bad way of fixing a very bad situation.

I have read that compromises stripped out a lot of the actual fixes years ago.

[El]

It sounds like Obamacare is a very bad way of fixing a very bad situation.

It's very flawed, yes.  A big part of the problem with the affordable care act is that it sort of assumes medicaid is available, but not all states are choosing to provide medicaid.

One of the positives/one of the hopes I heard about it is that, over time, it will gain cultural acceptance, sort of the way gay marriage has.  If it did hit a tipping point like that, implementing fixes would be more workable.  Right now, the idea that everyone should be able to access affordable and decent health insurance is still apparently broadly unthinkable to a lot of people.

It sounds like Obamacare is a very bad way of fixing a very bad situation.

I have read that compromises stripped out a lot of the actual fixes years ago.

The compromises that have been necessitated do, IMO, a lovely job of highlighting 1. how fucked our political system is (of course) but also 2. how fucked our health insurance system(s) is/are.  The latter was not, I think, properly in the public eye before.

[odeon]

So maybe, just maybe, the best thing about Obamacare in the long run is that the idea of affordable health care to all may gain some kind of acceptance?

[Semicolon]

So maybe, just maybe, the best thing about Obamacare in the long run is that the idea of affordable health care to all may gain some kind of acceptance?

Some of the reforms are good, such as the coverage for preexisting conditions.

Programs of this sort aren't popular in America, possibly because the rich have an inordinate amount of power in our political system. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. At that rate, working 40 hours per week, with no vacation, a worker will make $15,080 per year, which is less than the federal poverty guidelines for a family of two ($15,730).

[Jack]

So maybe, just maybe, the best thing about Obamacare in the long run is that the idea of affordable health care to all may gain some kind of acceptance?

In the long run it might actually become affordable but that wont happen as long as the government uses private insurance companies for something that's supposed to be a government program. A truly affordable government healthcare option would put private insurance companies out of business, so the insurance companies are in the politician's pockets. Knew it wasn't going to happen from the beginning.

Some of the reforms are good, such as the coverage for preexisting conditions.

Another good one is allowing parents to cover their adult children, but they shouldn't have to do that so it's a shame that's a good thing.

[odeon]

So maybe, just maybe, the best thing about Obamacare in the long run is that the idea of affordable health care to all may gain some kind of acceptance?

Some of the reforms are good, such as the coverage for preexisting conditions.

Programs of this sort aren't popular in America, possibly because the rich have an inordinate amount of power in our political system. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. At that rate, working 40 hours per week, with no vacation, a worker will make $15,080 per year, which is less than the federal poverty guidelines for a family of two ($15,730).

Perhaps your laws should be redesigned to protect you against the rich rather than protect you against the government.

[Semicolon]

So maybe, just maybe, the best thing about Obamacare in the long run is that the idea of affordable health care to all may gain some kind of acceptance?

In the long run it might actually become affordable but that wont happen as long as the government uses private insurance companies for something that's supposed to be a government program. A truly affordable government healthcare option would put private insurance companies out of business, so the insurance companies are in the politician's pockets. Knew it wasn't going to happen from the beginning.

It's Thatcher's paradise here.

An affordable public option is the crux of the health care issue. Depending on how it's set up, it could keep costs down, reward doctors who perform and provide health care to the uninsured.

So maybe, just maybe, the best thing about Obamacare in the long run is that the idea of affordable health care to all may gain some kind of acceptance?

Some of the reforms are good, such as the coverage for preexisting conditions.

Programs of this sort aren't popular in America, possibly because the rich have an inordinate amount of power in our political system. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. At that rate, working 40 hours per week, with no vacation, a worker will make $15,080 per year, which is less than the federal poverty guidelines for a family of two ($15,730).

Perhaps your laws should be redesigned to protect you against the rich rather than protect you against the government.

It's hard to do so, because protections like the First Amendment apply equally to everyone.

[El]

Perhaps your laws should be redesigned to protect you against the rich rather than protect you against the government.

You assume there's a division between the two.

It's hard to do so, because protections like the First Amendment apply equally to everyone.

Actually, seeing as free speech is now being equated with money, I'd argue the First Amendment applies *more* to the rich.

(Also, basically *all* civil rights and protections apply more to the rich, in practice.)

[El]

So maybe, just maybe, the best thing about Obamacare in the long run is that the idea of affordable health care to all may gain some kind of acceptance?

In the long run it might actually become affordable but that wont happen as long as the government uses private insurance companies for something that's supposed to be a government program. A truly affordable government healthcare option would put private insurance companies out of business, so the insurance companies are in the politician's pockets. Knew it wasn't going to happen from the beginning.

Not "the best thing," but the long-term hope would be that if we accept that people *should* have access to affordable healthcare, we would then be far more motivated as a country to un-fuck the system.

It's corruption that drives up the price (of course) but also the overhead.  There's so many different kinds of insurers and quirks in treating vs. billing that a lot of money is lost just sorting through ridiculous administrative shit.

[El]

So maybe, just maybe, the best thing about Obamacare in the long run is that the idea of affordable health care to all may gain some kind of acceptance?

Some of the reforms are good, such as the coverage for preexisting conditions.

Programs of this sort aren't popular in America, possibly because the rich have an inordinate amount of power in our political system. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. At that rate, working 40 hours per week, with no vacation, a worker will make $15,080 per year, which is less than the federal poverty guidelines for a family of two ($15,730).

We're workin' on the minimum wage issue.  Not adequately, but at least we're actively looking at friggin' addressing it a little.

["couldbecousin"]

  At my current rate of progress, trying to decide what I want to be when I grow up,
   I *MIGHT* figure it out about two weeks before I am admitted to a dementia unit in 2041.   

[odeon]

Perhaps your laws should be redesigned to protect you against the rich rather than protect you against the government.

You assume there's a division between the two.

My mistake.

It's hard to do so, because protections like the First Amendment apply equally to everyone.

Actually, seeing as free speech is now being equated with money, I'd argue the First Amendment applies *more* to the rich.

(Also, basically *all* civil rights and protections apply more to the rich, in practice.)

This is pretty much universal, actually, not something limited to your country.

[odeon]

  At my current rate of progress, trying to decide what I want to be when I grow up,
   I *MIGHT* figure it out about two weeks before I am admitted to a dementia unit in 2041.   

Maybe you need to rethink the growing up bit?

[Semicolon]

  At my current rate of progress, trying to decide what I want to be when I grow up,
   I *MIGHT* figure it out about two weeks before I am admitted to a dementia unit in 2041.   

Maybe you need to rethink the growing up bit?

You are already large enough.

[El]

Perhaps your laws should be redesigned to protect you against the rich rather than protect you against the government.

You assume there's a division between the two.

My mistake.

It's hard to do so, because protections like the First Amendment apply equally to everyone.

Actually, seeing as free speech is now being equated with money, I'd argue the First Amendment applies *more* to the rich.

(Also, basically *all* civil rights and protections apply more to the rich, in practice.)

This is pretty much universal, actually, not something limited to your country.

*nod*  And it could be far worse, and is some places.  However, it's *getting* worse, and the US does have some unique quirks to our dysfunction (as would any country).

A part of the cultural issue here is the US's self-propaganda re: the "American Dream," which has elements of working your way up from nothing, having anything be possible, any child being able to grow up and be president, working and/or getting an education and working and then having a family in the 'burbs with a white picket fence.  (And other bullshit along those lines.)  Many of the baby boomers actually *did* live this, because for awhile, it was to some extent possible.  Some of the most central parts of our self-mythology as a country are going up in flames.