Congress has one main duty; to pass spending bills that fund the government. The government’s fiscal year runs from October 1st – September 30th, meaning the Congress had to approve a spending plan for the new year by September 30th. When Congress failed to do so this year, the federal government shutdown – meaning all non-essential government functions grinded to halt.
The main issue is that Republicans insist that any new
spending bill include provisions to defund, derail or otherwise chip away at
the Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as Obamacare. The Affordable Care Act requires all
Americans to have health insurance.
Republicans feel it will hurt employers because it requires companies
with over 50 employees to provide health insurance to their employees. Opponents to the new law also feel it amounts
to over-reaching by the federal government – essentially saying it is not the
federal government’s job to mandate healthcare for all citizens.
Democrats say the law will expand access to healthcare and
help reign in the rising costs of healthcare coverage. The Affordable Care Act prevents those with
pre-existing medical conditions from being denied health insurance, and allows
young adults to stay on their parents’ coverage until 26 years of age. Supporters also say individuals who have
health insurance will no longer have to indirectly pay for emergency visits
from individuals who aren’t insured.
There is no telling how the long the shutdown will last, and
what the effect of the shutdown will be on our economy. One thing is for certain, both sides have dug
in their heels and no end is in sight.
So my question to you this week is, “What do you think of the Affordable
Care Act? Do you support it or oppose
it? What do you think is a solution to
the shutdown?” Answers are due no later
than Tuesday, October 15th, 2013.
Just for fun, check out this Jimmy Kimble video in which he goes to the
street to find out if people support the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare
(hint: they’re the same thing). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx2scvIFGjE
The original concept of the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare was not actually a bad concept. It was only after the changes that were made to it after it was passed that turned it into a problem. Having government funded healthcare for those unable to afford healthcare insurance themselves is not necessarily a bad idea, except that we already have that in Medicare and Medicaid. After all, it's worked for Canada. Still, an act such as this should not be mandated by the government without the people's consent. I might be in favor of the original concept of the Affordable Care Act if it were not for the current state of our country's economy in which unnecessary spending like Obamacare is not necessarily a wise investment. In our current state Obamacare should be defunded and any investments and acts made and/or passed should be focused on stabilizing the economy, returning value to American money, and finally getting out of the shadow of the recession. Therefore the only solution for the government shutdown is to defund Obamacare and focus on the financial strain our country is facing. While far more severe the troubles faced in the time of the Great Depression are in some ways reflected by our current state of affairs. Perhaps it is time for our politicians to look into our country's history. Still, at the same time we must be careful to remember that while we managed to pull ourselves out of the pit during the Great Depression that was also when our country's debt began to quickly rise. What we need is indeed a stimulus for our economy, but we need it to be one where the government isn't necessarily paying out more money than it has, which is likely in fact to be none considering our current national debt. What we really need is an influx of money from other countries' that is not borrowed or lent to us. We need to bring an end to inflation and begin a deflation in prices, though admittedly this is easier said than done.
ReplyDeleteWith all the problems the Affordable Care Act is causing now I fail to see how it is worth keeping. America is already in debt as is. We are supposed to be a strong and proud country but we don't appear to be very stable right now. The Act needs to be withdrawn completely. We already have plenty of health care options for those who need help with heath care. It might be less costly if we just put a little more money into those options and be more selective with them. For example randomly drug test the people that qualify for such health care programs. A lot of people that use those programs are on drugs. If they weren't spending their money on that then they might have enough money to afford different options of health care and leave more spots for those how need help affording it.
ReplyDeleteWhile a lot of people consider government interventions such as the Affordable Care Act to be 'communist' or 'socialist' in a negative manner, I don't really see a problem with it. Originally, I think that Obamacare was a good idea. As it is now, there is so much tacked onto it in an effort to appease republicans that it's just useless. But, I feel like Obamacare is just a symptom of the greater disease facing this nation. The two party system has created an us vs. them mentality that's divided the nation along party lines as opposed to actual issues. This shouldn't be about posturing across party lines and trying to 'win', it should be about creating what's best for this nation and its people. I feel like the majority of people, Republican and Democrat, have forgotten that and are just obsessed about not appearing 'weak' to the other party.
ReplyDelete- Katherine Fosso
Obamacare should have never been passed to begin with. This country is in so much trouble the way it is that we don't need to screw over individuals trying to actually make a better life for their family. This means that people can continue to suck Welfare checks and free phones off of others that are working hard to provide for their own. People come into Texas Roadhouse and use their Welfare cards to purchase the steak dinner and alcohol they just had. It is irritating to know that I am paying for them to eat steak dinners ever other night. I don't know what the answer is to fix all of these problems, but it needs to be fixed before things get worse. If that's even possible.
ReplyDeleteI think that the Government looks down on families that are less fortunate and just sees them as "debt" or a let down to the country. Not all families can afford healthcare and I do believe that the Obamacare had good intentions, but just a weak way of going about it. I do believe that a lot of people do take advantage of the health care programs, but maybe its Americas "to do" to actually make sure the situations are legit and not just people that are trying to take advantage of it. Would things work if people can't afford the healthcare put a limit on how many kids a woman is liable to have? Theres only so much America can do to help. The shutdown will probably not stop until Obama just throws out the whole "obamacare" idea.
ReplyDeleteI think the general concept of the affordable care act makes sense. The fact that it makes people who have insurance not indirectly pay for others is a good thing. I'm not sure how I feel about it keeping people on their parents insurance until 26. I think that is a bit too long to be dependent on your parents even if it is just insurance. I understand how people think it the federal government overreaching to become involved with that but I also think everyone is so used to the way the US works and tries to keep things separate so that it isn't like so many other countries. I think the only way for the shutdown to be over is for them to simply just come to an agreement of some kind and stop being so stubborn about it. I think more damage could come from being shutdown for so long to argue over this issue.
ReplyDeleteI think at first the affordable care act was good idea with good intent for people had trouble getting health care, but now with all the stuff they want to tack on just makes it ridiculous. As for staying on your parent insurance till your 26 is a bad idea, because at 25 you are considered an independent.
ReplyDeleteI think the overall Idea is good for people who need health care and cant get it because they cant afford it but be on your parents health care is a bad idea because some people don't see their parents or associate. I agree with some off these comments mostly.
ReplyDeleteI think the idea of the act was a good one, but now it's just a pain to go through, especially with the website crashing everyday due to the number of applicants. On that alone, more money than what we can afford is being spent
ReplyDeleteI support the affordable care act. I think it’s a good idea because there are people out there who are working hard, but can’t afford to have a health insurance. If companies that have a lot of employees that are not getting paid as much, just enough to survive, should have health care plans. I’m sure those in the higher level of the company get many benefits, but what about those below them that work hard? The solution is to pass the affordable care act to help those that are in need.
ReplyDelete-Beza E.
In principle I feel like it's a good idea, but the way it has been done, I think it is all a scam. I still don't understand the government shutting down. How did we allow this to happen?
ReplyDelete