Ocassional Thoughts of an Independent Progressive Atheistic Humanist
My conservative friends, on Facebook, love posting articles mentioning how much labor unions HATE Obamacare as if that is enough to demand it be repealed. Some Unions did send a letter asking for an exemption to the Affordable Care Act. Friday the White House announced it had denied the request. There is more to the story than you will see on Fox ‘News’ or read in the Wall Street Journal.
Republicans in Congress HATE the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). They have tried to repeal it 40 times while not even considering a needed jobs bill. They would rather put the 1% ahead of those who need help with the cost of basic health care. Now some of the rogue GOP members want to hold all us hostage by causing a government shut down this fall. They demand that Obamacare be defunded or else. They are under the delusion that jazzing up their small block of bigoted selfish voters will bring them overall victory in 2014 and 2016. Going for a shutdown will in fact bring a strong victory for Democrats.
The Koch Brothers astroturf group, Americans for Prosperity, has released an ad against the Affordable Care Act (aka ‘Obamacare’) that uses false information. Unlike the information given in the ad, under the ACA, you will be able to choose your own doctor and a majority of people will not being paying higher premiums. Not to mention that it is ironic the ad complains about ‘the folks in Washington’ getting involved in one’s health care yet insurance companies insert themselves in your health care all the time. If you see this ad, remember it is false and paid for by people who have no need for a social safety net.
I saw the ad on a local TV station the other day.
There have been several stories, since President Obama was re-elected, of poor loser CEO’s either firing or reducing hours of employees because of the upcoming tax changes brought on by “Obamacare” (aka the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act). The problem with their view is the changes coming due to “Obamacare” didn’t have to happen. There was a call for single payer and even a public option which would have eliminated or reduced the impact on employers but the Republicans refused to allow it. The blame for any “Obamacare layoffs” is really the fault of the Republicans not President Obama.
I wrote about this issue previously when the founder and CEO of Papa John’s Pizza, John Schnatter complained about “Obamacare” in August:
Many people, including myself, were shocked when the US Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act. The decision was based on the grounds that it fell under the taxing authority of Congress. Republicans and other Conservatives lost their mind screaming like little children about a TAX!!!!! OMFG A TAX!!!! Well like a majority of GOP talking points this too is false and shows they really have no idea how insurance works.
The penalty, which would only affect less than 1%, that people would pay for not buying health insurance is more like the fine you pay if you get a speeding ticket. No rational person would claim that the fine from a traffic ticket is a tax.