The debate over the Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act, commonly referred to as Obamacare, is looking like a Greek tragedy – not
one but three.
The first tragedy is President Obama’s age and experience.
While no one chooses his or her birthday, Obama’s lack of
political experience, especially guiding something as tricky as a near overhaul
of health care in the United States, is his responsibility.
Had he not been a young man in a hurry in 2008 – and
certainly a better student of American history – he would have delayed his
presidential ambitions.
Instead of seeking his party’s presidential nomination,
Obama would have gained executive suite experience as either a governor or a
Cabinet member in a Hillary Clinton Administration. But he pressed on, winning his current post.
Which is unfortunate.
Because if Obama was a better history student, he would know the most
effective presidents – the ones with the chops for the job – came to the White
House with one or two characteristics:
Prior executive experience as either a governor, a general or a
Congressional leader and, usually, 50 years old.
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, James
Polk, Abraham Lincoln, William McKinley, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt,
Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson and Ronald Reagan – some of the country’s best presidents
– possessed one, if not both, attributes when they became the country’s leader.
If Obama demonstrated patience, he’d be watching this debate
from the sidelines, not find himself in the middle of it, showing what he
really is – a political novice whose inability to manage the new law may very
well sink his presidency and his party, too.
The second tragedy is the law’s name. The citizenry is finally hearing – loud
and clear – it’s called the Affordable Care Act.
But when there are, potentially, as many as 50 million
people facing cancelled health insurance plans because theirs don’t cover every
disease, test and possible treatment required under the new law – and facing large
increases in their monthly premiums – then this new law doesn’t look “affordable.”
It looks expensive.
In California, the Los Angeles Times reported, some self-employed
people paying less than $100 a month for their monthly health insurance premium
are looking at an increase of about $140 a month so their plan is in synch with
the new law.
The McClatchy News Service reported as many as 40 million
people in the United States, buying health insurance through their employers, may
see their policies cancelled because they don’t stack up with the law and another
11 million people buying policies on their own are also likely facing the same
problem.
And, of course, everyone heard – or saw by now – the infamous
video of President Obama saying, “If you like your health insurance plan, you
can keep it.”
That statement didn’t come with any caveats. The American
people took him for his word.
But now Obama’s eating his words, attempting to find wiggle
room to keep that promise while, at the same time, attempting to maintain his
signature legislation, something that’s more difficult by the day. Especially when he’s receiving “help”
from former President Bill Clinton, who also made a run at changing how health
care is managed and paid for.
The third tragedy is economics. Its first law is that there’s no such thing as a free lunch
and if that isn’t understood by now, it may never be.
A to Z health care coverage – and then some – is costly. This isn’t like buying a liability
policy for your car – usually sold for fewer dollars – so anyone you hit is
paid off.
The new law requires you to buy a comprehensive health care
policy covering you for anything and everything even though the likelihood of
you needing such coverage might be statistically remote.
So what everyone is suddenly learning is that the Obama Administration,
through the Affordable Care Act, sold off the American public to the insurance
industry.
You’ll pay their rates – and you’ll enjoy it!
And given the Supreme Court’s ruling, there are few legal
challenges available.
The Ancient Greeks thought no tragedy was meaningless. There’s always a lesson.
Maybe we’re finally learning that if we paid own doctors,
out of our own pockets, with our own money, instead of receiving a subsidy from the
insurance industry, as we have since World War II, then health care’s
prices will drop.
We need to stop acting like crack addicts and wean ourselves
off the insurance industry. If
we don’t, health care prices will continue to be inflated.
Sources:
