Good aticle in this weeks Grunter about the ACA

Read this very carefully because it is a good article which is in this weeks Grunter:

The rest of the story
Opinion SECTION A,
PAGE 10 THE GRANITE STATE NEWS THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2014
Letters to the Editor

Since the bungled rollout of the healthcare.gov web site on Oct. 1, the national print media and the television talking heads have had little positive to say about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, ACA for short, and popularly known as Obamacare. We seem to have national media today that not only consists mainly of entertainers rather than journalists, but clearly very few if any of them majored in American history. If they did, they would have offered the perspective that similar problems and criticisms occurred at the launches of Social Security in 1937 and Medicare in 1965.

Running for president in 1936, Republican Alf Landon declared, “This is the largest tax bill in history. And to call it ‘social security’ is a fraud on the workingman…. I am not exaggerating the folly of this legislation. The saving it forces on our workers is a cruel hoax.” At the beginning of his political career in 1964, George H.W. Bush attacked the Medicare proposal as “socialized medicine,” and in 1961 Ronald Reagan said, “If you don’t [stop Medicare] and I don’t do it, one of these days you and I are going to spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it once was like in America when men were free."

As with ACA today there were implementation problems with both programs and resistance by state governors as well. While there are few alive who remember Alf Landon and perhaps fewer still who remember the early days of Social Security, the media does not have that excuse. We were warned that both programs would destroy America and every problem was cited as evidence of impending doom. Yet today the simple fact it that for the vast majority of Americans over 65, Social Security is their main source of income in retirement and Medicare is their main (and often only) health insurance. Yet the battle continues against both programs, decrying them as “entitlements” and wrongly claiming that they add to the national debt.

In the case of the ACA, the intensity of the attacks has increased as implementation has progressed. Even if the national media has no sense of history, opponents of affordable healthcare know all too well that the bugs will be worked out and if too many people sign up so that the program reaches
a critical mass, the war is lost. For that reason the well-paid anonymous e-mail writers have doubled their output, focusing on aspects of the law taken out of context and “misstating” the facts. Recent letters to this newspaper reflect the reach of these efforts.

Let’s look at two of them. One recent writer claimed that the name “Affordable Care Act” was a “re-branding” to disguise its true purpose as another giveaway program. The fact is the name “Affordable Care Act” has been on the law since it was passed in 2009, and indeed, much as its detractors would like to keep silent on the topic, the aim of the act was to make healthcare affordable for all Americans. While the focus of attention has been on the insurance provisions of the law, fully half of the written legislation is directed at finding ways to reduce the cost of healthcare, funding pilot projects on, for example, putting the focus in care and payment on results and not on the individual services provided. The simple fact is that the United States has the highest healthcare costs in the world by far and yet ranks far down the list of countries in terms of results (we are ranked 38th in the latest World Health Organization study, for example). People in most developed countries pay half what we do for better results.

Another letter, responding to two commentaries we published on his own experience with ACA in New Hampshire by Wakefield resident Jim Miller, decries the subsidies he is receiving that help make the insurance affordable for him. This criticism ignores two points: we are already paying much more than the cost of insurance subsidies by funding uncompensated care through higher medical costs and premiums; and getting people involved in preventative care will save the much higher cost of emergency room care that those without insurance incur now. The American Hospital Association reported in a January 2013 Fact Sheet that the cost of uncompensated care in hospitals from 2000 to 2012 was $367 billion. Everyone who paid medical bills during that period insurance paid for that.

The untold “rest of the story” about Obamacare is that it is an attempt to solve a major problem and its efforts to hold down and reduce costs are already paying off. Denying there is a problem and offering no alternatives is not a valid response. It is in the best interests of all Americans to get behind this needed change and help it work.

This is just a re-hash of "Talking Points", but for me, two stick out.

Achigan wrote:"...The fact is the name “Affordable Care Act” has been on the law since it was passed in 2009, and indeed, much as its detractors would like to keep silent on the topic, the aim of the act was to make healthcare affordable for all Americans..."

Congress crashed the economy with the Affordable Housing Act. Good intentions don't make for good governance. Republicans always had alternatives, but "the solutions" required an ill-informed Electorate, and "the solutions" that Democrats manipulated through Congress—without a single Republican vote—)are breaking the bank.

Remember, these are the same politicians who ran Detroit—formerly one of our richest cities. Democrats can do the same to one of the world's richest countries—and are succeeding!

  

Achigan wrote:"...The simple fact is that the United States has the highest healthcare costs in the world by far and yet ranks far down the list of countries in terms of results (we are ranked 38th in the latest World Health Organization study.

The US actually saves "Preemies": other countries lower health costs through "easy euthanasia" or "doctor-assisted" suicides.

"Entitlements" have become such a huge percentage of America's debt, that we're making so many cuts in our Defense that we won't be able to defend ourselves. Even prior to Japan's attack at Pearl Harbor, Canada had been at war against our existential enemies for two years while FDR dithered.

(And two years when Britain had found "Peace in Our Time" with Nazi Germany).

What remains of the World Trade Center is mute testimony that we put our heads in the sand rather than recognizing just who our enemies are.


.

What "Affordable Housing Act" are you talking about? I don't remember the one where only the democrats voted for it.

That was a great editorial in the Grunter, Achigan. The editor really nailed it in terms of history and how it relates to Obamacare. I sincerely hope the State Senate in Concord passes the Medicaid expansion bill for those less fortunate citizens in our state, and it will be less of drain on our local taxes as well.

News Buzzard wrote:That was a great editorial in the Grunter, Achigan. The editor really nailed it in terms of history and how it relates to Obamacare. I sincerely hope the State Senate in Concord passes the Medicaid expansion bill for those less fortunate citizens in our state, and it will be less of drain on our local taxes as well.

Yes it did and it would be an education to the whole nation if this article went viral.

The Right’s “lies” about Obamacare are looking more and more like wisdom, historical literacy, and political foresight. Not only has it been that time has vindicated many of the Right’s complaints, Many on the Left has started to admit that much of what Obamacare’s critics said was true all along.

Of course that truth has escaped the Obamaholics members on this forum. But then again what would you expect from those who say that expanding hand-outs will lower taxes?       

There has NEVER been a time when the public wanted this law. It was forced on us, anyway.

In spite of all the evidence to the contrary the Obama supporters will claim "Obamacare" is not failing as predicted.

I guess Obama is merely deferring its success.  

The article that Achigan posted took a good look at history and how the right wing has always been on the wrong side of this country's historic achievements, screaming and kicking all the way. Obamacare is no different than Social Security and Medicare, successful programs that were bashed by the right.

Stopping Obamacare at this point will be like stopping a moving freight train singlehandedly, but the Republicans will overplay their hand, as usual!

News Buzzard wrote:The article that Achigan posted took a good look at history and how the right wing has always been on the wrong side of this country's historic achievements, screaming and kicking all the way. Obamacare is no different than Social Security and Medicare, successful programs that were bashed by the right.

Stopping Obamacare at this point will be like stopping a moving freight train singlehandedly, but the Republicans will overplay their hand, as usual!

"stopping a moving freight train singlehandedly".....well put NB, they don't understand the force needed to stop what our President has done for this nation. I'm proud to be an American more then anytime in my life.

Of course it was written that way…the author is a leftist revisionist moonbat.

Social Security is a fraud on the working man. If an individual works 40 years averaging 30K, by simply investing the same amount TAKEN by Social Security they would have 1.3 million at retirement age.

Now I know you will say…Social Security is popular. Well if it wasn’t mandatory, how popular would it be? If you have half a brain you would want to handle your own finances.

Medicare is Socialized Medicine and is partially responsible for the high cost of healthcare. Private pay and insurance policies must make up the loses Medicare and Medicaid create in the system.

There is no way you can make an intelligent argument that the government can do a better job taking care of people than they can themselves.

I truly believe you have absolutely no clue what Obamacare will do to this country. Because nobody in their right mind thinks the solution to expensive healthcare is even more expensive healthcare.

Outerlimits wrote:Now I know you will say…Social Security is popular.   Well if it wasn’t mandatory, how popular would it be?  If you have half a brain you would want to handle your own finances.

I do have "half a brain" because I am fully aware that millions of older Americans would be out on the street if it were not for Social Security and Medicare. That's a concept that you arrogant right wingers have trouble with because you can't see past your own noses!!!  

News Buzzard wrote:That was a great editorial in the Grunter, Achigan. The editor really nailed it in terms of history and how it relates to Obamacare. I sincerely hope the State Senate in Concord passes the Medicaid expansion bill for those less fortunate citizens in our state, and it will be less of drain on our local taxes as well.

Was that written by the editor of the Grunter?

fshnski wrote:

News Buzzard wrote:That was a great editorial in the Grunter, Achigan. The editor really nailed it in terms of history and how it relates to Obamacare. I sincerely hope the State Senate in Concord passes the Medicaid expansion bill for those less fortunate citizens in our state, and it will be less of drain on our local taxes as well.

Was that written by the editor of the Grunter?

It's too bad that you don't understand anything about newspapers, however I will answer your question.

This is what it says above the Editorial:

"Editorials, while unsigned, represent a consensus of the views of the editorial board of the Granite State News"

If you want to know who is a member of the "editorial board" then I suggest you contact the GSN.

How do we know that the letter wasn't written Chicago?

fshnski wrote:How do we know that the letter wasn't written Chicago?

What is "written Chicago"????  Must be a code you have with all your gangster friends in Chicago.

Think before you write...just once please.

News Buzzard wrote:I do have "half a brain" because I am fully aware that millions of older Americans would be out on the street if it were not for Social Security and Medicare. That's a concept that you arrogant right wingers have trouble with because you can't see past your own noses!!!  

Who (with half a brain) would be willing give their money to someone else to hold for them so they MIGHT get SOME of it back in the future?

Answer:

Those who know they will TAKE more out than they put in, and those who know they can skim the till (or drain every dollar).

How many of those “Older Americans” would prefer to have ALL of the money THEY put into Social Security and Medicare (plus interest)?

I beleive in charity...but not for it when it comes at the tip of a spear.

Family, friends, neighbors and private organizations can provide for those in need much better than politicians. Some people really need help; others need a kick in the ass. Your arrogance and pseudo intellectualism in this issue is well documented. You and your ilk believe you have a moral right to take from one group and give to another and those who disagree; well they just want old people to die.

I would like just what I have put into it, Outer.

Social Security has been the law of the land since 1935.

Medicare has been the law of the land since 1965.

The overwhelming majority of Americans want to continue these programs and reelected President Obama to do so.

Deal with it because these programs aren't going to be taken down anytime soon. Paul Ryan's budget is in the trash!!!

Impeach obama!

fshnski wrote:Impeach obama!

Never going to happen! You have 3 more years to bitch about him!!!

We'll see.

fshnski wrote:Impeach obama!

I think this forum is dealing with a deranged individual by the forum name of "fshnski".

It's really getting scary...who knows what this man will do???

News Buzzard wrote:Social Security has been the law of the land since 1935.

Medicare has been the law of the land since 1965.

The overwhelming majority of Americans want to continue these programs and reelected President Obama to do so.

Deal with it because these programs aren't going to be taken down anytime soon. Paul Ryan's budget is in the trash!!!

Would YOU rather have what you put in + interest right now?

fshnski wrote:Impeach obama!

We don’t want him impeached (Biden would be no better). Obama doesn’t deserve to become a martyr; it would serve this country much more for a disgraced and powerless figurehead to occupy the office for 3 more years. He would serve as a living symbol to all politicians what happens when you lie and go against the will of the people.

I agree with that!

Nothing cures liberalism better than a good dose of it.

He will never be impeached anyway. He might deserve it but it won't happen.