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Who is really affected by health care reform?
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In the past GOP has always argued less government in everyday life. That seems to be changing as Democrats in the past two elections have picked up votes from suburbanites, moderates, the educated, and the younger generation. Democrats have also gained ground in the West, the Midwest, and the South. GOP on the other hand gained votes only from less-educated whites and highly religious voters. These voters increased majorly in areas consisting of Appalachia and the South. This is why commentators, as well as GOP insiders, are worried the GOP will turn into the party of the South and the religious right.
This statistic alone could be one of the primary reasons why GOP has grudgingly have gone along with trying to help Obama reform the hectic health care industry. Rep. Charles Boustany Jr. (R-Louisiana), who is a doctor and member of the House Republican Health Care Solutions Group, said the GOP is "convinced" that Democrats and Republicans can both work together to resolve the issue of rising health care costs by approaching it from a similar platform.
"Let me be clear, Republicans want to work with President Obama and other Democrats to ensure that every American has access to affordable, high-quality health coverage," Boustany said. "Despite our differences, we are convinced there are areas of common-sense agreement on health care reform among Republicans and Democrats. This issue is just too important to let partisanship or blind ideology get in the way. Let’s all work together to do the right thing for the American people."
It was only since May that the Republican National Committee (RNC) wanted to re-brand the Democrats to 'Democrat Socialist Party,' and was to hold an actual vote to do so. However, even though GOP used widespread "scare tactics," implying Obama would "socialize" the health care industry and that it would be a "government take-over," American citizens still believed Democrats more than Republicans when it came to health care reform. According to a Gallup poll taken on June 17, 58 percent of Americans trusted Obama when it came to health care reform along with Congressional Democrats who had 42 percent over Congressional Republicans who finished with just 34 percent. Doctors in the meanwhile, had the highest percentage of voter trust when it came to health care reform at 73 percent.
Under Obama's health care reform plan, Obama promised that Americans will not have to change their health care coverage if they do not want to. He even reiterated it when a local did not understand.
"When I say that you don't have to change plans," Obama orated, "What I'm saying is the government is not going to make you change plans under health reform."
There is a big dilemma however when it comes to health care reform. It is projected to cost $1.6 trillion dollars in government spending to reform the current health care system. The question is, if it's worth it. Republicans working in bipartisan effort with Democrats have seemingly lowered the projected cost of health care reform to $1 trillion. Much of it dealing with scaling back on proposed subsidies to help individuals and businesses obtain insurance. Yet, Democrats think it is vital that a government insurance plan be created to compete with private organizations. Republicans are strongly opposed to this idea along with doctors and insurers saying a government plan will run private organizations out of business.
For one, a government run insurance plan would drive the administrative costs and profits down in the private sector making health insurance coverage more affordable for most Americans. Second, a government plan would break the monopoly two insurance companies hold over a third of the entire national market and are enjoying record profits while the administrative overhead is booming as the fastest growing component of health spending at 12 percent per year. Not to mention, CEOs of these insurance companies have received multi-million dollar bonuses while premiums have shot up 87 percent over the last 6 years. Republicans would still try to denounce a government run insurance plan.
"Let me put it this way. Having the government compete against the private sector, it's kind of like my seven-year-old daughter's lemonade stand competing against McDonald's," Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said. "It's the government being the referee and player in the same game."
The only difference is the jobs the $1.6 trillion creates would secure a higher education for the future. Children have grown up and gone through college only to end up in a worst position than they have began with before college. This is another dilemma Obama is tackling with right now.
"Every day I wish I had never gone to college," [Hernan] Castillo said. "It has been the biggest mistake of my life. Sometimes I wish I had gone to prison instead of college. At least I would have learned a trade or two and started being independent once I got out."
For Hernan Castillo, working a warehouse job even though he has a degree qualifying him to be an accountant is life. Hernan sees little hope of leaving his warehouse job. Now Hernan has a $5,200 credit card debt and a $30,000 debt from student loans. All the while, he's making payments on time. Much of the reason why people like Hernan cannot find a job is due to lack of jobs in a bad economy. If $1.6 trillion is poured into health care reform, jobs and industries in medicine and research will be created. From there, the money will pour into other industries such as public awareness which will stem the media and provide for other jobs that actually require a higher education. Not a McDonald's job nobody wants. People like Hernan will be able to find a proper job as an accountant and in turn the economy will be stimulated as people have respectable jobs. Education will be a success and deemed as valuable as people always have said it to be.
However, many people would like to think of it as a lemonade stand verses a McDonalds. If in fact, a lemonade stand were to face a McDonalds, where would be the cronyism in that?
"Millions upon millions of middle-class families will see themselves pushed into the ranks of the uninsured — and possibly into bankruptcy — unless someone helps them financially," says Princeton economics Professor Uwe E. Reinhardt. "But it is doubtful that it can be done if the 10-year budget cost of the proposed health reform bill is constrained to $1 trillion or less."
Thursday, June 25, 2009, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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